FAR 117 hiring.

[Flyer1015]

I think it will be that way at all of the airlines, not just regionals.

Mostly regionals. The scope of our airline is mostly transcons where the average block/day is still 5.5 to 6.5 hrs.

 

[labbats]

....not if you have proper reserve coverage. FDPs can be extended by 2 hrs due to unforeseen circumstances before takeoff. But the block time for the day (either 8 or 9 hrs depending on when you report) is a hard limit that is updated after every flight.

I thought that 2 hour extension was only for reserves, not lineholders. Maybe that is what you are saying with FDP. I've never heard that term before.

 

[Vegaspilot99]

I thought that 2 hour extension was only for reserves, not lineholders. Maybe that is what you are saying with FDP. I've never heard that term before.

From everything I've seen and talking to the two guys working on 117 here, the 2 hr extension is for the Flight Duty Period...whether line holder or reserve. The 30 min extension can be used more than once. The 2 hr extension can only be used once until you receive the required 30hrs off in 7. In either case the CA must agree to the extension, its not a given that the company can just use it.

I thought the reserve rules would be better than they are. In many cases reserves can still do a full 16 hr duty day. For reserves you have to look at the FDP start time/# of legs to determine your FDP limit. Then add 4 hrs to that. Then figure which is more restrictive, your total duty end time (FDP+4) or the actual FDP. It's kinda confusing.

 

[fam62c]

At least the concept of "reduced rest" seems to be gone, I always thought that was the dumbest thing ever. They could have just kept everything as it was except make all the limits hard limits rather than scheduling limits and made the minimum rest period 10 hours with no exceptions. To me it makes no sense to make rules for safety reasons and then allow exceptions to those rules. If a rule is made to insure safety it automatically implies that an exception to that rule could result in an unsafe situation. Reducing rest to 8 hours with "rest" defined as release to report......that was just ridiculous. We will just have to see how the new rules work out in practice and what some operators will do to get around the intent of the rules.

 

[Twisted Mind]

If the scheduled days off drop dramatically due to this rule change, how many pilots will leave the industry? How will that affect the industry. I can't imagine a lot of people will want to spend a career commuting to a 13 day off line for crappy regional pay.