Landmark rule to manage pilot fatigue will help protect 700 million air passengers each year

Today, we're announcing a significant improvement in air travel safety: a proposal to fight fatigue among commercial pilots. This will help protect the more than 700 million passengers and pilots who travel our nation's airways each year.

As you may recall, managing fatigue was a top priority in our Airline Safety Call to Action following the tragic crash of Colgan Air flight 3407 in February 2009. We held a dozen safety forums all across the US. We've talked with safety experts, aviation specialists, and fatigue scientists. And I'm pleased that we have addressed this issue.

FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt testifies in the Senate

The proposed rule also incorporates input from an Aviation Rulemaking Committee with members from labor, industry, and the FAA. As Administrator Randy Babbitt said, "Fighting fatigue is the joint responsibility of the airline and the pilot, and after years of debate, the aviation community is moving forward to give pilots the tools they need to manage fatigue and fly safely."

Key new features of the proposed rule include:

• One consistent rule for domestic, international, and unscheduled flights
• A nine-hour opportunity for rest prior to duty (a one-hour increase over current rules)
• New approach to measuring a rest period that guarantees the opportunity for eight hours of sleep
• Different requirements based on time-of-day, number of scheduled segments, flight types, time zones, and likelihood that a pilot is able to sleep

Features to manage cumulative risk include:

• Weekly and monthly limits on duty time of any kind
• Thirty consecutive hours free from duty every week (a 25% increase over current rules)

The proposed rule also gives pilots the right to decline an assignment if they feel fatigued--without penalty.

The FAA has also prepared guidance for air carriers who are required by Congress to develop a Fatigue Risk Management Plan.

One important aspect of our proposed rulemaking is that it will be open for public comment. So please weigh in at www.regulations.gov.

Like our roads, America's skies are the safest they've ever been. But they must be safer, and this rule is one more step toward that goal.

Comments

[McKinney Texas]

I think this is a wonderful thing indeed! I have always had a great worry over pilots with jet lag and often wondered how much rest the driver of the plane that I am on has had. I will feel much safer when flying now that I know. thanks

[Travel News]

As the owner of a travel resource company, Get A Trip.com, we are always looking for items that are truly newsworthy to report on our site. I believe this fits that description.

Most likely, everyone of those 700 million passengers thinks everytime he or she is about to board the flight, "Is the pilot in good shape to make this flight?" and "Will I be safe?"
Anything that the aviation regulations can do to see these ends are met, is applauded by all.

[Larry Dabkowski]

Its great you took care of the pilots regarding fatigue, but you refuse to address electrical lineworker fatigue and the big trucks we drive{CDL}. You have exempted us from the HOS rules, which totally iresponsible and hypocritical!!!!

[สถานที่ท่องเที่ยว]

So here is where we still won't be getting "8hrs of sleep".
Under definitions:
Rest period means a continuous period determined prospectively during which the crew member is free from all restraint by the certificate holder, including freedom from present responsibility for work should the occasion arise.

So basicly still sounds like it is NOT behind the door rest.

[Josh Whiteneck]

So what is going to be done for the flight attendants?

[James]

Thanks for this article

[Transportation Collection Agency]

This is great news. Pilots have been overworked for a long time, especially regional carriers. Duty days can become too long and tiresome. Thanks for making this change.

[Mike Vandepeer]

surely one of the real problems with any measures to address pilot fatigue is the issue of what the pilots own state of mind is and what they do while they are "off duty". The issue of how to measure fatigue is not only one for the airline industry but is becoming a hot topic in many areas particularly where 12 hr shifts are becoming the norm (such as the oil drilling industry). much more needs to be done by way of reserach to find a way of real time measuring when a person is fatigued..

[Ezmelts]

This is a positive advancement in looking out for the safety of not only pilots, but millions of traveling passengers as well.

[boonex]

I am all for safety. I wonder if this affects international pilots that fly to the U.S., don't know how that works. I also wonder about air traffic controllers. It seems there have been a few issues with controllers in the news lately. Maybe they work long hours and need additional rules for off time too. One step at a time I guess. There are probably a number of other industries that could use something like this too. Hope it works out, and really does make things safer.

[Carroll]

This is a good rule in theory. But the consumer is going to pay with higher fares.

Every time the pilots bargain for a new contract with their parent company, the number of flight hours was a big problem.They usually get some concession for flight hours to keep their rates low.

Now they will most likely have to hire more pilots, which means higher fares for the consumer. To pay these new pilots 60-100k per year in salaries.