Narrative:

I am an A320 reserve first officer. My rest period extends from XA00-XJ00. I recently got called for a trip which reset my rest to begin at XO45 and end at XX45. So I was now starting work when I would normally be sleeping. I got minimal rest prior to flight due to my body clock not allowing it. It is difficult to reset one's body clock in 9 hours, not to mention unsafe. On my trip WX or external factors were not an issue. We had an uneventful flight. I am thankful for that but am concerned about the individual who is faced with a 'body clock' swap (similar to my incident) and also has to deal with WX, deicing, and any other external factors. I hope we can put an end to this unsafe practice.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A320 RESERVE FO IS CONCERNED ABOUT FATIGUE AND A PLT'S ABILITY TO PERFORM HIS DUTIES WHEN HE HAS TO RESET HIS BODY CLOCK EVERY TIME THE COMPANY CHANGES THE REST PERIOD TIME OF DAY.

Narrative: I AM AN A320 RESERVE FO. MY REST PERIOD EXTENDS FROM XA00-XJ00. I RECENTLY GOT CALLED FOR A TRIP WHICH RESET MY REST TO BEGIN AT XO45 AND END AT XX45. SO I WAS NOW STARTING WORK WHEN I WOULD NORMALLY BE SLEEPING. I GOT MINIMAL REST PRIOR TO FLT DUE TO MY BODY CLOCK NOT ALLOWING IT. IT IS DIFFICULT TO RESET ONE'S BODY CLOCK IN 9 HRS, NOT TO MENTION UNSAFE. ON MY TRIP WX OR EXTERNAL FACTORS WERE NOT AN ISSUE. WE HAD AN UNEVENTFUL FLT. I AM THANKFUL FOR THAT BUT AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE INDIVIDUAL WHO IS FACED WITH A 'BODY CLOCK' SWAP (SIMILAR TO MY INCIDENT) AND ALSO HAS TO DEAL WITH WX, DEICING, AND ANY OTHER EXTERNAL FACTORS. I HOPE WE CAN PUT AN END TO THIS UNSAFE PRACTICE.

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.