Narrative:

Crew rest regulations: unfortunately, every once in a while for a variety of reasons, this regulation (designed to ensure properly rested pilots) gets forgotten! Try and figure this one. 2 day pairing schedule for 10 plus 09, the first day show time is late evening and flight time is scheduled for 3 plus 44. Due to mechanical problem we pushed :20 late, WX in the area delayed our takeoff. With an unscheduled fuel stop we landed and parked at the destination gate 1 plus 51 late. Originally we were scheduled for 10 plus 16 layover. Our company's standard response when called to check crew rest is 8 plus 44 block to block (xx and 8 plus 44 = a push time of xxy) since our push time was scheduled for xxy there was not a conflict in our thinking. At early scheduling awoke the captain, informing him that the first officer and so 'required 9 plus 45' block to block crew rest. We all showed as planned the previous evening for scheduled van. The captain informed first officer and I about call from schedules, it just did not make sense. We flew 4 plus 13 the night before and were scheduled to fly 6 plus 25 this day. What were we to do? Go back to our rooms and sleep for another 45 mins? We showed on the aircraft (8 plus 51 from block in) aircraft was boarded normally and we sat with the parking brake set so as not to trip ACARS until scheduling got their imposed 9 plus 45 block to block, however, I see that 1) they interrupted captain crew rest. 2) their rest interpretation was somehow flawed (although appreciated when we get 'more' rest). 3) 'more' rest I do not need spent sitting 54 mins with parking brake set - waiting to be legal. My airline uses far min rest as normal practice and routinely violates crew rest for perhaps misinterpreted rest regulations required. I feel 1) FAA must make both flight time and duty time hence rest times easier to understand (throw out interpretations)! 2) hold crew schedulers accountable for violations of crew rest, a good schedule practice would have been to inform us on arrival the previous night of rest required.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC PROTESTS INFRINGEMENT OF THEIR SCHEDULED REST AND APPLICATION OF DUTY AND REST REGS.

Narrative: CREW REST REGS: UNFORTUNATELY, EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, THIS REG (DESIGNED TO ENSURE PROPERLY RESTED PLTS) GETS FORGOTTEN! TRY AND FIGURE THIS ONE. 2 DAY PAIRING SCHEDULE FOR 10 PLUS 09, THE FIRST DAY SHOW TIME IS LATE EVENING AND FLT TIME IS SCHEDULED FOR 3 PLUS 44. DUE TO MECHANICAL PROBLEM WE PUSHED :20 LATE, WX IN THE AREA DELAYED OUR TKOF. WITH AN UNSCHEDULED FUEL STOP WE LANDED AND PARKED AT THE DEST GATE 1 PLUS 51 LATE. ORIGINALLY WE WERE SCHEDULED FOR 10 PLUS 16 LAYOVER. OUR COMPANY'S STANDARD RESPONSE WHEN CALLED TO CHK CREW REST IS 8 PLUS 44 BLOCK TO BLOCK (XX AND 8 PLUS 44 = A PUSH TIME OF XXY) SINCE OUR PUSH TIME WAS SCHEDULED FOR XXY THERE WAS NOT A CONFLICT IN OUR THINKING. AT EARLY SCHEDULING AWOKE THE CAPT, INFORMING HIM THAT THE FO AND SO 'REQUIRED 9 PLUS 45' BLOCK TO BLOCK CREW REST. WE ALL SHOWED AS PLANNED THE PREVIOUS EVENING FOR SCHEDULED VAN. THE CAPT INFORMED FO AND I ABOUT CALL FROM SCHEDULES, IT JUST DID NOT MAKE SENSE. WE FLEW 4 PLUS 13 THE NIGHT BEFORE AND WERE SCHEDULED TO FLY 6 PLUS 25 THIS DAY. WHAT WERE WE TO DO? GO BACK TO OUR ROOMS AND SLEEP FOR ANOTHER 45 MINS? WE SHOWED ON THE ACFT (8 PLUS 51 FROM BLOCK IN) ACFT WAS BOARDED NORMALLY AND WE SAT WITH THE PARKING BRAKE SET SO AS NOT TO TRIP ACARS UNTIL SCHEDULING GOT THEIR IMPOSED 9 PLUS 45 BLOCK TO BLOCK, HOWEVER, I SEE THAT 1) THEY INTERRUPTED CAPT CREW REST. 2) THEIR REST INTERPRETATION WAS SOMEHOW FLAWED (ALTHOUGH APPRECIATED WHEN WE GET 'MORE' REST). 3) 'MORE' REST I DO NOT NEED SPENT SITTING 54 MINS WITH PARKING BRAKE SET - WAITING TO BE LEGAL. MY AIRLINE USES FAR MIN REST AS NORMAL PRACTICE AND ROUTINELY VIOLATES CREW REST FOR PERHAPS MISINTERPRETED REST REGS REQUIRED. I FEEL 1) FAA MUST MAKE BOTH FLT TIME AND DUTY TIME HENCE REST TIMES EASIER TO UNDERSTAND (THROW OUT INTERPRETATIONS)! 2) HOLD CREW SCHEDULERS ACCOUNTABLE FOR VIOLATIONS OF CREW REST, A GOOD SCHEDULE PRACTICE WOULD HAVE BEEN TO INFORM US ON ARR THE PREVIOUS NIGHT OF REST REQUIRED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.