Originally Posted by
DAL 88 Driver
How much sleep do you think you would get with 6 hours "behind the door?" Here's what I figure for me... best case: I walk into the room and the clock starts running. I know from experience that the absolute fastest I can change clothes, unpack, brush my teeth, take a shower, lay down in bed, and go to sleep is about 30 minutes. Best case. Sometimes it takes me longer. Then, if I really rush in the morning, I can be ready to walk out the door in 30 minutes. I usually allow 45 minutes but can do it in 30. So with 6 hours "behind the door," the most sleep I'm going to get is 5.
Can you do better than that? Do you think 5 hours sleep in a 24 hour period is enough sleep to be well rested and 100% to conduct a flight? How about several nights in a row like that? Do you REALLY think 6 hours "behind the door" is safe?
I think the concept is that you will sleep a bit at home also. I would be much better rested on the CDO examples then I am going to Europe, Asia, SA or Africa. Most guys get up in the morning around 7. They don't sleep during the day or spend it commuting. Arrive in base and brief at say 6pm. Depart around 8 and fly all night long. Maybe bag a hour or possibly two of sleep on break. Then land in the morning 20 to 24 hours later. Everyone in the cockpit is a zombie. That's for US airlines. Our counterparts in Europe do the reverse with No breaks on flights under 10 hours. The bottom line is unless you only allow airlines to fly from 7am to 10pm you're going to have tired people.
I have a friend who only bids CDO's at his airline. Sleeps a bit in the morning when he gets in to get his 8 hours. He hates international trips and says he is far more fatigued on those.