Narrative:

Part 1: our previous duty day, consisted of 14 hours 45 mins on-duty, flying 8 hours 45 mins hard-time, on a domestic duty pairing, originally scheduled for 13 hours 28 mins of on-duty time, and 7 hours 7 mins of 'hard' flying time, with 4 legs. The scheduled rest period was originally 11 hours 51 mins, block-to-block, but due to the WX, the actual block-in to block-out rest period was 10 hours 54 mins (chock-to-chock). After travel to and from the hotel and waiting for a van, the time was reduced to 10 hours 14 mins, because the company requires the crew to be at the airport, the next day, 1 hour prior to departure, the actual rest period was reduced to approximately 9 hours 14 mins. Allowing for 1 1/2 hours to prepare clothes, etc, and 'unwind' and then go to bed and then allow 1 hour after wake-up, the actual rest was only about 6 hours 29 mins after a 14 hours 45 mins duty-day, and 8 hour 45 mins actually flying time. The following day was scheduled for 6 hours 27 mins actual flying, and an on-duty day of 9 hours 44 mins. Suggestion: crew rest should start, only after the crew has checked in at the hotel, and continue until they leave the hotel, with a minimum of 10 hours at the hotel. This will allow 1 hour prior to bed, 8 hours of sleep, and 1 hour to arise and get ready to leave the hotel. Part 2: because I was still tired from the previous day, I was not 'crisp,' and may have misinterpreted an MEL constraint, while an FAA inspector was observing our performance. Often, minimum overnight hotels, require more time in transportation than longer period overnights, because transport is not specifically scheduled for the crew. Please, recommend '10 hours at the hotel.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-200 PIC RPT ON FATIGUE AND HOW IT MAY HAVE BEEN RELATED TO SHORT LAYOVERS, LONG DUTY DAYS AND AN EVENTUAL MISINTERP OF THE MEL REQUIREMENTS WHILE PERFORMING A PREFLT UNDER THE EYES OF AN ACR INSPECTOR AT PHL, PA.

Narrative: PART 1: OUR PREVIOUS DUTY DAY, CONSISTED OF 14 HRS 45 MINS ON-DUTY, FLYING 8 HRS 45 MINS HARD-TIME, ON A DOMESTIC DUTY PAIRING, ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED FOR 13 HRS 28 MINS OF ON-DUTY TIME, AND 7 HRS 7 MINS OF 'HARD' FLYING TIME, WITH 4 LEGS. THE SCHEDULED REST PERIOD WAS ORIGINALLY 11 HRS 51 MINS, BLOCK-TO-BLOCK, BUT DUE TO THE WX, THE ACTUAL BLOCK-IN TO BLOCK-OUT REST PERIOD WAS 10 HRS 54 MINS (CHOCK-TO-CHOCK). AFTER TRAVEL TO AND FROM THE HOTEL AND WAITING FOR A VAN, THE TIME WAS REDUCED TO 10 HRS 14 MINS, BECAUSE THE COMPANY REQUIRES THE CREW TO BE AT THE ARPT, THE NEXT DAY, 1 HR PRIOR TO DEP, THE ACTUAL REST PERIOD WAS REDUCED TO APPROX 9 HRS 14 MINS. ALLOWING FOR 1 1/2 HRS TO PREPARE CLOTHES, ETC, AND 'UNWIND' AND THEN GO TO BED AND THEN ALLOW 1 HR AFTER WAKE-UP, THE ACTUAL REST WAS ONLY ABOUT 6 HRS 29 MINS AFTER A 14 HRS 45 MINS DUTY-DAY, AND 8 HR 45 MINS ACTUALLY FLYING TIME. THE FOLLOWING DAY WAS SCHEDULED FOR 6 HRS 27 MINS ACTUAL FLYING, AND AN ON-DUTY DAY OF 9 HRS 44 MINS. SUGGESTION: CREW REST SHOULD START, ONLY AFTER THE CREW HAS CHKED IN AT THE HOTEL, AND CONTINUE UNTIL THEY LEAVE THE HOTEL, WITH A MINIMUM OF 10 HRS AT THE HOTEL. THIS WILL ALLOW 1 HR PRIOR TO BED, 8 HRS OF SLEEP, AND 1 HR TO ARISE AND GET READY TO LEAVE THE HOTEL. PART 2: BECAUSE I WAS STILL TIRED FROM THE PREVIOUS DAY, I WAS NOT 'CRISP,' AND MAY HAVE MISINTERPRETED AN MEL CONSTRAINT, WHILE AN FAA INSPECTOR WAS OBSERVING OUR PERFORMANCE. OFTEN, MINIMUM OVERNIGHT HOTELS, REQUIRE MORE TIME IN TRANSPORTATION THAN LONGER PERIOD OVERNIGHTS, BECAUSE TRANSPORT IS NOT SPECIFICALLY SCHEDULED FOR THE CREW. PLEASE, RECOMMEND '10 HRS AT THE HOTEL.'

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.