An MD80's captain reported that he may have exceeded duty limits, causing an far violation.

Attributes
ACN	587421
Time
Date	200307
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : takeoff roll ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	587421
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : company policies non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance FAA Company
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

On jul/sun/03, I exceeded the flight time limits of far 121.471 as written in my air carrier's manual, for both 30 hours in 7 consecutive days and 8 hours between required rest periods. After notifying crew tracking of a pending illegality, I was ruled legal by my air carrier, because I had been legal at the beginning of the day. On the last leg of 4 that day, I was scheduled to exceed the stated limits. As directed in our manual, I then took the flight that caused the excess, and am submitting this as soon as possible noting the possible illegality and/or requesting a clarification/change in part 1 of the (far) real rules. The inconsistency between my guidance in part 1, and the supposed FAA interpretation, of which I have no access, puts me in a position of possible involuntary far violation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80'S CAPT RPTED THAT HE MAY HAVE EXCEEDED DUTY LIMITS, CAUSING AN FAR VIOLATION.

Narrative: ON JUL/SUN/03, I EXCEEDED THE FLT TIME LIMITS OF FAR 121.471 AS WRITTEN IN MY ACR'S MANUAL, FOR BOTH 30 HRS IN 7 CONSECUTIVE DAYS AND 8 HRS BTWN REQUIRED REST PERIODS. AFTER NOTIFYING CREW TRACKING OF A PENDING ILLEGALITY, I WAS RULED LEGAL BY MY ACR, BECAUSE I HAD BEEN LEGAL AT THE BEGINNING OF THE DAY. ON THE LAST LEG OF 4 THAT DAY, I WAS SCHEDULED TO EXCEED THE STATED LIMITS. AS DIRECTED IN OUR MANUAL, I THEN TOOK THE FLT THAT CAUSED THE EXCESS, AND AM SUBMITTING THIS ASAP NOTING THE POSSIBLE ILLEGALITY AND/OR REQUESTING A CLARIFICATION/CHANGE IN PART 1 OF THE (FAR) REAL RULES. THE INCONSISTENCY BTWN MY GUIDANCE IN PART 1, AND THE SUPPOSED FAA INTERP, OF WHICH I HAVE NO ACCESS, PUTS ME IN A POS OF POSSIBLE INVOLUNTARY FAR VIOLATION.

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.