Flight time violation of far 121.471 due to a publication deficiency.

Attributes
ACN	314710
Time
Date	199508
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jfk
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B747-100
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 260 flight time total : 12700 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	314710
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Chart Or Publication
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
Publication	Unspecified

Narrative:

Crew scheduling assigned trip jfk to sju to jfk. I questioned if this was a domestic or international flight. Scheduling positively replied it was international. After flying the trip the chief pilot stated it was a domestic trip. If so I was in violation of far 121.471 -- (do not exceed 30 hours in seven consecutive days). A review of far part I (definitions) and afar part 121.471 (flight time limitations -- domestic) does not reveal a definition of domestic. Most pilots want to abide by FARS regarding flight time limitations, but the rules are so varied and complex that it's very difficult to know what's legal. In my case, a flight between the us and a us possession not in the 48 contiguous states may or may not be legal, depending on who you ask.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT TIME VIOLATION OF FAR 121.471 DUE TO A PUBLICATION DEFICIENCY.

Narrative: CREW SCHEDULING ASSIGNED TRIP JFK TO SJU TO JFK. I QUESTIONED IF THIS WAS A DOMESTIC OR INTL FLT. SCHEDULING POSITIVELY REPLIED IT WAS INTL. AFTER FLYING THE TRIP THE CHIEF PLT STATED IT WAS A DOMESTIC TRIP. IF SO I WAS IN VIOLATION OF FAR 121.471 -- (DO NOT EXCEED 30 HOURS IN SEVEN CONSECUTIVE DAYS). A REVIEW OF FAR PART I (DEFINITIONS) AND AFAR PART 121.471 (FLT TIME LIMITATIONS -- DOMESTIC) DOES NOT REVEAL A DEFINITION OF DOMESTIC. MOST PLTS WANT TO ABIDE BY FARS REGARDING FLT TIME LIMITATIONS, BUT THE RULES ARE SO VARIED AND COMPLEX THAT IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO KNOW WHAT'S LEGAL. IN MY CASE, A FLT BTWN THE US AND A US POSSESSION NOT IN THE 48 CONTIGUOUS STATES MAY OR MAY NOT BE LEGAL, DEPENDING ON WHO YOU ASK.

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.