Narrative:

Enclosed is a printout [removed for anonymity] of 2 3-DAY trips I am scheduled to fly in october. Although it is within the bounds of the FARS and our union contract, I don't feel it meets the intent of either. As pilots, we try to give relief in our contract language for unique and unusual situations. After all, we want our company to be profitable. Unfortunately, the accountants and schedulers only see the bottom line -- unit cost, maximum productivity. I am based in los angeles and routinely see middle of the night operations. Being based on the west coast the time zones work against you. But this schedule is ridiculous. To work an 11:27 duty day with the last 3+39 on an all nighter after a 3+26 break. Does someone in scheduling really think you can rest during a break like that? All that happens is your body winds down making it that much more difficult to be alert during the flight. Human factors considerations need to be incorporated into the FARS. I am but 1 pilot on a seniority list of over 9000 pilots. Although as a percentage I am sure that this kind of schedule is rare, even once is too often. I'm sure the computers can be programmed to avoid this kind of scheduling. That costs money and won't happen until regulatory or contractually mandated. I hope that other pilots are voicing their concern about these scheduling practices. Note: day 2 of both trips is a 11:27 duty day capped by an all nighter (and hopefully no WX) then 12:21 off in a hotel during the day and back out in the afternoon. Keep in mind your body time is on west coast time.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC WORK SCHEDULING AS PER ACR POLICY AND FARS IS ASSAILED BY PLT RPTR.

Narrative: ENCLOSED IS A PRINTOUT [REMOVED FOR ANONYMITY] OF 2 3-DAY TRIPS I AM SCHEDULED TO FLY IN OCTOBER. ALTHOUGH IT IS WITHIN THE BOUNDS OF THE FARS AND OUR UNION CONTRACT, I DON'T FEEL IT MEETS THE INTENT OF EITHER. AS PLTS, WE TRY TO GIVE RELIEF IN OUR CONTRACT LANGUAGE FOR UNIQUE AND UNUSUAL SITUATIONS. AFTER ALL, WE WANT OUR COMPANY TO BE PROFITABLE. UNFORTUNATELY, THE ACCOUNTANTS AND SCHEDULERS ONLY SEE THE BOTTOM LINE -- UNIT COST, MAX PRODUCTIVITY. I AM BASED IN LOS ANGELES AND ROUTINELY SEE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT OPS. BEING BASED ON THE W COAST THE TIME ZONES WORK AGAINST YOU. BUT THIS SCHEDULE IS RIDICULOUS. TO WORK AN 11:27 DUTY DAY WITH THE LAST 3+39 ON AN ALL NIGHTER AFTER A 3+26 BREAK. DOES SOMEONE IN SCHEDULING REALLY THINK YOU CAN REST DURING A BREAK LIKE THAT? ALL THAT HAPPENS IS YOUR BODY WINDS DOWN MAKING IT THAT MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO BE ALERT DURING THE FLT. HUMAN FACTORS CONSIDERATIONS NEED TO BE INCORPORATED INTO THE FARS. I AM BUT 1 PLT ON A SENIORITY LIST OF OVER 9000 PLTS. ALTHOUGH AS A PERCENTAGE I AM SURE THAT THIS KIND OF SCHEDULE IS RARE, EVEN ONCE IS TOO OFTEN. I'M SURE THE COMPUTERS CAN BE PROGRAMMED TO AVOID THIS KIND OF SCHEDULING. THAT COSTS MONEY AND WON'T HAPPEN UNTIL REGULATORY OR CONTRACTUALLY MANDATED. I HOPE THAT OTHER PLTS ARE VOICING THEIR CONCERN ABOUT THESE SCHEDULING PRACTICES. NOTE: DAY 2 OF BOTH TRIPS IS A 11:27 DUTY DAY CAPPED BY AN ALL NIGHTER (AND HOPEFULLY NO WX) THEN 12:21 OFF IN A HOTEL DURING THE DAY AND BACK OUT IN THE AFTERNOON. KEEP IN MIND YOUR BODY TIME IS ON W COAST TIME.

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.