Yes, Rolling Rest Still Exists.
If you’re a Part 135 pilot, chances are you’ve had long philosophical conversations about rest and duty at some point in your career. The industry has grappled with using a schedule to properly staff unscheduled Part 135 operations…and, many would argue, unsuccessfully. We have seen legal interpretations from the FAA and article after article that state the rest must be assigned and known in advance (keyword: prospective). Still, rumors abound that many carriers don’t follow the rules of 135.267.
I conducted my own anonymous survey of pilots to find out if the rumors are really true. In my random survey, I found that out of 130+ pilots currently flying for a Part 135 operation today, 43% reported that they do not receive prospective, assigned rest before a flight. A whopping 58% admitted that they have flown for a carrier that has knowingly operated an illegal rolling-rest policy in the past.
So, how does this happen? How do we have almost half the industry not resting crews potentially? The reasons are many but the cost is at the heart of this issue. Crew planning for an on-demand, unscheduled air carrier is extremely difficult. Carriers never know when flights will come in and how many crew members they’ll really need. Doing it the right way is incredibly expensive. For a 24-hour schedule, most carriers need 5 or more crew members, for every plane in the fleet.
Doing it the right way is incredibly expensive.
In today’s pilot market, settling for a rolling-rest schedule just won’t do. In your next interview, ask how rest is assigned, ask how duty is assigned, ask how the company handles pop up trips, ask how many pilots are on the team. Be polite and professional, but you have the right to ask specific questions and the right to walk away if the answer isn’t clear. Don’t continue the myth that rolling rest is “ok” because “everyone” does it.
If you are looking for a company that cares about protecting your rest, GrandView Aviation is hiring. Shoot us your resume and flight hours, we’d love to talk.
Entrepreneur | Critical Thinker | Problem Solver | Advisor
5 年So true. What’s worse is most POIs turn a blind eye to this epidemic. It’s a systematic problem in our sector, and one that will probably have some rippling effects once operators are forced to administer it properly. Think about it: for every one pilot on this “24hr on-call / retroactive rest” nonsense schedule, how many pilots are out of a job? It’s a form of economics and cost-savings for the operator who cheats the system. I’ve had operators try to explain to me how what their doing isn’t illegal and the regs allow for it. They get caught up in their own words and I just have to laugh. Describe it however [you] want, but illegal is illegal. There’s no way around it and the operators who are doing it right, as well as the pilot pool in general, suffer when those operators cut corners and undercut the industry like this. It’s borderline illegal charter IMHO.
I look at ads that say, "Must be a team player" and I read it as code for "must be willing to help us make more money by acquiescing to rolling rest".? ?Given all that is known about the effects of fatigue on judgement ( and therefore, safety) and knowing firsthand how burnt-out and lousy it makes one feel, I have been very reluctant to go back into the 135 world without some solid assurance that I won't be exploited and abused again.? ?I'm very relieved to read this article, and glad that it comes from someone in the industry who has the ability to do more than just talk about it!? ?You go, Jessie Naor!
Experienced Captain, passionate about continuous improvement. I am an experienced aviation manager (former Part 135 DO , Chief Pilot and 91 Safety Manager).
5 年Correct, if it’s left to the flight crews to refuse a trip it will come at the peril of losing their job. Companies need to do the right thing realizing it will cost more with staffing. Too many good opportunities for pilots to prevent them from staying with any company that does this.
Director of Operations
5 年+1 who's worked previously for an operator who still, to this day, utilize rolling rest.? My opinion: the rules and legal interpretations are all well known, but when the possible fine is something like $10k but you're going to break the rule 50 times before you get caught, netting you $100k, the risk is worth it and the fine is the cost of doing business.?
|Author | Aviation Maintenance Consultant | Business Development | Customer Acquisition | Digital Marketing
5 年Great article, but we can't take away from the individual the responsibility to follow the rules. Companies, for the most part, look at the bottom line and when a trip pops up it is all about the revenue. So it is up to the individual to look after their safety first by remaining on rest when being on schedule and demanding the proper rest after duty time.