First officer of a DC10 questions the legal clarity of the required length of the crew rest period p...

Attributes
ACN	430647
Time
Date	199903
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : msp.airport
State Reference	MN
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : azo.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-10 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 85 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	430647
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

On mar/xa/99, our crew was scheduled for and flew a trip consisting of 4 supplemental legs. The scheduled departure time from msp was XX30. The first 3 legs of the trip were active and the remaining leg was a deadhead back to msp. Our arrival time at msp was XX38. The total scheduled flight time was 8 hours. A total of 8 hours 7 mins was flown. The following day, we were scheduled for an international trip to pvr with a scheduled departure time of XX10. We departed msp at XX25 and landed back at msp at XX45 mar/xc/99. A total of 7 hours 58 mins was flown. There are a couple different far interps within the company as to how much crew rest is needed when flying international. One interpretation is if over 8 hours is flown, then a total of 16 hours 15 mins is required before reporting for the next flight. The other opinion is -- as long as you don't fly over 8 yrs within the preceding 24 hours, you don't need 16 hours 15 mins crew rest before reporting for the next flight. It has not been resolved, therefore, I'm forwarding this report. Regulations are written to standardize procedures and help ensure a safe flying environment. In order for this to occur, these regulations need to be complied with. In order for them to be complied with, they need to be written in a manner so they can be understood and correctly interpreted by everyone. If there is ever a question about a legality, it needs to be addressed and resolved before the event occurs.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO OF A DC10 QUESTIONS THE LEGAL CLARITY OF THE REQUIRED LENGTH OF THE CREW REST PERIOD PRIOR TO AN INTL FLT AFTER COMPLETION OF AN 8 HR DOMESTIC FLT.

Narrative: ON MAR/XA/99, OUR CREW WAS SCHEDULED FOR AND FLEW A TRIP CONSISTING OF 4 SUPPLEMENTAL LEGS. THE SCHEDULED DEP TIME FROM MSP WAS XX30. THE FIRST 3 LEGS OF THE TRIP WERE ACTIVE AND THE REMAINING LEG WAS A DEADHEAD BACK TO MSP. OUR ARR TIME AT MSP WAS XX38. THE TOTAL SCHEDULED FLT TIME WAS 8 HRS. A TOTAL OF 8 HRS 7 MINS WAS FLOWN. THE FOLLOWING DAY, WE WERE SCHEDULED FOR AN INTL TRIP TO PVR WITH A SCHEDULED DEP TIME OF XX10. WE DEPARTED MSP AT XX25 AND LANDED BACK AT MSP AT XX45 MAR/XC/99. A TOTAL OF 7 HRS 58 MINS WAS FLOWN. THERE ARE A COUPLE DIFFERENT FAR INTERPS WITHIN THE COMPANY AS TO HOW MUCH CREW REST IS NEEDED WHEN FLYING INTL. ONE INTERP IS IF OVER 8 HRS IS FLOWN, THEN A TOTAL OF 16 HRS 15 MINS IS REQUIRED BEFORE RPTING FOR THE NEXT FLT. THE OTHER OPINION IS -- AS LONG AS YOU DON'T FLY OVER 8 YRS WITHIN THE PRECEDING 24 HRS, YOU DON'T NEED 16 HRS 15 MINS CREW REST BEFORE RPTING FOR THE NEXT FLT. IT HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED, THEREFORE, I'M FORWARDING THIS RPT. REGS ARE WRITTEN TO STANDARDIZE PROCS AND HELP ENSURE A SAFE FLYING ENVIRONMENT. IN ORDER FOR THIS TO OCCUR, THESE REGS NEED TO BE COMPLIED WITH. IN ORDER FOR THEM TO BE COMPLIED WITH, THEY NEED TO BE WRITTEN IN A MANNER SO THEY CAN BE UNDERSTOOD AND CORRECTLY INTERPED BY EVERYONE. IF THERE IS EVER A QUESTION ABOUT A LEGALITY, IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND RESOLVED BEFORE THE EVENT OCCURS.

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.

First officer of a DC10 questions the legal clarity of the required length of the crew rest period prior to an international flight after completion of an 8 hour domestic flight.