Wilbur Wright

To each their own. That's why I always offer the choice of breaks to the landing pilot. I agree on the eastbound leg I can sleep better on the third break. The downside for me is if I'm sleeping hard I have to overcome sleep inertia, jump in the seat trying to catch up on our location while listening to foreign controllers. (Which is why Delta is insisting on landing crew being in the seat an hour before landing)

With the fNWA system the FOs always swap out the right seat for take off and landing. The FO for takeoff is in the jumpseat for landing and vice versa. That works fine for the captains landing, but for the FO landing, that means the PF (FO) has been in the seat for 5-7 hours (Delta doesn't like this for international, although it's okay for 2-man HNL flights and domestic coast-to-coast redeyes)

aa73

At AA the PF almost always takes 2nd break. (FB always take 1st break.) and PNF takes last break. I've found that to work just fine.

B757200ER

If we're flying a 767 for a 9-hr trip East-Coast- Europe-Midwest, I'll ask which F/O wants to sit in the seat or j/s. Then, we'll divide up landings. I may give both away, one to each F/O, if they're not current. Depends on situation. Breaks are ALWAYS divided up like this: Whoever is most tired takes the rest. If I'm PF, I like middle breaks. PF usually has priority on break sked. What I'm looking for is the two most alert pilots in the seats.

Let me guess---you're never tired on 1st break, right? Makes no sense to rest then, you'll be tired later.

aa73

Actually B757200ER, 1st break works great for me when I'm FB, esp. on the late night departures since I'm tired enough by then to doze off. The only problem with that is that's when the F/As have all the cabin lights on, banging and clanging with the meal service - so sometimes it's hard to sleep right away.

Many of our Europe departures leave at 17:00 and arrive 7 hrs later at midnight (body time) so even if I don't sleep at 17:00, I'm fine by the time we land - it's not hard staying up til midnight.

If you're doing the South America stuff out of JFK, now that's when 1st break sleep is essential - otherwise, man o man when u come back up to the cockpit, u are up ALL NIGHT and early morning for the 10hr flight.

I really, really wish we had a curtain around our crew rest seat. At least AA cannot sell the seat next to us most of the time, that helps.

Justdoinmyjob

Wow, I thought our rest seat sucked. No curtain? That's just beat.

aa73

Nope, the 75/76 have no curtains. 757 seat is 6A, last window seat in First. 767 is 2J, first window seat. However, the F/A rest seats do have a curtain. Go figure. The 777s get bunks and first class seats. I'm just glad they can't sell the seat next to us cuz that would REALLY suck.

contrails

You'd think they'd go for curtains if it meant they'd be able to sell the adjacent seat for thousands of dollars, hundreds of times per year.

chuckyt1

The only curtains that I have seen, either have no seats next to them, or the curtain surrounds both seats. UAL 777 is all I'm familiar with.

aa73

duplicate...

aa73

True, but that would involve logic and foresight. Two terms that are somewhat lacking here...

They can only sell the adjacent seat when the departure time is not during WOCL (window of circadian low) HBT (home base time.) So, if the flight leaves Europe at the typical 10am or so, the seat remains empty (that is 4am HBT.) Some flights leave Europe in the afternoon, which is 10am HBT, so the adjacent seat is sold.