Narrative:

I exceeded 30 hours in a 7-DAY period, operating part 121. All my trips during this period were 1-DAY trips. Each day seemed like a week long due to the excessive delays (ATC). On the sixth day, our airplane had to return to the gate for mare gas. ATC had departure delay plan in effect at ewr. We kept all 3 engines running. After 50 mins we had to return to the gate for more fuel. At the end of the day I had forgotten about returning to the gate. I added the day flying to the previous 5 days. The total made it possible to fly the trip I was scheduled for on the seventh day. During the seventh day, on the last leg, casual conversation about pay with the other crew members reminded me about the 'overs' we got for returning to the gate. The extra time brought my total up to 30.5 hours. I talked to the schedulers about this situation. Their response was that their computer usually catches these situations, but it did not know how to handle the time when we returned to the gate. I feel it was my fault; however, they were supposed to catch this before it happened. Also, in efforts to show a better on-time record, they have credited me with more flying that I actually did. About 1/4 of our airplanes do not have ACARS. When a plane does not have ACARS, they report it out on time. If your have a gate hold and push 30 mins late, they will call you out on time. There could be other pilots who have more than 30 hours in 7 days and don't know it.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REPORTER STATES HE FLEW OVER 30 HOURS IN 7 DAYS. STATES COMPANY FALSIFIES PLT FLT TIME RECORDS AND AIRLINE ON-TIME RECORDS.

Narrative: I EXCEEDED 30 HRS IN A 7-DAY PERIOD, OPERATING PART 121. ALL MY TRIPS DURING THIS PERIOD WERE 1-DAY TRIPS. EACH DAY SEEMED LIKE A WEEK LONG DUE TO THE EXCESSIVE DELAYS (ATC). ON THE SIXTH DAY, OUR AIRPLANE HAD TO RETURN TO THE GATE FOR MARE GAS. ATC HAD DEP DELAY PLAN IN EFFECT AT EWR. WE KEPT ALL 3 ENGS RUNNING. AFTER 50 MINS WE HAD TO RETURN TO THE GATE FOR MORE FUEL. AT THE END OF THE DAY I HAD FORGOTTEN ABOUT RETURNING TO THE GATE. I ADDED THE DAY FLYING TO THE PREVIOUS 5 DAYS. THE TOTAL MADE IT POSSIBLE TO FLY THE TRIP I WAS SCHEDULED FOR ON THE SEVENTH DAY. DURING THE SEVENTH DAY, ON THE LAST LEG, CASUAL CONVERSATION ABOUT PAY WITH THE OTHER CREW MEMBERS REMINDED ME ABOUT THE 'OVERS' WE GOT FOR RETURNING TO THE GATE. THE EXTRA TIME BROUGHT MY TOTAL UP TO 30.5 HRS. I TALKED TO THE SCHEDULERS ABOUT THIS SITUATION. THEIR RESPONSE WAS THAT THEIR COMPUTER USUALLY CATCHES THESE SITUATIONS, BUT IT DID NOT KNOW HOW TO HANDLE THE TIME WHEN WE RETURNED TO THE GATE. I FEEL IT WAS MY FAULT; HOWEVER, THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO CATCH THIS BEFORE IT HAPPENED. ALSO, IN EFFORTS TO SHOW A BETTER ON-TIME RECORD, THEY HAVE CREDITED ME WITH MORE FLYING THAT I ACTUALLY DID. ABOUT 1/4 OF OUR AIRPLANES DO NOT HAVE ACARS. WHEN A PLANE DOES NOT HAVE ACARS, THEY RPT IT OUT ON TIME. IF YOUR HAVE A GATE HOLD AND PUSH 30 MINS LATE, THEY WILL CALL YOU OUT ON TIME. THERE COULD BE OTHER PLTS WHO HAVE MORE THAN 30 HRS IN 7 DAYS AND DON'T KNOW IT.

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.