Originally Posted by
DAL 88 Driver
Sailing is generally lock step with the MEC. But your point is taken... what he posts here is certainly nothing official (at least not officially
).
I did email my reps when I first found out about this (when an email from an SLC rep was posted on another forum). I exchanged multiple emails with all four of my reps. Three of the four seemed to be too busy playing politician to directly answer my concerns. Lots of dancing around it, but no direct answers from the three. However, I did speak to one of them on the phone after he indicated via email that he agreed with me and wanted to call me. This particular rep gets it. He said he was going to call the SLC rep, presumably to straighten him out. I have no idea whether that happened or not.
During the email exchange with my reps, the chairman of the scheduling committee got copied in on it. He wrote me and was crystal clear that his view is the 8 hour sleep opportunity rule means 8 hours behind the door. If the chairman of the scheduling committee is telling people this, then I'm pretty sure it is (at least at this time) the official interpretation of the MEC. And since that interpretation is a clear violation of the FAR, I decided to do what I could to bring this issue to light. So here I am. Hopefully, by shining a bright light on this, some of the cockroaches will have to scatter for the shadows and all that will be left is the truth.
Here is the FAA's first communication on the subject. ALPA is simply telling you what the FAA has explained to them. ALPA has spent far more time and effort trying to insure its pilots are in compliance then any other union. I know you think their efforts have been terrible but that's your opinion. I have received a huge amount of communication from the union on 117. They have written a excellent app to help with compliance. They had trained people in every lounge I went into the first week. They set up a 24 hour 117 hotline. They have aggressively pushed the FAA to clarify gray areas and published timely answers when they have come out. I Jumpseat on many airlines. The non ALPA airlines have received nothing even remotely close to what ALPA has done.
Here is the FAA,s first word on the subject.
Carriers will be required to provide their crew with a 10-hour rest opportunityprior to commencing a duty period that includes flying. While the 10-rest period may include the amount of time it takes to get to or from a flightcrew member's house or hotel room, the actual amount of time required for a sleep opportunity may not be reduced
below 8 hours. In addition, the length of continuous time off during a 7-day period has been extended from 24 hours under the existing rules to 30 hours. Additional time off is required for individuals whose internal clock may be off because of flipping back and
forth between different time zones.
The fact that the FAA clarified the above to mean 10 hours off but not less then 8 hours in the room is not DALPA's fault.