Crew members are required to have a 10-hour rest period within each 24-hour cycle. The maximum duty day is 14 hours and must be followed by a 10-hour rest period at their hotel.
When scheduling a flight, operators usually account for 12 hours of rest instead of 10. This extra two hours allows the crew time to get to their hotel, rest for the required time, and return to the airport.
What does ‘max crew duty’ mean?
Max crew duty is the maximum amount of time that a pilot can be on duty, or be working, within 24 hours. The max crew duty is 14 hours out of a 24-hour day. Part 135 regulations also require crew members to work only a set number of hours on consecutive days.
Here are the limits to the number of hours crew members and pilots can operate:
| Type | Maximum Hours | Permitted Per |
|---|
| Scheduled Operations | 1,200 | Calendar year |
| Scheduled Operations | 120 | Calendar month |
| Scheduled Operations | 34 | Seven consecutive days |
| Scheduled Operations | 8 | 24 consecutive hours |
| Unscheduled one- to four-pilot crews | 500 | Calendar quarter |
| Unscheduled one- to four-pilot crews | 800 | Two consecutive calendar quarters |
| Unscheduled one- to four-pilot crews | 1,400 | Calendar year |
| Unscheduled one- and two-pilot crews | 8 | Flight (one pilot) |
| Unscheduled one- and two-pilot crews | 10 | Flight (two pilots) |
Pilots conduct a pre-flight inspection and fuel up two hours before the flight. After the flight, they need another hour to do their post-flight routines on the plane. If there’s a fuel stop, this might take one hour. This leaves up to 10 hours to fly, which is the maximum permitted in 24 hours. This is sometimes referred to as the 24/10 rule.
If a pilot goes over the max crew duty, they can get infractions on their record or even lose their license. If a client is running late and a crew is nearing their max crew duty, they may have to change the flight plans. For example, let’s say a round-trip is set to take 10 hours, and the client is running three hours late. This means the crew would exceed their max crew duty if they were to complete the flight, so a fresh crew would be needed.
Having said that, there is something referred to as ‘Captain’s discretion’ allowing the captain to extend the shift by up to three hours. Any more than that, and the aircraft would have to land. This decision rests with the captain only – not the passengers, and not the airline or operator.
Captain’s discretion should not be taken lightly because pilot fatigue is a very serious threat. FAA regulations on flight hours have been carefully thought-out to avoid fatigue, which reduces the chance of human errors being made. Working an extra hour or two may not seem like it would have a major impact, but over time, this can increase the risk of long-term fatigue. That’s why there are rules not just on the hours worked in one day but also over a month and a year.
Are some flights so long they require two crews?
Some longer flights will require two separate crews, but this varies from one country to another. In the United States, pilots can fly for up to 10 hours, or 11 hours if there’s a third crew member on board.
If the flight is longer than this, two sets of crews will be needed. There will need to be an area for one crew to rest while the other works, usually the enclosed rear cabin.
That said, most aircraft can't travel that far nonstop. The typical maximum range of an ultra-long-range aircraft is 13 hours; with a second set of crew, you can enjoy an extra three hours without stopping for fuel.
If you have a long flight, but you’d prefer to only have one crew on board, you can plan a fuel stop so that the old crew can get off, and the new crew can get on while refueling. For example, let’s say the refueling is planned for Iceland. The second crew can fly there in advance, giving them time to rest. Your plane then stops to refuel in Iceland and collects the new crew. With the fresh crew on board, you can then fly for another 10 hours. This could work on a flight from the US to Australia, for instance.
FAQs
(f) Each flight assignment must provide for at least 10 consecutive hours of rest during the 24-hour period that precedes the completion time of the assignment.
How much rest do cabin crew need? ›
FAA requirements for flight attendant rest periods are: For a duty period of over 14 hours, a rest period of nine consecutive hours must take place. Eight-hour rest periods are acceptable as long as a scheduled 10-hour rest takes place within 24 hours of a reduced rest period.
What is the minimum rest period for a flight attendant? ›
In accordance with the statutory requirement in section 335(a)(2)(B), the final rule must ensure that the rest period, which must be at least 10 consecutive hours, is not reduced under any circ*mstances and there are no exceptions given permitting flight attendants to waive the minimum rest period requirement and ...
