From above 10k to TOD, I imagine you'd be able to find 15 minutes of peace on at least one of those 5 legs. Even without flying fatigued, I know there were times I would have benefited from it.

 

One of the best CRM statements I've heard is I better not wake up and catch you sleeping

 

It is my understanding that this has been permitted under ICAO/JAR rules for a long time.

While I think it works best in three-man cockpits (one sleeps; two monitor and are alarm-clocks), which are almost as extinct as the pure-turbojet, I think it can work wonders in a two-seat cockpit.

Whether a pilot flies one leg a day or 7, airline schedules inevitably put one on the wrong side of their circadian rythm. When that happens, it doesn't matter how much caffiene you ingest...the only solution is sleep.

And while rest periods can be madated prior to flight, no FAR can force your body to cooperate and sleep when you tell it to.

Perhaps some retrofitted alarm--such as a cattle-prod, or recording fo your wife/lead flight attendant/cranky controller telling you to get your butt up after 15 minutes would be appropo.....

 

This is just a band-aid not a real solution. For those of you for this, I hope I don't hear you complaining about your extended duty day while your on your ninth or tenth leg.

 

I think controlled napping in the cockpit would help. When things like this becomes regulated I believe it can be safer. I have heard a few foreign airlines allow it. I'm all for it. Many studies have showed that people become more productive when they have a 20 min nap during the day.

 

Sounds like it could be beneficial. So long as they don't use it as bargaining to reduce our overall "sleep" on overnights. Rest is not "sleep".

 

To clarify, I do think that power naps are useful. But not if they are used to justify a schedule that was unsafe to begin with.

 

I agree they should change the rest rules AND allow naps. This would ensure pilots not being fatigued.

 

This will come down to the wording of the regulation. If management can find a loophole to take advantage of, I promise they will use it for as long as they can. They care about safety about as much as I care about their health.

 

I've gone a few months straight without even getting above 10,000 feet. We are scheduled up to 9 legs a day and most are around 20 minutes of flying time. Not much time to sit around and nap on those legs. We have more time to snooze on the ground waiting for rampers.