 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
B777 relief pilot reports showing up for a flight fatigued expecting the first six hour break but the captain elects to break the relief pilots' rest period into two three hour periods; with the flying crew taking a six hour break in the middle.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 1162404 |
| Time | |
| Date | 201404 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | B777 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | Cruise |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | First Officer Pilot Not Flying Relief Pilot |
| Experience | Flight Crew Last 90 Days 250 Flight Crew Total 15000 Flight Crew Type 10000 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | Deviation - Procedural Other / Unknown |
Narrative:
Reported for [a 13 hour flight] anticipating standard crew rest break- relief pilots take first half and flying pilots the second half. This requires showing up tired so you can sleep through the break since you'll be in the seat for seven hours; dodging dry-top thunderstorms and managing high threat weather and fuel constraints. Captain declared that we were going to split the breaks so he and flying first officer would get the middle six hours of sleep. This meant the relief pilots got about 3.5 hours to start and then the last 3 hours. I told the captain that I was exhausted and had planned on sleeping for the first entire break. He declared that he was changing the breaks to accommodate his rest needs. I acquiesced to his authority and did my best to get some sleep in the poorly designed; cramped; loud bunk. This unanticipated break schedule woke me at the bottom of my rest cycle and put me squarely in the wocl of 2-6 am. I was absolutely exhausted since the standard and anticipated rest break was callously changed to accommodate the captain's desires.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B777 Relief Pilot reports showing up for a flight fatigued expecting the first six hour break but the Captain elects to break the relief pilots' rest period into two three hour periods; with the flying crew taking a six hour break in the middle.
Narrative: Reported for [a 13 hour flight] anticipating standard crew rest break- relief pilots take first half and flying pilots the second half. This requires showing up tired so you can sleep through the break since you'll be in the seat for seven hours; dodging dry-top thunderstorms and managing high threat weather and fuel constraints. Captain declared that we were going to split the breaks so he and flying First Officer would get the middle six hours of sleep. This meant the relief pilots got about 3.5 hours to start and then the last 3 hours. I told the Captain that I was exhausted and had planned on sleeping for the first entire break. He declared that he was changing the breaks to accommodate his rest needs. I acquiesced to his authority and did my best to get some sleep in the poorly designed; cramped; loud bunk. This unanticipated break schedule woke me at the bottom of my rest cycle and put me squarely in the WOCL of 2-6 am. I was absolutely exhausted since the standard and anticipated rest break was callously changed to accommodate the Captain's desires.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.