I was assigned a short call RAP for Wednesday 1730-0230. Before my RAP began I was long call assigned a five day trip reporting at 0705 Thursday. The short call RAP was reduced to 1730-1930. Followed by rest until 0705.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but during my RAP, I am expected to be readily available and fit to fly (i.e. rested) an assignment of up to Table B plus 4 hours or 16 hours. This means potentially on duty all night long. This requires sleeping during the day in anticipation of being ready to work all night.

Anyone see where this is going? How do they expect you to rest for a possible overnight FDP, and then suddenly return to sleeping at night for the 0705 report to fly all day? This is a circadian rhythm flip from back side of the clock to front side within about a 15 hour period.

Options?
1) Spend my “Rest” period calling the company to try and mitigate the issue somehow.

2) Not rest for the RAP and HOPE I don’t get called. If I do, state the “F word” and have to deal with the potential consequences (pay loss, phone calls, filing reports)

3) Sleep during the day to be ready for overnight flying, and not be rested for the Thursday morning flight. (Cant sleep all night after sleeping all afternoon.) This leads to either flying without proper rest or having to call out fatigued prior to starting the trip.

I find it frustrating that I either have to prospectively solve a problem of their own making, or let it go to the point of a fatigue call and have to deal with all the explanations after the fact.

Anyone see a better option I haven’t explored?


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Ignore the short call. You’re not getting called in that 2 hr window. Take the SC credit, rest for the trip, if they call you on the SC, F-it. Opinion only.

 

Do you really sleep all day before a RAP?

 

That’s irrelevant. His point is you cannot be rested for both. And yes, I do rest for whatever assignment I have been given.

 

Just to be clear: before your RAP began you were on 10-hr rest. I hope they didn’t notify you on “long call” from 10:30 - 17:30 today because you weren’t on long call.

 

They probably just put it on his schedule and would have "notified" him during his actual short call window. Just guessing though.

 

That is very likely.

 

I think 117 says they can make one call even during rest and leave a message. They can’t call you repeatedly, though.

 

Doesn’t mean that doesn’t make you not fatigued.

 

I thought 14CFR Part 117 was federal law? Or is it just a "guideline"?

To answer your question, no not all day I agree. I don't think that was what I stated. But I would make arrangements to try to get as much rest as possible throughout the afternoon. With two kids and a dog in the house it takes some advance planning.