E145 flight crew dispute company calculation of scheduled flight time.

Attributes
ACN	663022
Time
Date	200506
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pit.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	EMB ERJ 145 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 260 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	662022
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 265 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 1250
ASRS Report	663023
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

I was originally scheduled for a trip from bdl-pit-pvd-pit-mht on jun/fri/05 that had a block time of 6 hours 8 mins. Unfortunately; with the WX; the trip bdl-pit-pvd-pit had put us at a block time of 6 has 12 mins. Upon returning to pit from pvd; we were informed that we had a rerte to stl. According to our schedule; pit-stl is blocked to 1 hour 51 mins; which would have put us at 8 hours 3 mins for the day. I/we informed crew scheduling of this predicament. They explained that our block from pit-stl was changed to 1 hour 37 mins. When my captain asked for an explanation as to how this was legal; crew scheduling said that he had recalculated the block time according to current time of day and current flight conditions; thus making us 'legal' to complete the flight. Questioning this; my captain contacted a flight manager for further assistance; to which he also said that situation had occurred before and it was in fact 'legal' to do. He had discussed it with our director of flight operations and all had agreed to the changing of block times in this manner. Just as a note; all flts pit-stl are blocked at no less than 1 hour 40 mins according to our schedules.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: E145 FLT CREW DISPUTE COMPANY CALCULATION OF SCHEDULED FLT TIME.

Narrative: I WAS ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED FOR A TRIP FROM BDL-PIT-PVD-PIT-MHT ON JUN/FRI/05 THAT HAD A BLOCK TIME OF 6 HRS 8 MINS. UNFORTUNATELY; WITH THE WX; THE TRIP BDL-PIT-PVD-PIT HAD PUT US AT A BLOCK TIME OF 6 HAS 12 MINS. UPON RETURNING TO PIT FROM PVD; WE WERE INFORMED THAT WE HAD A RERTE TO STL. ACCORDING TO OUR SCHEDULE; PIT-STL IS BLOCKED TO 1 HR 51 MINS; WHICH WOULD HAVE PUT US AT 8 HRS 3 MINS FOR THE DAY. I/WE INFORMED CREW SCHEDULING OF THIS PREDICAMENT. THEY EXPLAINED THAT OUR BLOCK FROM PIT-STL WAS CHANGED TO 1 HR 37 MINS. WHEN MY CAPT ASKED FOR AN EXPLANATION AS TO HOW THIS WAS LEGAL; CREW SCHEDULING SAID THAT HE HAD RECALCULATED THE BLOCK TIME ACCORDING TO CURRENT TIME OF DAY AND CURRENT FLT CONDITIONS; THUS MAKING US 'LEGAL' TO COMPLETE THE FLT. QUESTIONING THIS; MY CAPT CONTACTED A FLT MGR FOR FURTHER ASSISTANCE; TO WHICH HE ALSO SAID THAT SIT HAD OCCURRED BEFORE AND IT WAS IN FACT 'LEGAL' TO DO. HE HAD DISCUSSED IT WITH OUR DIRECTOR OF FLT OPS AND ALL HAD AGREED TO THE CHANGING OF BLOCK TIMES IN THIS MANNER. JUST AS A NOTE; ALL FLTS PIT-STL ARE BLOCKED AT NO LESS THAN 1 HR 40 MINS ACCORDING TO OUR SCHEDULES.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.