Narrative:

I was assigned an XA00 short call at approximately XK45 the day before the flight. I acknowledged the call at approximately XM45. At XE00 I received a call from the crew desk stating they were resetting my rest to fly an XT30 red eye to the east coast. I asked them if this was legal being that I'm basically getting stretched to be on duty 24 hours and 55 mins unless I'm able to get more sleep. They told me the trip was legal and of course I couldn't go back to sleep being that my body was primed for an XA00 am callout. Fortunately I was able to get a short nap in the evening to physically fly this trip. About halfway during the flight; fatigue started to slowly set in but I was able to safely continue to fly. Why wasn't the XH00 or XL00 short call reserves used for this trip? Even though the crew desk computer says trips like these are legal; scheduling a pilot for an XA00 short call and then reassigning him or her in the morning for a red eye is physiologically brutal on the mind and body. A pilot may feel fully rested at the start of the flight but reality will set-in somewhere during the flight and it could be a potential safety hazard. Next time the crew desk assigns me a trip like this; I will call in fatigued; unless I get more sleep; which is highly unlikely. It wouldn't be fair to the company or the passenger if I had to divert due to safety.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 RESERVE CAPT REPORTS FATIGUE INDUCED BY REST PERIOD ASSIGNMENT AND TRIP ASSIGNMENT THAT DO NOT ALLOW PROPER REST BEFORE DEPARTING ON RED EYE FLIGHT.

Narrative: I WAS ASSIGNED AN XA00 SHORT CALL AT APPROX XK45 THE DAY BEFORE THE FLT. I ACKNOWLEDGED THE CALL AT APPROX XM45. AT XE00 I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE CREW DESK STATING THEY WERE RESETTING MY REST TO FLY AN XT30 RED EYE TO THE EAST COAST. I ASKED THEM IF THIS WAS LEGAL BEING THAT I'M BASICALLY GETTING STRETCHED TO BE ON DUTY 24 HRS AND 55 MINS UNLESS I'M ABLE TO GET MORE SLEEP. THEY TOLD ME THE TRIP WAS LEGAL AND OF COURSE I COULDN'T GO BACK TO SLEEP BEING THAT MY BODY WAS PRIMED FOR AN XA00 AM CALLOUT. FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO GET A SHORT NAP IN THE EVENING TO PHYSICALLY FLY THIS TRIP. ABOUT HALFWAY DURING THE FLT; FATIGUE STARTED TO SLOWLY SET IN BUT I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY CONTINUE TO FLY. WHY WASN'T THE XH00 OR XL00 SHORT CALL RESERVES USED FOR THIS TRIP? EVEN THOUGH THE CREW DESK COMPUTER SAYS TRIPS LIKE THESE ARE LEGAL; SCHEDULING A PLT FOR AN XA00 SHORT CALL AND THEN REASSIGNING HIM OR HER IN THE MORNING FOR A RED EYE IS PHYSIOLOGICALLY BRUTAL ON THE MIND AND BODY. A PLT MAY FEEL FULLY RESTED AT THE START OF THE FLT BUT REALITY WILL SET-IN SOMEWHERE DURING THE FLT AND IT COULD BE A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD. NEXT TIME THE CREW DESK ASSIGNS ME A TRIP LIKE THIS; I WILL CALL IN FATIGUED; UNLESS I GET MORE SLEEP; WHICH IS HIGHLY UNLIKELY. IT WOULDN'T BE FAIR TO THE COMPANY OR THE PAX IF I HAD TO DIVERT DUE TO SAFETY.

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.