Narrative:

While operating as an international relief officer on a B747-400 cargo aircraft during a 10 hour 15 min flight, the operating seats were occupied at various times by 1 or more of 3 deadheading crew members who had recently received their type rating in the B747-400. All 4 operating crew and all 3 deadheading crew were in uniform with identify cards and all paperwork showed all 7 crew members on the aircraft. Some of the operating crew arrived for duty not fully rested, so all 7 crew members took turns in the operating seats. No opdevs were experienced. As a result, 1 or more of the operating crew may have been in better physiological condition for approach and landing, both of which were accomplished routinely. Rest requirements on long night flight originating at XA00. Someone apparently rechked the relevant regulation and arrived at a different interpretation. Fatigue. Explicit company communication prohibiting almost fully qualified pilots from occupying operational seats in cruise as observers, and adjusting planning and scheduling guidelines to emphasize operational experience immediately after completion of type rating rides. CRM not used. Designate additional check capts and accelerate IOE. Poor direction/communication.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B747-400 FREIGHTER CREW PIC AND RELIEF PLT ALLOWS NEWLY RATED DEADHEADING CREW MEMBERS TO ALTERNATELY OCCUPY THE OPERATING CREW SEATS DURING A TRANSATLANTIC CARGO OP FROM LAX TO LUX.

Narrative: WHILE OPERATING AS AN INTL RELIEF OFFICER ON A B747-400 CARGO ACFT DURING A 10 HR 15 MIN FLT, THE OPERATING SEATS WERE OCCUPIED AT VARIOUS TIMES BY 1 OR MORE OF 3 DEADHEADING CREW MEMBERS WHO HAD RECENTLY RECEIVED THEIR TYPE RATING IN THE B747-400. ALL 4 OPERATING CREW AND ALL 3 DEADHEADING CREW WERE IN UNIFORM WITH IDENT CARDS AND ALL PAPERWORK SHOWED ALL 7 CREW MEMBERS ON THE ACFT. SOME OF THE OPERATING CREW ARRIVED FOR DUTY NOT FULLY RESTED, SO ALL 7 CREW MEMBERS TOOK TURNS IN THE OPERATING SEATS. NO OPDEVS WERE EXPERIENCED. AS A RESULT, 1 OR MORE OF THE OPERATING CREW MAY HAVE BEEN IN BETTER PHYSIOLOGICAL CONDITION FOR APCH AND LNDG, BOTH OF WHICH WERE ACCOMPLISHED ROUTINELY. REST REQUIREMENTS ON LONG NIGHT FLT ORIGINATING AT XA00. SOMEONE APPARENTLY RECHKED THE RELEVANT REG AND ARRIVED AT A DIFFERENT INTERP. FATIGUE. EXPLICIT COMPANY COM PROHIBITING ALMOST FULLY QUALIFIED PLTS FROM OCCUPYING OPERATIONAL SEATS IN CRUISE AS OBSERVERS, AND ADJUSTING PLANNING AND SCHEDULING GUIDELINES TO EMPHASIZE OPERATIONAL EXPERIENCE IMMEDIATELY AFTER COMPLETION OF TYPE RATING RIDES. CRM NOT USED. DESIGNATE ADDITIONAL CHK CAPTS AND ACCELERATE IOE. POOR DIRECTION/COM.

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.