Air carrier heavy transport captain claims the airline used false winds in preparing a schedule.

Attributes
ACN	187013
Time
Date	199108
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phl
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Heavy Transport, Low Wing, 4 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	187013
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

My company scheduled the crew to fly phl-ngu (navy norfolk) ngu-kef (iceland) kef-phl. This is normally a scheduled military charter, but was run with a different routing due to previous maintenance delay. They clearly knew ahead of time that the total flight time would exceed 12 hours if forecast winds were used, so they used a bogus flight plan showing a strong tailwind going eastbound and a 0 headwind component going west. By publishing these times as what was 'scheduled' ahead of time, they arrived at a legal way of keeping us from exceeding 12 hours. I have not seen what was published, but know only from extensive telephone conversations with operations and dispatch. We exceeded 12 hours by approximately :37. The actual flight plans used were realistic. If the FAA decided to investigate, they would find a deliberate cover up, even when the crew brought it to their attention the night before.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR HVT CAPT CLAIMS THE AIRLINE USED FALSE WINDS IN PREPARING A SCHEDULE.

Narrative: MY COMPANY SCHEDULED THE CREW TO FLY PHL-NGU (NAVY NORFOLK) NGU-KEF (ICELAND) KEF-PHL. THIS IS NORMALLY A SCHEDULED MIL CHARTER, BUT WAS RUN WITH A DIFFERENT RTING DUE TO PREVIOUS MAINT DELAY. THEY CLRLY KNEW AHEAD OF TIME THAT THE TOTAL FLT TIME WOULD EXCEED 12 HRS IF FORECAST WINDS WERE USED, SO THEY USED A BOGUS FLT PLAN SHOWING A STRONG TAILWIND GOING EBOUND AND A 0 HEADWIND COMPONENT GOING W. BY PUBLISHING THESE TIMES AS WHAT WAS 'SCHEDULED' AHEAD OF TIME, THEY ARRIVED AT A LEGAL WAY OF KEEPING US FROM EXCEEDING 12 HRS. I HAVE NOT SEEN WHAT WAS PUBLISHED, BUT KNOW ONLY FROM EXTENSIVE TELEPHONE CONVERSATIONS WITH OPS AND DISPATCH. WE EXCEEDED 12 HRS BY APPROX :37. THE ACTUAL FLT PLANS USED WERE REALISTIC. IF THE FAA DECIDED TO INVESTIGATE, THEY WOULD FIND A DELIBERATE COVER UP, EVEN WHEN THE CREW BROUGHT IT TO THEIR ATTN THE NIGHT BEFORE.

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.