Like a lot of things in aviation—it depends. J/S DEN-LAX, sign in and fly a work day, not a problem. Do an overnight cargo J/S ride with a couple hours on a recliner, sign in at dawn, finish a 12-hour duty period uneventfully, nobody’s going to investigate. Finish that day in a smoking hole and your fatigue level will be part of the flight crew portion of the NTSB report.

Remember, in today’s world an unbelievable amount of information is left behind in your daily actions—phone records, hotel electronic keys, internet log-ins, investigations are very thorough. Heck, blood chemistry today can inform the ME how tired you were. There have been disciplinary hearings where hotel keys were used as evidence. You’re not on lockdown, but you can be traced.

It’s really a matter of professionalism. When you sign in, you are certifying that you are rested and medically and emotionally fit to fly. Can you really say that after a five hour drive or an overnight commute?

GF