PHUQUEN 20 HOURS ON DUTY?!?!...really?...really!!

[I WAS Birddog]

So....I'm minding my own business (again) reading over the CAR's and I see this;

720.16 Flight Duty Time Limitations and Rest Periods

(3) Where a flight crew is augmented by the addition of at least one flight crew member, the division of duty and rest is balanced between the flight crew members and a flight relief facility is provided, flight duty time may be extended if:

(a) where a flight relief facility - seat is provided, the flight duty time may be extended to 17 consecutive hours, in which case the maximum flight deck duty time for any flight crew member shall be 12 hours;

(b) where a flight relief facility - bunk is provided, the flight duty time may be extended to 20 consecutive hours, in which case the maximum flight deck duty time for any flight crew member shall be 14 hours;

(c) the subsequent minimum rest period shall be at least equal to the length of the preceding flight duty time; and

(d) a maximum of 3 sectors may be completed.

I don't care if a warm cup of cocoa is brought to me when I'm being tucked into my ICAO approved AirBus bunk bed by my dead grandmother....WHO would sign up for long haul gigs like this?! AND if someone says: "yeah but I get to see the world"...I'm gonna drop kick you onto your Boeing bunk

If you want to see the world....buy a backpack.

Hey...while you're on your (livin' the dream) crew rest, you'll have time to use that fancy inflight internet to surf the net....
AND JOIN MY CULT YOU MOFO'S https://twitter.com/iwasbirddog

Love....Birddog

[squash junky]

With 3 pilots and an overhead crew rest we have max 12:30hrs
But let's say we have a 12hr flight, I think we only have 1 flight that applies, rest are shorter or 4 crew.
That means 1hr cockpit duties, give or take + 3 1/2 hrs of rest =max16.5 hrs, unless we can all rest during the delay, which you can't.
I don't think we can do the 20hr day with 3 pilots
2ndly I can request an extra FO if I think myself or others are too tired.

I haven't been tucked in for a while. Never had cocoa, though have been woken up with cappuccino or fresh orange juice. To do a 16-17 hr duty if necessary.... them pax are paying my dough. Let's provide a service. (which also means not going if we are too tired, but so far I have gotten the extra FO every time on long delays)
It rarely happens, which is why I am glad to fly long haul and enjoy having a beer in BKK (and many other nice places) while you might be happier to zip cocoa where you prefer to be. (hopefully not too cold )

[Meatservo]

WHO would sign up for long haul gigs like this?!

I would! I can sleep anywhere! It sounds like a great way to see the world. Anyway you'd probably only have to do it a couple times a month. Doesn't sound odious to me.

By the way, I thought Twitter was for teenage girls to "tweet" about their feelings and for funboys like Justin Beiber. I think
I'll pass on joining your "cult". I have things that demand my attention in the real world. It's bad enough I waste my time on this stupid internet forum.

[Panama Jack]

It is one of those personal preference things, I WAS Birddog.

A few years ago I was Gung-ho to realize my childhood dream of flying those big 4-engined widebody jobbies and cross multiple time zones to spend my turn lay-overs in exciting foreign locales, dining on exotic culinary concoctions and meeting fascinating locals. Mind you, most of our long-haul flying was not ultra-long haul, although a lot of time was spend staring out the window at total darkness, maintaing SELCAL watch, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes while the skipper was taking his 40 minute catnap in his seat.

We had 2 routes though that required augmented crews because they exceeded the legal capabilities of the 2 man team. I LOVED THOSE! Go back, get my sleep, laying flat, and I would hit the ground running at our destination rather than crashing into the bed at the crew hotel in a semi-dressed state.

I say it is a lifestyle thing because after a few years of enjoying that I was put onto the kiddie plane (not my choice) doing the local hops, mostly all day stuff. I will remember that as some of the best times times in my recent career. Fly by day, sleep by night, in my own bed and with the wife next to me as my cuddle toy. Started to be able to think much clearer again and was much happier.

In any case, 20 Duty Hours is probably a necessary evil these days for those airplanes that are able to carry way too much fuel, the ones that allow non-stop flights from/to anywhere on Earth, plus a 45 minutes of taxi, a squirt of Type I and Type IV Fluid, and a few minutes to allow for the late-arrival connections to make your flight. The real problem is not the length of the duty day . . . it is when the Company gives you only a 23 hour layover to recover before you head back.

[CpnCrunch]

Well the LAX-SYD flight is normally 15hrs. Add in a headwind, delays, paperwork, etc. and I'm sure it comes close to 20hrs quite often.

[I WAS Birddog]

Yup....
Long gone are the "Catch ME If You Can" days of the rock 'n roll airline pilot lifestyle....where week long layovers and an endless supply of younger, attractive, enthusiastic cabin crews were harvested at every pairing.

*sigh*

[traveller123]

unfortunately, we're not born at the good time


seriously, for me, flying on a B777 YYZ-HKG round trip one time a week is the best schedule a pilot can have.

in this situation you're like what, 2 days away and 5 days home considering the 1200 hours/year gig???

[Expat]

Well... Looking at the Pan Am picture above, I wonder where is the best lay-over, home or HKG?

[HHI]

unfortunately, we're not born at the good time


seriously, for me, flying on a B777 YYZ-HKG round trip one time a week is the best schedule a pilot can have.

in this situation you're like what, 2 days away and 5 days home considering the 1200 hours/year gig???

It's take's up the major part of 3 days away. The day after return the wise and experienced pilots avoid using power tools.

My wife used to say my body came home Tuesday and my mind arrived on Wednesday.

HHI

[I WAS Birddog]

My wife used to say my body came home Tuesday and my mind arrived on Wednesday.

HHI

[Expat]

wink:

My wife used to say my body came home Tuesday and my mind arrived on Wednesday.

HHI

My wife used to worry more about when the pay arrived, than my body, or mind...