Narrative:

Due to the extreme misuse of the FARS, our company scheduled. Crews for reduced rest on a daily basis. These trips are built around the reduced rest rules using them for normal scheduled trips, not for emergency sits (i.e., WX delays). An example of one of these trips is as follows. Arrive at station XA54, report the next morning at XJ15. With a 20 min shutdown time, this leaves 8 hours plus 5 mins of rest which, as we all know, includes the 20 min van ride each way. The other gross misuse of the rest requirements are the use of standup overnights or what some call 'high speeds.' these trips report late at night and then end 11 hours later in the morning. This allows for plus or minus 6 hours at the hotel. The bad part about these is the fact that our company will schedule up to 5 of these in a row. The dangerous part of this is the overlapping of days without sleep which leads to a chronic fatigue situation. In my opinion, the only reason there have been no accidents or fatalities is due to the outstanding reliability of the aircraft and engines that we fly. It seems, even if there was an accident, it would just be another case of 'pilot error.' this would probably be true but there is no blood test for fatigue or lack of rest, and if they did find the crew was tired, the FAA would just look the other way because they are the ones who allow this to happen. (Even after the NTSB tells them to stop it. Example: crash at brunswick, GA.)

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMPLAINT OF FATIGUE CAUSED BY MISUSE OF FAR REGARDING FLC WORK SCHEDULING.

Narrative: DUE TO THE EXTREME MISUSE OF THE FARS, OUR COMPANY SCHEDULED. CREWS FOR REDUCED REST ON A DAILY BASIS. THESE TRIPS ARE BUILT AROUND THE REDUCED REST RULES USING THEM FOR NORMAL SCHEDULED TRIPS, NOT FOR EMER SITS (I.E., WX DELAYS). AN EXAMPLE OF ONE OF THESE TRIPS IS AS FOLLOWS. ARRIVE AT STATION XA54, RPT THE NEXT MORNING AT XJ15. WITH A 20 MIN SHUTDOWN TIME, THIS LEAVES 8 HRS PLUS 5 MINS OF REST WHICH, AS WE ALL KNOW, INCLUDES THE 20 MIN VAN RIDE EACH WAY. THE OTHER GROSS MISUSE OF THE REST REQUIREMENTS ARE THE USE OF STANDUP OVERNIGHTS OR WHAT SOME CALL 'HIGH SPDS.' THESE TRIPS RPT LATE AT NIGHT AND THEN END 11 HRS LATER IN THE MORNING. THIS ALLOWS FOR PLUS OR MINUS 6 HRS AT THE HOTEL. THE BAD PART ABOUT THESE IS THE FACT THAT OUR COMPANY WILL SCHEDULE UP TO 5 OF THESE IN A ROW. THE DANGEROUS PART OF THIS IS THE OVERLAPPING OF DAYS WITHOUT SLEEP WHICH LEADS TO A CHRONIC FATIGUE SIT. IN MY OPINION, THE ONLY REASON THERE HAVE BEEN NO ACCIDENTS OR FATALITIES IS DUE TO THE OUTSTANDING RELIABILITY OF THE ACFT AND ENGS THAT WE FLY. IT SEEMS, EVEN IF THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT, IT WOULD JUST BE ANOTHER CASE OF 'PLT ERROR.' THIS WOULD PROBABLY BE TRUE BUT THERE IS NO BLOOD TEST FOR FATIGUE OR LACK OF REST, AND IF THEY DID FIND THE CREW WAS TIRED, THE FAA WOULD JUST LOOK THE OTHER WAY BECAUSE THEY ARE THE ONES WHO ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN. (EVEN AFTER THE NTSB TELLS THEM TO STOP IT. EXAMPLE: CRASH AT BRUNSWICK, GA.)

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.