Narrative:

I recently completed a sequence at XA00 pm and returned home without further assignment. I arrived home at XC00 pm and went to bed exhausted after a 14 hour day. At XF30 am the phone rang and crew scheduling apologized for waking me -- for a bwi turn that departed at XF45 pm! I could not get back to a deep sleep and rolled out of bed; ragged; at XK00 am to call operations. He explained their requirement to call international pilots 10 hours prior to the domestic assignment; that I didn't have to answer the phone and that it didn't make sense but that it was a requirement. I was left with the rather unpalatable decision to declare fatigue (which I was); or to tough it out and not compromise the flight (I flew). This senseless policy is having unintended negative impacts on the job for many of us. For the pilot; it is a difficult decision to make the fatigue call or to go for it; possibly compromising safety due to the impairment. Undoubtedly; an NTSB investigation would quickly discover this as a factor in the look back stage of an accident investigation. For the company; it is problematic not only for a possible safety compromise; but also from a schedule reliability standpoint if the pilot calls fatigued. 'Rest' assured; the individuals responsible for this policy never saw the negative implications of their idea -- more than likely they had exactly the opposite intention. However; what we are left with is policy that wrecks crew rest (on a regular basis) for a group of pilots that is being utilized to their maximum capacity. This is a recipe for trouble.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 INTL PLT COMMENTS ON COMPANY RESERVE CALLOUTS AND A FATIGUING SITUATION.

Narrative: I RECENTLY COMPLETED A SEQUENCE AT XA00 PM AND RETURNED HOME WITHOUT FURTHER ASSIGNMENT. I ARRIVED HOME AT XC00 PM AND WENT TO BED EXHAUSTED AFTER A 14 HR DAY. AT XF30 AM THE PHONE RANG AND CREW SCHEDULING APOLOGIZED FOR WAKING ME -- FOR A BWI TURN THAT DEPARTED AT XF45 PM! I COULD NOT GET BACK TO A DEEP SLEEP AND ROLLED OUT OF BED; RAGGED; AT XK00 AM TO CALL OPS. HE EXPLAINED THEIR REQUIREMENT TO CALL INTL PLTS 10 HRS PRIOR TO THE DOMESTIC ASSIGNMENT; THAT I DIDN'T HAVE TO ANSWER THE PHONE AND THAT IT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE BUT THAT IT WAS A REQUIREMENT. I WAS LEFT WITH THE RATHER UNPALATABLE DECISION TO DECLARE FATIGUE (WHICH I WAS); OR TO TOUGH IT OUT AND NOT COMPROMISE THE FLT (I FLEW). THIS SENSELESS POLICY IS HAVING UNINTENDED NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON THE JOB FOR MANY OF US. FOR THE PLT; IT IS A DIFFICULT DECISION TO MAKE THE FATIGUE CALL OR TO GO FOR IT; POSSIBLY COMPROMISING SAFETY DUE TO THE IMPAIRMENT. UNDOUBTEDLY; AN NTSB INVESTIGATION WOULD QUICKLY DISCOVER THIS AS A FACTOR IN THE LOOK BACK STAGE OF AN ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION. FOR THE COMPANY; IT IS PROBLEMATIC NOT ONLY FOR A POSSIBLE SAFETY COMPROMISE; BUT ALSO FROM A SCHEDULE RELIABILITY STANDPOINT IF THE PLT CALLS FATIGUED. 'REST' ASSURED; THE INDIVIDUALS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS POLICY NEVER SAW THE NEGATIVE IMPLICATIONS OF THEIR IDEA -- MORE THAN LIKELY THEY HAD EXACTLY THE OPPOSITE INTENTION. HOWEVER; WHAT WE ARE LEFT WITH IS POLICY THAT WRECKS CREW REST (ON A REGULAR BASIS) FOR A GROUP OF PLTS THAT IS BEING UTILIZED TO THEIR MAX CAPACITY. THIS IS A RECIPE FOR TROUBLE.

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.