Narrative:

I fly reserve captain at ZZZ and mainly fly to europe but I have flown 3 asia trips this winter. Every flight has been over 12 hours with a 3-MAN crew: 12 hours 15 mins; 12 hours 42 mins; and 12 hours 12 mins. The company knowingly under-schedules this leg at 11 hours 50 mins to allow it to man it with a 3-MAN crew. This practice violates the intent of the far. The crew not only does not get the proper relief en route; but does not get the proper rest upon return to base: 18 hours versus double the flight time. Knowingly violating the intent of an far for the desire to reduce costs is morally corrupt. When questioned about the practice; the company says 'fly it; then grieve it.' when is the FAA going to step up and force the company to follow the FARS?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B777 CAPT REPORTS THAT AN INTL FLT HAS EXCEEDED BLOCK TIME AND 12 HRS EVERY TIME THIS CAPT HAS FLOWN THE TRIP. CAPT ALLEGES ACR SCHEDULES UNDER BLOCK TO ALLOW FOR ONLY 3 PLTS ON BOARD.

Narrative: I FLY RESERVE CAPT AT ZZZ AND MAINLY FLY TO EUROPE BUT I HAVE FLOWN 3 ASIA TRIPS THIS WINTER. EVERY FLT HAS BEEN OVER 12 HRS WITH A 3-MAN CREW: 12 HRS 15 MINS; 12 HRS 42 MINS; AND 12 HRS 12 MINS. THE COMPANY KNOWINGLY UNDER-SCHEDULES THIS LEG AT 11 HRS 50 MINS TO ALLOW IT TO MAN IT WITH A 3-MAN CREW. THIS PRACTICE VIOLATES THE INTENT OF THE FAR. THE CREW NOT ONLY DOES NOT GET THE PROPER RELIEF ENRTE; BUT DOES NOT GET THE PROPER REST UPON RETURN TO BASE: 18 HRS VERSUS DOUBLE THE FLT TIME. KNOWINGLY VIOLATING THE INTENT OF AN FAR FOR THE DESIRE TO REDUCE COSTS IS MORALLY CORRUPT. WHEN QUESTIONED ABOUT THE PRACTICE; THE COMPANY SAYS 'FLY IT; THEN GRIEVE IT.' WHEN IS THE FAA GOING TO STEP UP AND FORCE THE COMPANY TO FOLLOW THE FARS?

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.