Duty time definition

jrh

jrh

Well-Known Member
Would anyone care to share how their 135 GOM defines the start and end of a duty period?

I know how the FAA defines rest and duty. What I'm looking for is how individual companies define when the clock starts ticking for duty and stops ticking at the end of duty.

Bonus points if you give me info for on-demand 135 operators.
 
My last shop you dutied on at 0800 and off at 2000. You were released from flight duty at 1700 (could have a drink if you wanted), but keep the phone on until 2000 for next day trip info/calls.
 
CB23899D-A673-4062-8FF9-386966160A0C.jpeg
 
averettpilot said:
My last shop you dutied on at 0800 and off at 2000. You were released from flight duty at 1700 (could have a drink if you wanted), but keep the phone on until 2000 for next day trip info/calls.
Click to expand...

This sounds like standby. I'm talking about for flight assignments known in advance.

Say you are scheduled to fly a trip departing at X time and shutting down on the last leg at Y time. What would you write on your duty log, and why?
 
jrh said:
This sounds like standby. I'm talking about for flight assignments known in advance.

Say you are scheduled to fly a trip departing at X time and shutting down on the last leg at Y time. What would you write on your duty log, and why?
Click to expand...
Ours is Duty On one hour prior to departure (during winter it was increased to 1.5 hours prior), Duty Off 1/2 hour after Blocking In. Special circumstances we can, and do, add more time as needed - just have to keep Scheduling in the loop.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jrh
Ours is more “personal judgement” without a hard written rule as per “Duty on/off xxx minutes relative to block time”. Our specs define it as reporting to perform a safety or work related function, to no longer working/eligible to perform any company function. (Paraphrasing)
It typically is 45-1 hour prior to departure, and about 30 mins after blocking in at the end of our day.
Same thing Steve said, there can be exceptions and as long as we let our dispatch know, and ensure we stay legal, there aren't any issues.
 
Thanks for the info.

To add to this discussion, if doing a ten hour rest period during the day, is there any change to how duty is calculated? For example, are any post flight or preflight duties modified in order to shorten the post flight time in the morning and get into rest sooner, or preflight actions reduced to have a shorter preflight period in the evening?
 
Not inherently no.
Thats the double edged sword of 135 duty times….they are flexible, but that flexibility is what can cause a-lot of fatigue issues.
 
jrh said:
Thanks for the info.

To add to this discussion, if doing a ten hour rest period during the day, is there any change to how duty is calculated? For example, are any post flight or preflight duties modified in order to shorten the post flight time in the morning and get into rest sooner, or preflight actions reduced to have a shorter preflight period in the evening?
Click to expand...

I wouldn’t be to keen to start that trend. It could leave to issues down the road if this precedent is set.

I tended to use the actual time that we dutied off if we went passed the preset 30 minute mark. It took over an hour at times to put the plane back together in some instances.

Something else to think about...Are none flying responsibilities such as shopping, chart updates, and etc... considered duty? This was a fairly continuous discussion between the pilots and management group at my last gig.
 
I’ll have to look when I go back to work. Be interesting to see how different what the GOM says and what we actually do are.
 
KLB said:
I wouldn’t be to keen to start that trend. It could leave to issues down the road if this precedent is set.

I tended to use the actual time that we dutied off if we went passed the preset 30 minute mark. It took over an hour at times to put the plane back together in some instances.

Something else to think about...Are none flying responsibilities such as shopping, chart updates, and etc... considered duty? This was a fairly continuous discussion between the pilots and management group at my last gig.
Click to expand...

Rest is easy ,free from all constraints of "work." Well, what is work... Everything else except answering the phone once to be advised of a schedule adjustment...

Shopping, planning, calling FBO for fuel, calling FBO to ensure they didn't run something into the plane... etc. etc. etc. etc., is all a "job requirement" and would therefore be considered... work.....
 
^^ Yup
When I do IOE with guys, I always tell them duty on before you open your car door to walk the aircraft. Not only does this offer additional protection, say should a runaway tug plow them over, but from the second we show up, we are already performing tasks associated with work, even if that is as simple as looking at the sky and seeing if the numbers match what your seeing.
 
Murdoughnut said:
We have a guy in my office who spends no less than two hours a day in the toilet. I can't figure out if he's a genius or just has IBS.
Click to expand...
I worked at a shop that had a guy that would eat his lunch as he sat on the toilet. We convinced him it was a better idea to go to the bathroom when he needed to and using his breaks for eating and relaxing.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top