Narrative:

On jun/xx/96, I was scheduled to operate flts, pdx-dtw- ewr, and flight ewr-dtw. I was notified by ACARS that there was a 30 hours in 7 days problem. I agreed and discussed with scheduling that I would have to be replaced in dtw and could not do the ewr turn. I was informed that the company had only 1 reserve left and if I could block in by XA54 local, I would be legal to continue. I agreed. I blocked in at XB01 and believed myself illegal to continue. I was informed by crew scheduler that due to some recent changes in the 30 in 7 interpretation, if you begin your last day legally, you can complete the day. I was told that a duty manager had legally rescheduled me based on a projected ETA I had sent on the ACARS and I was now legal to complete the day. I was not aware of the new 30 in 7 interpretation and believed that my company, having high safety and compliance standards, was telling me the truth. With 194 people already boarded and expecting imminent departure, I took the flts and completed my flying day. I now believe the company could not legally reschedule me to 'get around' the 30 in 7 rule as they did and that I was not legal to do the newark turn. I think this occurred because my company is extremely short of pilots (having lost money in the 3 previous yrs, they are extremely reluctant to hire pilots, spend money -- this situation ultimately is tied to deregulation). Since we are so short staffed, schedules are faced with canceling flts or resorting to 'creative scheduling.' there is tremendous pressure on both pilots and schedulers. Also, I was not familiar enough with 'changes' in the 30 in 7 rule to refute what they were telling me with 194 people boarded and waiting for me (the earlier flight had been canceled and security had been called to the gate area to deal with furious passenger). Information on changes to 30 in 7 has not been widely disseminated and schedulers use this to their advantage.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR SCHEDULING PRACTICE. PLT SCHEDULED TO FLY MORE THAN 30 HRS IN A 7 DAY PERIOD. SCHEDULING BASED UPON PROJECTED BLOCK TIMES WHICH WEREN'T ACCURATE. RPTR SAYS 'CREATIVE SCHEDULING' IS RESULT OF PLT SHORTAGE WITHIN ACR.

Narrative: ON JUN/XX/96, I WAS SCHEDULED TO OPERATE FLTS, PDX-DTW- EWR, AND FLT EWR-DTW. I WAS NOTIFIED BY ACARS THAT THERE WAS A 30 HRS IN 7 DAYS PROB. I AGREED AND DISCUSSED WITH SCHEDULING THAT I WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED IN DTW AND COULD NOT DO THE EWR TURN. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE COMPANY HAD ONLY 1 RESERVE LEFT AND IF I COULD BLOCK IN BY XA54 LCL, I WOULD BE LEGAL TO CONTINUE. I AGREED. I BLOCKED IN AT XB01 AND BELIEVED MYSELF ILLEGAL TO CONTINUE. I WAS INFORMED BY CREW SCHEDULER THAT DUE TO SOME RECENT CHANGES IN THE 30 IN 7 INTERP, IF YOU BEGIN YOUR LAST DAY LEGALLY, YOU CAN COMPLETE THE DAY. I WAS TOLD THAT A DUTY MGR HAD LEGALLY RESCHEDULED ME BASED ON A PROJECTED ETA I HAD SENT ON THE ACARS AND I WAS NOW LEGAL TO COMPLETE THE DAY. I WAS NOT AWARE OF THE NEW 30 IN 7 INTERP AND BELIEVED THAT MY COMPANY, HAVING HIGH SAFETY AND COMPLIANCE STANDARDS, WAS TELLING ME THE TRUTH. WITH 194 PEOPLE ALREADY BOARDED AND EXPECTING IMMINENT DEP, I TOOK THE FLTS AND COMPLETED MY FLYING DAY. I NOW BELIEVE THE COMPANY COULD NOT LEGALLY RESCHEDULE ME TO 'GET AROUND' THE 30 IN 7 RULE AS THEY DID AND THAT I WAS NOT LEGAL TO DO THE NEWARK TURN. I THINK THIS OCCURRED BECAUSE MY COMPANY IS EXTREMELY SHORT OF PLTS (HAVING LOST MONEY IN THE 3 PREVIOUS YRS, THEY ARE EXTREMELY RELUCTANT TO HIRE PLTS, SPEND MONEY -- THIS SIT ULTIMATELY IS TIED TO DEREGULATION). SINCE WE ARE SO SHORT STAFFED, SCHEDULES ARE FACED WITH CANCELING FLTS OR RESORTING TO 'CREATIVE SCHEDULING.' THERE IS TREMENDOUS PRESSURE ON BOTH PLTS AND SCHEDULERS. ALSO, I WAS NOT FAMILIAR ENOUGH WITH 'CHANGES' IN THE 30 IN 7 RULE TO REFUTE WHAT THEY WERE TELLING ME WITH 194 PEOPLE BOARDED AND WAITING FOR ME (THE EARLIER FLT HAD BEEN CANCELED AND SECURITY HAD BEEN CALLED TO THE GATE AREA TO DEAL WITH FURIOUS PAX). INFO ON CHANGES TO 30 IN 7 HAS NOT BEEN WIDELY DISSEMINATED AND SCHEDULERS USE THIS TO THEIR ADVANTAGE.

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.