Narrative:

This report is about the continuing culture of fatigue acceptance caused by the understaffing and poor scheduling at air carrier company. In no uncertain terms, I believe that air carrier is scheduling pilots to extremes. For example, I was assigned a trip in august. This is an airbus that departed ord at XC49 local. I was called at XA06 local of aug/tue/04, and assigned the trip by the crew desk. The individual who assigned the trip should have known that such a call would interrupt my rest cycle. In the bigger picture, this middle of the night call to inform me of a mid-afternoon trip is just a symptom of an inherent policy displayed at this airline that shows no respect for pilot crew rest. Certainly, the far look back in this case needed to be reset. However, this could have been performed several hours later allowing for more sleep. Today, aug/sun/04, I was called at XA09 local for a trip that departed at XF00. In this case far look back was not a factor. However, I believe that the call could have been made about 1 hour later to allow for more sleep. In any event, things are so tight at air carrier that circadian rhythm interruptions are common place. What the FAA needs to know is that any attempts to protect pilot rest at air carrier are failing. Will it take a hull loss at air carrier before someone determines that this company is running its pilots into the ground?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR PLT USES EXAMPLES FROM HIS SCHEDULE TO ILLUSTRATE HOW HIS COMPANY'S SCHEDULING AND CREW NOTIFICATION POLICES INDICATE A 'CULTURE OF FATIGUE ACCEPTANCE' THAT IS REDUCING CREW PERFORMANCE.

Narrative: THIS RPT IS ABOUT THE CONTINUING CULTURE OF FATIGUE ACCEPTANCE CAUSED BY THE UNDERSTAFFING AND POOR SCHEDULING AT ACR COMPANY. IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS, I BELIEVE THAT ACR IS SCHEDULING PLTS TO EXTREMES. FOR EXAMPLE, I WAS ASSIGNED A TRIP IN AUGUST. THIS IS AN AIRBUS THAT DEPARTED ORD AT XC49 LCL. I WAS CALLED AT XA06 LCL OF AUG/TUE/04, AND ASSIGNED THE TRIP BY THE CREW DESK. THE INDIVIDUAL WHO ASSIGNED THE TRIP SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT SUCH A CALL WOULD INTERRUPT MY REST CYCLE. IN THE BIGGER PICTURE, THIS MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT CALL TO INFORM ME OF A MID-AFTERNOON TRIP IS JUST A SYMPTOM OF AN INHERENT POLICY DISPLAYED AT THIS AIRLINE THAT SHOWS NO RESPECT FOR PLT CREW REST. CERTAINLY, THE FAR LOOK BACK IN THIS CASE NEEDED TO BE RESET. HOWEVER, THIS COULD HAVE BEEN PERFORMED SEVERAL HRS LATER ALLOWING FOR MORE SLEEP. TODAY, AUG/SUN/04, I WAS CALLED AT XA09 LCL FOR A TRIP THAT DEPARTED AT XF00. IN THIS CASE FAR LOOK BACK WAS NOT A FACTOR. HOWEVER, I BELIEVE THAT THE CALL COULD HAVE BEEN MADE ABOUT 1 HR LATER TO ALLOW FOR MORE SLEEP. IN ANY EVENT, THINGS ARE SO TIGHT AT ACR THAT CIRCADIAN RHYTHM INTERRUPTIONS ARE COMMON PLACE. WHAT THE FAA NEEDS TO KNOW IS THAT ANY ATTEMPTS TO PROTECT PLT REST AT ACR ARE FAILING. WILL IT TAKE A HULL LOSS AT ACR BEFORE SOMEONE DETERMINES THAT THIS COMPANY IS RUNNING ITS PLTS INTO THE GND?

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.