Saw in another thread that Republic is "punishing" its pilots if it refuses to extend beyond the 30 min FAR 117 limits.....Air Wisconsin doing it too?

ALPA Alleges ?Pilot-Pushing? By Air Wisconsin | Commercial Aviation content from Aviation Week

The union representing Air Wisconsin pilots says the regional airline intends to punish pilots for not accepting flight duty period (FDP) extensions that can extend the work day an extra 90 min. beyond the normal work hours prescribed by the FAA when weather or other issues cause delays......

Refusing an FDP extension results you receiving an "unavailable". Which is the equivalent of just not showing up on day 1. Seen it happen to people. You could always just fatigue call, but that seems nullify the whole reason the law is written as it is.

Someone should call the airline's CMO or POI and ask for an interpretation.

A LOI from FAA counsel is more binding than POI opinion.

F-em, they need us much more than we need them at this point. 30 minutes then you come fly it yourself. Oh and you can take that fly it then grieve it later and shove that up your tailpipe too. F.U.P.M. Hey management, read the votes and new hire roll calls. Pay up or F-off.

So they're going to punish you for not signing the release? You make the choice not to sign, you're not going flying is my understanding.

I don't know that your company can force you to sign the release, because you have to certify your fitness to fly. Unfit = No Fly. The FAA agrees with that point, I believe. The company can not decide if you're fit to fly, and if the company thinks differently I think the Feds may have something to tell them, FDP not withstanding.

I hope it works out for the Air Whisky guys, it was only a matter of time before some regional management "team" decided that they'd push the limits of 117 in light of their staffing models and awesome pay rates.

They are not forcing anyone to sign anything. They are saying if we do not sign it, we must be fatigued and must declare fatigued. They will not accept "FU I just don't want to do it". That will be deemed "unavailable" or at some airlines, a "missed trip"

RAH management is also singing the same tune. Only 3 reasons to not extend. Fatigue. Sick. Or Unavailable / missed trip.

God bless.

How is this legal?

I gotta say that I saw this coming a mile away. Being able to be 'unfit for duty' without having a specific reason wasn't going to go well in regional land.