DH8 captain is concerned about fatigue and diurnal cycle disruption permitted under current FARS.

Attributes
ACN	413038
Time
Date	199809
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pdx
State Reference	OR
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Dash 8 Series Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	other
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	413038
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I am writing this letter with attachments to voice my concern over crew fatigue in airline flying. I am a captain for air carrier XXX based in XXX flying the dash 8 (a 37 passenger turboprop airliner). I have attached a copy of my current flight schedule and a breakout of the trips I am flying this month as an example of the rules we are required to operate under. The point I hope to illustrate is the inconsistency of rest cycles. Also, the abuse of reduced rest in crew member scheduling. Add to this aircraft swaps and little time for adequate meals, and the potential for an accident is high. When we voice our concerns to those in the company responsible for these practices, their response is usually, 'it's legal.' that's the part that concerns me. I know you can't do anything about the situation as it stands. I just want my concern to be on record somewhere in the event I or one of my co-workers pile up an airplane full of people, crew fatigue may possibly be recognized as a factor.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DH8 CAPT IS CONCERNED ABOUT FATIGUE AND DIURNAL CYCLE DISRUPTION PERMITTED UNDER CURRENT FARS.

Narrative: I AM WRITING THIS LETTER WITH ATTACHMENTS TO VOICE MY CONCERN OVER CREW FATIGUE IN AIRLINE FLYING. I AM A CAPT FOR ACR XXX BASED IN XXX FLYING THE DASH 8 (A 37 PAX TURBOPROP AIRLINER). I HAVE ATTACHED A COPY OF MY CURRENT FLT SCHEDULE AND A BREAKOUT OF THE TRIPS I AM FLYING THIS MONTH AS AN EXAMPLE OF THE RULES WE ARE REQUIRED TO OPERATE UNDER. THE POINT I HOPE TO ILLUSTRATE IS THE INCONSISTENCY OF REST CYCLES. ALSO, THE ABUSE OF REDUCED REST IN CREW MEMBER SCHEDULING. ADD TO THIS ACFT SWAPS AND LITTLE TIME FOR ADEQUATE MEALS, AND THE POTENTIAL FOR AN ACCIDENT IS HIGH. WHEN WE VOICE OUR CONCERNS TO THOSE IN THE COMPANY RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE PRACTICES, THEIR RESPONSE IS USUALLY, 'IT'S LEGAL.' THAT'S THE PART THAT CONCERNS ME. I KNOW YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE SIT AS IT STANDS. I JUST WANT MY CONCERN TO BE ON RECORD SOMEWHERE IN THE EVENT I OR ONE OF MY CO-WORKERS PILE UP AN AIRPLANE FULL OF PEOPLE, CREW FATIGUE MAY POSSIBLY BE RECOGNIZED AS A FACTOR.

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.