So a good friend of mine, who I’ve known for a very long time, told me the following: He ran into one of our ALPA guys, who said that if you call in fatigued “one too many times” the company may send you to see a company doctor for a medical evaluation. They are looking to make examples of people apparently.

And no, this isn’t for the 5% who may abuse the policy.

So where’s the FAA on this? Oh, wait a minute!!

I know they try to keep fatigue calls to a minimum and it works..Most guys I have encountered are scared to death to call in fatigued. I wonder how the new ACARS acknowledgement for FDP extension is going? I looked at several rotations this weekend and almost everyone showed a reroute. It seems like every line pilot is a reserve now, and reroutes are out of control(even during good weather).

Scared to death? Why would you be scared. Fatigued is fatigued. I’d be scared to death of a pilot who was scared to death to call fatigued.

I’ve made the call 4 times in The last 5 years. Generally after major reroutes or delays deep into the night. Never heard a peep from anyone.

Just remember you can’t extend after you have been rerouted.

I could see how that could work, especially if their doc is a big fan of sleep apnea...

Just like if you are unable to commute ‘one too many times’ or sign in late ‘one too many times’ or flunk a checkride ‘one too many times’ or bust a FOQA parameter ‘one too many times’ or any one of the myriad responsibilities we are trusted with you’ll be questioned on it.

Personally, I’ve never worried about being asked about my performance at work. If you are fatigued, don’t fly. If you are often fatigued at work, it may be a sign of a diagnosable medical condition. Not sure I’d call the evaluation ‘being punished’.

I think the verbiage is you can’t be rerouted into an extension. Once rerouted and everything goes to c**p, different story. But I could be mistaken.

Correct, any reroute must be legal without an extension at the time it is assigned. After that all the normal FDP limits and extensions apply.

Many times this is why you cannot be put back on your original delayed flight that you were rerouted out of. Once you have your reroute schedule any further change must be legal without the extension, even if it was on your schedule earlier in the day.

The sad thing is they would only have to send a couple of people to the doctor to achieve their goals......after most will be afraid to call in fatigued. Even is this isn’t true, the rumor will be enough to stop some pilots from calling fatigue.

A rumor is all it is. Strange that it would be started by one of the ALPA guys.