Narrative:

Flying as a copilot; I completed a 3 day rotation operating. Due to an unknown cause; the block time for one of my flight segments on the first day of this rotation was not properly transmitted to the company. My ACARS printout for this flight shows an actual block time of 1.09 but the block time transmitted to the company's computer showed 0.52; 17 mins under my actual block time flown. This 17 min difference creates a scenario wherein a potential conflict with far 121.471(a)(3) 30 hours in 7 days flight time limitation may have occurred due to the company not being unaware of this needed block time change when the company assigned a rerte for this rotation. I contacted a scheduler and informed them of the need to correct the block time; that this correction would add 17 mins to my actual block time already flown; and that I thought a 30/7 problem would arise with this rerte when this correction was made. The process was set into motion to add in my 17 mins of block time and this was subsequently accomplished. At this time the atl-dfw flight segment changed once again and now showed a block time of 2.13 with a mu of 11 mins; thereby putting my total block time at 29.57 if flown exactly as these new times indicted. Scheduling and the chief pilot office both maintained this rerte is legal because the newly 'scheduled' times (those block times reduced using mu) put me under 30/7 by 3 mins. My concern is that these updated block times are not what the FAA actually considers the 'scheduled' block times for the purposes of far 121.471(a)(3). This concern is heightened by the fact that the original rerte I received showed 'scheduled' block times that did not use mu and that those times; as printed on the original rerte rotation; put me 'scheduled' over 30/7. The union disagrees with the company with respect to this issue of what constitutes 'scheduled' block time. Presently; and at the time the decision to fly or not to fly needed to be made; I am uncertain as to how the FAA would decide; hence this report.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR PLT IS CONCERNED WITH SCHEDULED FLT TIME LIMITATION IN REGARDS TO FAR 121.471(A)(3).

Narrative: FLYING AS A COPLT; I COMPLETED A 3 DAY ROTATION OPERATING. DUE TO AN UNKNOWN CAUSE; THE BLOCK TIME FOR ONE OF MY FLT SEGMENTS ON THE FIRST DAY OF THIS ROTATION WAS NOT PROPERLY XMITTED TO THE COMPANY. MY ACARS PRINTOUT FOR THIS FLT SHOWS AN ACTUAL BLOCK TIME OF 1.09 BUT THE BLOCK TIME XMITTED TO THE COMPANY'S COMPUTER SHOWED 0.52; 17 MINS UNDER MY ACTUAL BLOCK TIME FLOWN. THIS 17 MIN DIFFERENCE CREATES A SCENARIO WHEREIN A POTENTIAL CONFLICT WITH FAR 121.471(A)(3) 30 HRS IN 7 DAYS FLT TIME LIMITATION MAY HAVE OCCURRED DUE TO THE COMPANY NOT BEING UNAWARE OF THIS NEEDED BLOCK TIME CHANGE WHEN THE COMPANY ASSIGNED A RERTE FOR THIS ROTATION. I CONTACTED A SCHEDULER AND INFORMED THEM OF THE NEED TO CORRECT THE BLOCK TIME; THAT THIS CORRECTION WOULD ADD 17 MINS TO MY ACTUAL BLOCK TIME ALREADY FLOWN; AND THAT I THOUGHT A 30/7 PROB WOULD ARISE WITH THIS RERTE WHEN THIS CORRECTION WAS MADE. THE PROCESS WAS SET INTO MOTION TO ADD IN MY 17 MINS OF BLOCK TIME AND THIS WAS SUBSEQUENTLY ACCOMPLISHED. AT THIS TIME THE ATL-DFW FLT SEGMENT CHANGED ONCE AGAIN AND NOW SHOWED A BLOCK TIME OF 2.13 WITH A MU OF 11 MINS; THEREBY PUTTING MY TOTAL BLOCK TIME AT 29.57 IF FLOWN EXACTLY AS THESE NEW TIMES INDICTED. SCHEDULING AND THE CHIEF PLT OFFICE BOTH MAINTAINED THIS RERTE IS LEGAL BECAUSE THE NEWLY 'SCHEDULED' TIMES (THOSE BLOCK TIMES REDUCED USING MU) PUT ME UNDER 30/7 BY 3 MINS. MY CONCERN IS THAT THESE UPDATED BLOCK TIMES ARE NOT WHAT THE FAA ACTUALLY CONSIDERS THE 'SCHEDULED' BLOCK TIMES FOR THE PURPOSES OF FAR 121.471(A)(3). THIS CONCERN IS HEIGHTENED BY THE FACT THAT THE ORIGINAL RERTE I RECEIVED SHOWED 'SCHEDULED' BLOCK TIMES THAT DID NOT USE MU AND THAT THOSE TIMES; AS PRINTED ON THE ORIGINAL RERTE ROTATION; PUT ME 'SCHEDULED' OVER 30/7. THE UNION DISAGREES WITH THE COMPANY WITH RESPECT TO THIS ISSUE OF WHAT CONSTITUTES 'SCHEDULED' BLOCK TIME. PRESENTLY; AND AT THE TIME THE DECISION TO FLY OR NOT TO FLY NEEDED TO BE MADE; I AM UNCERTAIN AS TO HOW THE FAA WOULD DECIDE; HENCE THIS RPT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.