What is the minimum crew rest for pilots? ›
(b) The pilot must be scheduled for 9 consecutive hours of rest. This rest may be reduced to 8 hours if the crewmember is given a 10-hour compensatory rest that must begin no later than 24 hours after the commencement of the reduced rest. Ferry flight time must be counted to calculate the rest period.
How long until crew times out? ›
§ 91.1059 Flight time limitations and rest requirements: One or two pilot crews.
| Normal duty |
|---|
| (1) Minimum Rest Immediately Before Duty | 10 Hours |
| (2) Duty Period | Up to 14 Hours |
| (3) Flight Time For 1 Pilot | Up to 8 Hours |
| (4) Flight Time For 2 Pilots | Up to 10 Hours |
2 more rowsSUMMARY OF HOURS OF REST REQUIREMENTS
10 hours in any 24 hour period; and • 77 hours in any 7 day period. Hours of rest may be divided into no more than 2 periods one of which shall be at least 6 hours in length.
How long is cabin crew rest? ›
If your employer schedules you for an eight hour rest period, your next rest period must be at least 10 consecutive hours and must begin no later than 24 hours after the beginning of the eight hour rest period. You can find additional guidance on our Cabin Safety Legal Interpretations website.
Do cabin crew sleep on flights? ›
It depends on the manufacturer and plane model, but there are hidden sleeping compartments onboard that are usually located above the back section of economy class or up front, on top of first class. Most rest areas on long haul flights can sleep up to eight crew members at a time.
How long are cabin crew away for? ›
A typical roster pattern can vary from 2 to 5 sectors (flights) per day. Our Cabin Crew also night-stop in many of our destinations and can often be away from home for anything up to 5 days.
What is the 10 hour rest rule? ›
The rule increases the rest period to 10 irreducible hours when scheduled for a duty period of 14 hours or less. Airlines will have 90 days to implement the rule, meaning 10 hours will be in effect by the end of January 2023.
Under the rule, flight attendants are entitled to a minimum rest period of at least 10 consecutive hours when they're scheduled to work for 14 hours or less. The law allows for no reduction of the rest period under any circ*mstances.
Can a flight attendant be home every day? ›
Work Schedules
They may spend several nights per week or per month away from home. In most cases, a contract between the airline and the flight attendant union determines the total daily and monthly workable hours. On-duty shifts per day may vary from 4 to 18 hours or longer, such as for international flights.
How long can a crew fly? ›
Flight times within the duty periods are restricted to a maximum of 8 hours for flight crews consisting of one pilot and 10 hours for flight crews consisting of two pilots. The 8-hour and 10-hour flight time limitations include any additional commercial flying performed by the flight crew during the period.
How much rest do pilots get? ›
Daily. An airline transport pilot can fly up to 8 hours per 24 hour period and up to 10 hours if a second pilot is aboard. Pilots are required to rest a minimum of 16 hours postflight. Some variances to these regulations exist depending on the company's operations specifications.
What is the longest flight in the world? ›
The World's Longest Flight: New York (JFK) to Singapore Changi (SIN) New York John F Kennedy Airport – Singapore Changi is currently the longest commercial flight it is possible to book. At 15,332km, this route has been at the top of the table since 2021, and takes an average of 18 hours and 40 minutes to complete.
How long is Air Force crew rest? ›
"Crew rest" is defined by the Air Force as a period of at least eight hours of mandatory, uninterrupted rest for aircrews during the twelve hours immediately prior to the beginning of a flight duty period.
What is the time limit for air crew? ›
Max crew duty is the maximum amount of time that a pilot can be on duty, or be working, within 24 hours. The max crew duty is 14 hours out of a 24-hour day. Part 135 regulations also require crew members to work only a set number of hours on consecutive days.
How long are flight crew shifts? ›
Shift patterns
Short-haul flights generally have shorter shifts, sometimes lasting only a few hours, while long-haul flights can have shifts that last up to 16 hours. Long-haul flights also require more rest periods for the cabin crew, and they might have a longer break between shifts.
