Question for commercial(airline)pilots.

[cleared4theoption]

So, I have met and talked to a few pilots working in the regionals, and some in the "mid majors" about the typical schedules they fly. I know that they are limited by FAA and union contracts to how much they can fly. For example majors can only fly 80 hrs a month(some can fly 90)...and I believe there is also a limitation per day (8 hrs I think??)
Couple that with minimum days off from the different contracts, and it seems to me that the "average" regional or short flight major pilot flies around 4-5 hours a day (that's flight time, not duty time) and works around 15-20 days a month.
So...my questions are about long haul/international flying.

Some domestic flights (say miami to seattle) already push the limits of 8 hours of flight time in a day. Does that mean that would be the only leg that crew flies for the day? They get a hotel, then fly again the next day?
...and some overseas flights can easily go well over 8 hours...how does that work?

If there are any long haul commercial pilots (or people who know some) that can add to my insight of part 121 flying, I would be eternally gratefull

Thanks

 

[RotorAndWing]

So, I have met and talked to a few pilots working in the regionals, and some in the "mid majors" about the typical schedules they fly. I know that they are limited by FAA and union contracts to how much they can fly. For example majors can only fly 80 hrs a month(some can fly 90)...and I believe there is also a limitation per day (8 hrs I think??)
Couple that with minimum days off from the different contracts, and it seems to me that the "average" regional or short flight major pilot flies around 4-5 hours a day (that's flight time, not duty time) and works around 15-20 days a month.
So...my questions are about long haul/international flying.

Some domestic flights (say miami to seattle) already push the limits of 8 hours of flight time in a day. Does that mean that would be the only leg that crew flies for the day? They get a hotel, then fly again the next day?
...and some overseas flights can easily go well over 8 hours...how does that work?

If there are any long haul commercial pilots (or people who know some) that can add to my insight of part 121 flying, I would be eternally gratefull

Thanks

You can go here to find the answers: http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title14/14cfr121_main_02.tpl

Depends upon if it's a Supplemental, Domestic or Flag operation, and also to the crewing requirements (relief pilots, 3 man cockpit, etc)

Read Subparts "Q","R" and "S"

 

[cleared4theoption]

You can go here to find the answers: http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title14/14cfr121_main_02.tpl

Depends upon if it's a Supplemental, Domestic or Flag operation, and also to the crewing requirements (relief pilots, 3 man cockpit, etc)

Read Subparts "Q","R" and "S"

Thanks for the link...I was kinda hoping for more of a "my buddy flies 767's and his schedule is like this"...kind of answer...

But looking at the Subpart Q 121.471...it is kind of confusing

(a) No certificate holder conducting domestic operations may schedule any flight crewmember and no flight crewmember may accept an assignment for flight time in scheduled air transportation or in other commercial flying if that crewmember's total flight time in all commercial flying will exceed--
(1) 1,000 hours in any calendar year;
(2) 100 hours in any calendar month;
(3) 30 hours in any 7 consecutive days;
(4) 8 hours between required rest periods.

Seems to sugest 8 hours in one day

but the next part...

(b) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, no certificate holder conducting domestic operations may schedule a flight crewmember and no flight crewmember may accept an assignment for flight time during the 24 consecutive hours preceding the scheduled completion of any flight segment without a scheduled rest period during that 24 hours of at least the following:
(1) 9 consecutive hours of rest for less than 8 hours of scheduled flight time.
(2) 10 consecutive hours of rest for 8 or more but less than 9 hours of scheduled flight time.
(3) 11 consecutive hours of rest for 9 or more hours of scheduled flight time.

Seems to suggest that there is no limit to hours flown as long as you have a rest period that makes it legal

 

[Greg Bockelman]

Basically, for the long haul guys, the rule is that you cannot be at your duty station more than 8 hours in a duty period. That is why there are relief pilots. Any flight over 8 hours requires one relief pilot, over 12 requires 2 and over 16 requires 3.

Point of reference, I fly 777s to Asia regularly.

 

[RotorAndWing]

Thanks for the link...I was kinda hoping for more of a "my buddy flies 767's and his schedule is like this"...kind of answer...

But looking at the Subpart Q 121.471...it is kind of confusing

(a) No certificate holder conducting domestic operations may schedule any flight crewmember and no flight crewmember may accept an assignment for flight time in scheduled air transportation or in other commercial flying if that crewmember's total flight time in all commercial flying will exceed--
(1) 1,000 hours in any calendar year;
(2) 100 hours in any calendar month;
(3) 30 hours in any 7 consecutive days;
(4) 8 hours between required rest periods.

Seems to sugest 8 hours in one day

but the next part...

(b) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, no certificate holder conducting domestic operations may schedule a flight crewmember and no flight crewmember may accept an assignment for flight time during the 24 consecutive hours preceding the scheduled completion of any flight segment without a scheduled rest period during that 24 hours of at least the following:
(1) 9 consecutive hours of rest for less than 8 hours of scheduled flight time.
(2) 10 consecutive hours of rest for 8 or more but less than 9 hours of scheduled flight time.
(3) 11 consecutive hours of rest for 9 or more hours of scheduled flight time.

Seems to suggest that there is no limit to hours flown as long as you have a rest period that makes it legal

Yes it's confusing and depending upon the type of operation ( flag, supplemental or domestic) the rules differ.

Sorry there's no quick and easy answer for you.

 

[cleared4theoption]

Yes it's confusing and depending upon the type of operation ( flag, supplemental or domestic) the rules differ.

Sorry there's no quick and easy answer for you.

Well...I answered my own question...
(a)(4) Just means one duty period can't have more than 8 hours of flight time

(b)(1)(2)(3) are talking about 24 hour periods...
example. If a shift ends at 5 PM on Monday and the one on Tuesday ends at 3 PM there might be more than 8 hours of flight time in the 24 hours preceeding 3PM Tuesday...and the rest period in between the two shifts must meet those criteria