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B777 relief pilot reports fatigue induced by the air carrier's automated bidding system and the trips that it produces.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 769773 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200801 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0001 To 0600 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Flight Phase | ground : maintenance |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : relief pilot |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 16500 flight time type : 2500 |
| ASRS Report | 769773 |
| Events | |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Company Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Ambiguous |
Narrative:
The automated bidding system built an incredibly onerous schedule for the last 2 weeks of dec and the first 2 weeks of jan. 5 day trip; 2 days off; 5 day trip; 1 day off; 4 day trip. All were pacific trips. This resulted in a severely disrupted sleep pattern for 3 straight weeks due to time zone changes and work hours. On the final trip; I felt a bit rundown but flew the trip anyway due to the company's draconian policy that discourages sick leave usage. On that trip; we departed 3 hours late and diverted to rjgg due to rkss WX; then were able to continue to rkss. This was the most exhausted I have ever felt; and the schedule I was required to complete made it much worse -- in fact I did come home sick after this trip. This system and the air carrier consistently refuse to take fatigue issues into account when scheduling trips and this is another example.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B777 RELIEF PILOT REPORTS FATIGUE INDUCED BY THE ACR'S AUTOMATED BIDDING SYSTEM AND THE TRIPS THAT IT PRODUCES.
Narrative: THE AUTOMATED BIDDING SYS BUILT AN INCREDIBLY ONEROUS SCHEDULE FOR THE LAST 2 WKS OF DEC AND THE FIRST 2 WEEKS OF JAN. 5 DAY TRIP; 2 DAYS OFF; 5 DAY TRIP; 1 DAY OFF; 4 DAY TRIP. ALL WERE PACIFIC TRIPS. THIS RESULTED IN A SEVERELY DISRUPTED SLEEP PATTERN FOR 3 STRAIGHT WKS DUE TO TIME ZONE CHANGES AND WORK HRS. ON THE FINAL TRIP; I FELT A BIT RUNDOWN BUT FLEW THE TRIP ANYWAY DUE TO THE COMPANY'S DRACONIAN POLICY THAT DISCOURAGES SICK LEAVE USAGE. ON THAT TRIP; WE DEPARTED 3 HRS LATE AND DIVERTED TO RJGG DUE TO RKSS WX; THEN WERE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO RKSS. THIS WAS THE MOST EXHAUSTED I HAVE EVER FELT; AND THE SCHEDULE I WAS REQUIRED TO COMPLETE MADE IT MUCH WORSE -- IN FACT I DID COME HOME SICK AFTER THIS TRIP. THIS SYS AND THE ACR CONSISTENTLY REFUSE TO TAKE FATIGUE ISSUES INTO ACCOUNT WHEN SCHEDULING TRIPS AND THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.