Narrative:

Fatigue -- out schedule is like this: day 1 check-in at XA10 pm. Leave jfk and fly to cle scheduled in at XC20. Block time scheduled 1 plus 50. Reality is that it takes 45 min to leave jfk. Block times exceed 1 plus 50. We usually get to cle around XD00. Departure time is XI25 the following morning. We have to take the XH30 hotel van back to the airport. Consequently the average sleep time is from east to H. We are scheduled for 3 continuous duty over nights in a row. 4 days on 3 off, 21 days a month. Month after month. This produces fatigue and chronic fatigue. So to combat this and make sure the crew is awake at arrival: I delegate sleeping duty to my first officer during the en route phase of flight. I wake him up 50 mi or 15 min out. On the return I delegate sleep duty to myself. By doing this I am admitting that this 'stand up overnight' is unsafe. There is not enough sleep available on this trip. In addition there is no food available from xa until XL00 the next morning. Solution: change the FARS to prohibit continuous duty overnight also redefine 'rest' to mean behind the hotel door. Instead of off duty to on duty. We do not call in fatigue because of company discipline and loss of pay. However, when it becomes real bad I call in sick.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE RPTR LAMENTS OVER THE ACTUAL SHORT REST AS COMPARED WITH THE PLANNED REST AND THE FATIGUE RESULTING FROM BACK TO BACK SCHEDULING.

Narrative: FATIGUE -- OUT SCHEDULE IS LIKE THIS: DAY 1 CHK-IN AT XA10 PM. LEAVE JFK AND FLY TO CLE SCHEDULED IN AT XC20. BLOCK TIME SCHEDULED 1 PLUS 50. REALITY IS THAT IT TAKES 45 MIN TO LEAVE JFK. BLOCK TIMES EXCEED 1 PLUS 50. WE USUALLY GET TO CLE AROUND XD00. DEP TIME IS XI25 THE FOLLOWING MORNING. WE HAVE TO TAKE THE XH30 HOTEL VAN BACK TO THE ARPT. CONSEQUENTLY THE AVERAGE SLEEP TIME IS FROM E TO H. WE ARE SCHEDULED FOR 3 CONTINUOUS DUTY OVER NIGHTS IN A ROW. 4 DAYS ON 3 OFF, 21 DAYS A MONTH. MONTH AFTER MONTH. THIS PRODUCES FATIGUE AND CHRONIC FATIGUE. SO TO COMBAT THIS AND MAKE SURE THE CREW IS AWAKE AT ARR: I DELEGATE SLEEPING DUTY TO MY FO DURING THE ENRTE PHASE OF FLT. I WAKE HIM UP 50 MI OR 15 MIN OUT. ON THE RETURN I DELEGATE SLEEP DUTY TO MYSELF. BY DOING THIS I AM ADMITTING THAT THIS 'STAND UP OVERNIGHT' IS UNSAFE. THERE IS NOT ENOUGH SLEEP AVAILABLE ON THIS TRIP. IN ADDITION THERE IS NO FOOD AVAILABLE FROM XA UNTIL XL00 THE NEXT MORNING. SOLUTION: CHANGE THE FARS TO PROHIBIT CONTINUOUS DUTY OVERNIGHT ALSO REDEFINE 'REST' TO MEAN BEHIND THE HOTEL DOOR. INSTEAD OF OFF DUTY TO ON DUTY. WE DO NOT CALL IN FATIGUE BECAUSE OF COMPANY DISCIPLINE AND LOSS OF PAY. HOWEVER, WHEN IT BECOMES REAL BAD I CALL IN SICK.

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.