Back side of the clock scheduling.

Attributes
ACN	92578
Time
Date	198808
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pdx
State Reference	OR
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	92578
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other anomaly other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

This report was filled out by me for the purpose of showing that an air carrier is allowed to schedule trips for flight crews which ignore a person's body cycle resulting in greatly reducing a cockpit crew's ability to deal with normal, abnormal and emergency procedures. I have flown 3 trips this month that I consider very marginal operations. The first 2 days start at XA59 and XA53, and end around XF00 local time. This part is just great. However, the third day starts at XA01 (on the second day). Somehow we are supposed to shift from a morning to late night schedule in 11 hours layover time. To make it more clear, we are based on the east coast, we arrive pdx at XA28 local or LZ28 EST. Then we report to work at XM01 on the same day of arrival PDT or XM01 EDT and fly to ord and dca and finish at XT44 EDT. I never get more than 4 hours sleep, usually less, and the same is true for the captain and F/a's. I hate to think how many accidents have occurred due to this type of scheduling. Would you put your family on an all night flight wondering how functional the crew is? I know NASA must have done plenty of studies on changing body cycles and rest times. I think the time has long passed for your people to be more vocal about this problem and get the FAA to regulate pilot's schedules along these lines.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BACK SIDE OF THE CLOCK SCHEDULING.

Narrative: THIS RPT WAS FILLED OUT BY ME FOR THE PURPOSE OF SHOWING THAT AN ACR IS ALLOWED TO SCHEDULE TRIPS FOR FLT CREWS WHICH IGNORE A PERSON'S BODY CYCLE RESULTING IN GREATLY REDUCING A COCKPIT CREW'S ABILITY TO DEAL WITH NORMAL, ABNORMAL AND EMER PROCS. I HAVE FLOWN 3 TRIPS THIS MONTH THAT I CONSIDER VERY MARGINAL OPERATIONS. THE FIRST 2 DAYS START AT XA59 AND XA53, AND END AROUND XF00 LCL TIME. THIS PART IS JUST GREAT. HOWEVER, THE THIRD DAY STARTS AT XA01 (ON THE SECOND DAY). SOMEHOW WE ARE SUPPOSED TO SHIFT FROM A MORNING TO LATE NIGHT SCHEDULE IN 11 HRS LAYOVER TIME. TO MAKE IT MORE CLEAR, WE ARE BASED ON THE E COAST, WE ARRIVE PDX AT XA28 LCL OR LZ28 EST. THEN WE RPT TO WORK AT XM01 ON THE SAME DAY OF ARR PDT OR XM01 EDT AND FLY TO ORD AND DCA AND FINISH AT XT44 EDT. I NEVER GET MORE THAN 4 HRS SLEEP, USUALLY LESS, AND THE SAME IS TRUE FOR THE CAPT AND F/A'S. I HATE TO THINK HOW MANY ACCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED DUE TO THIS TYPE OF SCHEDULING. WOULD YOU PUT YOUR FAMILY ON AN ALL NIGHT FLT WONDERING HOW FUNCTIONAL THE CREW IS? I KNOW NASA MUST HAVE DONE PLENTY OF STUDIES ON CHANGING BODY CYCLES AND REST TIMES. I THINK THE TIME HAS LONG PASSED FOR YOUR PEOPLE TO BE MORE VOCAL ABOUT THIS PROB AND GET THE FAA TO REGULATE PLT'S SCHEDULES ALONG THESE LINES.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.