An air carrier PIC questions the rulings on crew rest requirements and deadheading.

Attributes
ACN	425514
Time
Date	199901
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	observation : passenger
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 190 flight time total : 8500 flight time type : 1400
ASRS Report	425514
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Because of WX, our departure and arrival were delayed. The far gray area exists in crew rest requirements. Since we were 'scheduled' for less than 8 hours of flying, then we needed 9 hours of rest, reducible to 8 hours. If given 10 hours rest, that must begin no later than 24 hours after the start of the reduced rest period. It seems that each air carrier has a different definition of when crew rest begins, and when it ends. Since we arrived at our destination (ewr) so late, our company had the crew deadhead on a flight back to our base just 8.1 hours later. So depending on all the definitions of when crew rest starts and stops -- and whether it applies to deadheading -- was very much in question. Any way to make those crew rest requirements any clrer?

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR PIC QUESTIONS THE RULINGS ON CREW REST REQUIREMENTS AND DEADHEADING.

Narrative: BECAUSE OF WX, OUR DEP AND ARR WERE DELAYED. THE FAR GRAY AREA EXISTS IN CREW REST REQUIREMENTS. SINCE WE WERE 'SCHEDULED' FOR LESS THAN 8 HRS OF FLYING, THEN WE NEEDED 9 HRS OF REST, REDUCIBLE TO 8 HRS. IF GIVEN 10 HRS REST, THAT MUST BEGIN NO LATER THAN 24 HRS AFTER THE START OF THE REDUCED REST PERIOD. IT SEEMS THAT EACH ACR HAS A DIFFERENT DEFINITION OF WHEN CREW REST BEGINS, AND WHEN IT ENDS. SINCE WE ARRIVED AT OUR DEST (EWR) SO LATE, OUR COMPANY HAD THE CREW DEADHEAD ON A FLT BACK TO OUR BASE JUST 8.1 HRS LATER. SO DEPENDING ON ALL THE DEFINITIONS OF WHEN CREW REST STARTS AND STOPS -- AND WHETHER IT APPLIES TO DEADHEADING -- WAS VERY MUCH IN QUESTION. ANY WAY TO MAKE THOSE CREW REST REQUIREMENTS ANY CLRER?

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.