Flight Crew and Duty Limitations: Fatigue Management in Practice
Purpose and structure
Flight and duty time limitations exist to control fatigue. They set maximum flight time, maximum duty period, minimum rest and cumulative limits over rolling periods. Questions test the arithmetic as much as the concept, so practise counting from a stated report time rather than from take-off.
Definitions that decide the answer
Know precisely what counts as duty: normally from report time until the end of the final flight plus any required post-flight duties. Know what counts as rest: a defined period free of duty, often with a minimum in a suitable accommodation. Traps include counting rest from engine shutdown rather than from the end of duty, and treating a standby period as rest when it is duty.
Discretion and extensions
Most systems allow the commander to exceed limits in circumstances beyond the crew's control, but only to the extent necessary to land safely, and the extension must be reported. Questions often present a commander who extends duty to complete a commercial schedule - that is not a valid use of discretion.
Cumulative limits and time zone awareness
Rolling limits over 7, 14, 28 or 90 days catch candidates who only check the daily maximum. Also know the augmented-crew rules: additional crew members permit longer flight time because rest can be taken in flight, but the rest must be in an approved rest facility.
Worked example
Report 06:00, two sectors totalling 7 hours 20 minutes flight time, finish 15:10. Duty is 9 hours 10 minutes. If the limit for that crew complement and start time is 9 hours, the flight cannot be operated as planned without a change. Rule of thumb: compute duty first, then compare flight time separately, then check the rolling totals.
Records
Operators must keep records of flight and duty time and make them available to the crew member.