Part 135 "Time Aloft" Legality

[C150J]

Hi guys,

Here's a scenario I'd like some help with. Facts:

- 3-pilot augmented crew
- Flight planned for 12 hours of block with a technical stop at hour 5.

What if, due to extenuating circumstances (turbulence, unexpected taxi time, delay vectors on approach, etc.) you land at your technical stop at 5:10 of block.

Can you continue to your destination, knowing that you're going to be over twelve hours of time aloft? Or do you have to call it quits at your tech stop, get rest, and continue the next day?

In the airlines, our POI was big on "legal to start, legal to finish." We could have a 6-leg, eight hour day and be in excess of eight hours before the last leg, yet complete that final flight.

Just curious, as I've hear both sides of the argument in 135. Thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[Blackhawk]

Hi guys,

Here's a scenario I'd like some help with. Facts:

- 3-pilot augmented crew
- Flight planned for 12 hours of block with a technical stop at hour 5.

What if, due to extenuating circumstances (turbulence, unexpected taxi time, delay vectors on approach, etc.) you land at your technical stop at 5:10 of block.

Can you continue to your destination, knowing that you're going to be over twelve hours of time aloft? Or do you have to call it quits at your tech stop, get rest, and continue the next day?

In the airlines, our POI was big on "legal to start, legal to finish." We could have a 6-leg, eight hour day and be in excess of eight hours before the last leg, yet complete that final flight.

Just curious, as I've hear both sides of the argument in 135. Thoughts?

Thanks!

Edit- I initially was reading what you wrote as duty time not flight time. You may exceed your daily flight time but not duty time.
http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org...0/interpretations/data/interps/2009/Banks.pdf
Your POI at your 121 carrier was correct about the application to flight time. "Legal to start legal to finish" applies to each leg not an entire trip for duty time but the day for flight time and that legal to start means you must be able to realistically finish that leg staying legal . For example, I once had dispatch try to file me direct to KATL so we would not exceed our duty time and say "legal to start". I threw the BS flag. Unfortunately the CP on duty was a tool and also read the regulation wrong. I held my ground and was threatened by him with a letter. I still would not back down. Nothing happened to me as the DO pointed out to the dispatcher and CP that I was correct- there was no way I was ever going to be cleared direct KATL so the flight plan was not legal. If I had taken the trip and the FAA found out it would have been my ticket on the line.