Narrative:

Our crew was assigned a 2-DAY trip worth 8:38 (within a 24 hour period). We were scheduled with a reduced rest of 8 hours. Due to WX en route the first day we flew an extra 91 mins over schedule, which in a 24 hour period based on our actual the first day, + our scheduled the second day we would have flown over 9 hours in a 24 hour period, which requires 9 hours minimum reduced rest. Upon calling crew scheduling to confirm our new required rest of 9 hours they informed us that we were required only 8 hours rest based solely upon our scheduled time for the first and second days. I disagreed and the crew scheduler called her supervisor and informed her that the 8 hour was correct and we were legal. After researching the regulations it was not completely clear and could be subject to interpretation. But to the best of our knowledge after researching, we went ahead and agreed to the 8 hour reduced rest. Upon our arrival to home base, I inquired about this interpretation to the assistance chief pilot and several instrs, which they either were not sure, said we were illegal and said we were legal. With this unsurety and conflict of legality, we are still not sure what is right. I would suggest a strict interpretation with examples included be made available to flight crew members and crew schedulers in order to prevent this and other types of similar problems from occurring in the future.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF COMMUTER ACR COMPLAINS OF CONFUSION REGARDING REQUIRED REST PERIOD WHEN DAILY FLTS EXCEED 9 HOURS OF DUTY TIME.

Narrative: OUR CREW WAS ASSIGNED A 2-DAY TRIP WORTH 8:38 (WITHIN A 24 HR PERIOD). WE WERE SCHEDULED WITH A REDUCED REST OF 8 HRS. DUE TO WX ENRTE THE FIRST DAY WE FLEW AN EXTRA 91 MINS OVER SCHEDULE, WHICH IN A 24 HR PERIOD BASED ON OUR ACTUAL THE FIRST DAY, + OUR SCHEDULED THE SECOND DAY WE WOULD HAVE FLOWN OVER 9 HRS IN A 24 HR PERIOD, WHICH REQUIRES 9 HRS MINIMUM REDUCED REST. UPON CALLING CREW SCHEDULING TO CONFIRM OUR NEW REQUIRED REST OF 9 HRS THEY INFORMED US THAT WE WERE REQUIRED ONLY 8 HRS REST BASED SOLELY UPON OUR SCHEDULED TIME FOR THE FIRST AND SECOND DAYS. I DISAGREED AND THE CREW SCHEDULER CALLED HER SUPVR AND INFORMED HER THAT THE 8 HR WAS CORRECT AND WE WERE LEGAL. AFTER RESEARCHING THE REGS IT WAS NOT COMPLETELY CLEAR AND COULD BE SUBJECT TO INTERP. BUT TO THE BEST OF OUR KNOWLEDGE AFTER RESEARCHING, WE WENT AHEAD AND AGREED TO THE 8 HR REDUCED REST. UPON OUR ARR TO HOME BASE, I INQUIRED ABOUT THIS INTERP TO THE ASSISTANCE CHIEF PLT AND SEVERAL INSTRS, WHICH THEY EITHER WERE NOT SURE, SAID WE WERE ILLEGAL AND SAID WE WERE LEGAL. WITH THIS UNSURETY AND CONFLICT OF LEGALITY, WE ARE STILL NOT SURE WHAT IS RIGHT. I WOULD SUGGEST A STRICT INTERP WITH EXAMPLES INCLUDED BE MADE AVAILABLE TO FLT CREW MEMBERS AND CREW SCHEDULERS IN ORDER TO PREVENT THIS AND OTHER TYPES OF SIMILAR PROBS FROM OCCURRING IN THE FUTURE.

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