Narrative:

When I checked in for my 3-DAY trip, crew scheduling said I was going to have a 30-in-7 problem on the second day. In 2 contacts with them over the ensuing 1 1/2 hours, the story changed twice. I did my own calculations during that first day. We agreed that I would be over 30 on the second day. Crew schedule replaced me for the first of 4 legs that day -- they then showed me legal, but I told them I still showed that I would be over 30. For almost 24 hours prior to the actual problem, I talked to crew schedule 6 times on the phone (and 1 time via company operations) to try to get things straight. Yes, I know I'm naive, but I thought they were the experts, I figured that I could well be making a mistake, they insisted that their computer was essentially never wrong, and that I was legal. Due to delays and strong tailwinds, the degree of the problem lessened, but according to my figures, I now believe that I exceeded 30-in-7 (30:08). Immediately prior to the flight that put me over, schedule told me I was legal and that since our system was FAA-approved and the company records showed me legal, if there was an error both the company and I would be protected from any FAA action (see naive-above). I took the flight. On arrival at the end of the third day, I again talked to schedule at some length. After almost 1 hour, one scheduler came up with almost (30:07) the same answer that I did. I turned this in to our union liaison, who has made some inquiries. Apparently, the company may be operating with their own interpretation of time-limits, in any event, I have not heard back from the company yet. Because it comes up so infrequently, and because it's tedious and error-prone, I essentially abdicated my responsibilities to the company 'experts.' not next time.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FO ADVISED CREW SCHEDULING HE HAD A 30-7 PROB. SCHEDULE INFORMED HIM HE WAS LEGAL ACCORDING TO THE COMPUTER INFO. AFTER EACH LEG HE CHKED WITH SCHEDULE AND WAS STILL ADVISED WAS LEGAL. AT THE COMPLETION OF SEQUENCE WAS OVER BY 8 MINS.

Narrative: WHEN I CHKED IN FOR MY 3-DAY TRIP, CREW SCHEDULING SAID I WAS GOING TO HAVE A 30-IN-7 PROB ON THE SECOND DAY. IN 2 CONTACTS WITH THEM OVER THE ENSUING 1 1/2 HRS, THE STORY CHANGED TWICE. I DID MY OWN CALCULATIONS DURING THAT FIRST DAY. WE AGREED THAT I WOULD BE OVER 30 ON THE SECOND DAY. CREW SCHEDULE REPLACED ME FOR THE FIRST OF 4 LEGS THAT DAY -- THEY THEN SHOWED ME LEGAL, BUT I TOLD THEM I STILL SHOWED THAT I WOULD BE OVER 30. FOR ALMOST 24 HRS PRIOR TO THE ACTUAL PROB, I TALKED TO CREW SCHEDULE 6 TIMES ON THE PHONE (AND 1 TIME VIA COMPANY OPS) TO TRY TO GET THINGS STRAIGHT. YES, I KNOW I'M NAIVE, BUT I THOUGHT THEY WERE THE EXPERTS, I FIGURED THAT I COULD WELL BE MAKING A MISTAKE, THEY INSISTED THAT THEIR COMPUTER WAS ESSENTIALLY NEVER WRONG, AND THAT I WAS LEGAL. DUE TO DELAYS AND STRONG TAILWINDS, THE DEGREE OF THE PROB LESSENED, BUT ACCORDING TO MY FIGURES, I NOW BELIEVE THAT I EXCEEDED 30-IN-7 (30:08). IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THE FLT THAT PUT ME OVER, SCHEDULE TOLD ME I WAS LEGAL AND THAT SINCE OUR SYS WAS FAA-APPROVED AND THE COMPANY RECORDS SHOWED ME LEGAL, IF THERE WAS AN ERROR BOTH THE COMPANY AND I WOULD BE PROTECTED FROM ANY FAA ACTION (SEE NAIVE-ABOVE). I TOOK THE FLT. ON ARR AT THE END OF THE THIRD DAY, I AGAIN TALKED TO SCHEDULE AT SOME LENGTH. AFTER ALMOST 1 HR, ONE SCHEDULER CAME UP WITH ALMOST (30:07) THE SAME ANSWER THAT I DID. I TURNED THIS IN TO OUR UNION LIAISON, WHO HAS MADE SOME INQUIRIES. APPARENTLY, THE COMPANY MAY BE OPERATING WITH THEIR OWN INTERP OF TIME-LIMITS, IN ANY EVENT, I HAVE NOT HEARD BACK FROM THE COMPANY YET. BECAUSE IT COMES UP SO INFREQUENTLY, AND BECAUSE IT'S TEDIOUS AND ERROR-PRONE, I ESSENTIALLY ABDICATED MY RESPONSIBILITIES TO THE COMPANY 'EXPERTS.' NOT NEXT TIME.

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.