Fatigue Research

[Driving Rain]

Fires are tame, most agencies, BCFS/AFS etc, impose restrictions above and beyond CARS on flight crews making it generally "bankers hours" as we like to call it.

Here's our duty time. Hardly bankers hours.

1. The company shall not assign a flight crew member for flight duty and no flight crew member shall accept such assignment, if the flight crew member's flight duty time, will as a result, exceed 14 consecutive hours in any 24 consecutive hours.

2. Duty times may be extended to 15 hours where:

a) The flight is extended as a result of unforeseen operational circumstances; and

b) The PIC after consultation with other flight crew member considers it safe to do so.

3 "Unforeseen operational circumstances" means an event such as un forecast adverse weather, an equipment malfunction or an air traffic control delay that is beyond the control of the air operator.

4. Duty times may be extended for unforeseen operational circumstances by up to three (3) consecutive hours provided that:

a. The subsequent minimum rest period shall be increased by an amount at least equal to the extension of the duty time;

b. The PIC shall notify the air operator of the length of and the reason for the extension, as per form located in the Company Forms Chapter of this manual;

c. The air operator shall retain the notifications until the completion of the next Transport Canada audit; and

d. The air operator shall notify the Minister as soon a practicable. (Minister of Transport)

5. Flights shall be planned to be completed within the maximum flight time and maximum flight duty time taking into account the time necessary for pre-flight and post-flight duties, the flight or series of flights, forecast weather, turn-around times and the nature of the operation.

Minimum Rest period

1. Minimum rest is a period of time in which the pilot is free from all duties, is not interrupted by the company and is provided an opportunity to obtain not less than eight (8) consecutive hours of sleep in suitable accommodation, time for meals and personal hygiene and time to travel to from the rest facility.

2. Flight crew members shall use these periods to obtain the necessary rest to be adequately rested prior to duty.

Standard Time Free From Duty

1. The employer shall provide each flight crew member with the following time free from duty:

a) One period of at least 24 consecutive hours 13 times within each 90 consecutive days and three (3) times within 30 consecutive days; and

b. When the flight crew member is a flight crew member on call, one period of at least 36 consecutive hours within each (7) consecutive days or one period of at least three (3) consecutive calendar days within 17 consecutive days. The company shall notify a flight crew member on call of the commencement and duration of the flight crew member's time free from duty.

Time Free from Duty

1. Means a period of time during which the employer cannot assign a flight crew member any company related duty to be performed during the period including standby.

Flight time limitations
a. 60 hours in any 7 consecutive days;

b. 150 in any 30 consecutive days;

c. 210 in any 42 " days

d. 450 in any 90 " days

e. 1200 in any 365 " days

the 30 , 42 and 90 consecutive days flight times may be restet to zero if the flight crew membe is provided with at least 5 consecutive days free from all duty.


The above aside, anyone who fights fire will tell you the real problem is going from doing absolutely nothing for days on end to going full bore for days on end.

[sky's the limit]

Fires are tame, most agencies, BCFS/AFS etc, impose restrictions above and beyond CARS on flight crews making it generally "bankers hours" as we like to call it.

Here's our duty time. Hardly bankers hours.
\]


The above aside, anyone who fights fire will tell you the real problem is going from doing absolutely nothing for days on end to going full bore for days on end.

DR,

I was talking about for helicopters. What you quoted is CARS, what we are restricted to on fires is 8hrs flight time, 12hr duty with the exception of the first two/three days of hire depending on province where we can fly 10hrs. Being on the end of a line bucketing is a different sport, hence the reduced hours.

Compared to drill jobs or other such work, it is indeed banker's hours for us however. I spent most of this summer on fires here in BC, and it's been the most relaxing summer I've had in years despite maxing out hours twice.

As to your second, I do agree, but it's a whole lot easier going from zero to lots and back to zero than starting at lots and staying there. 150 in 20-23 days all on a long line is not exactly relaxing, ergo the comparison. I'm not saying you guys don't work hard, just understand there is harder work out there. The point here is that we ALL push things too far in terms of fatigue.

All that said, I don't have much sympathy for the bomber pilots, living in towns, catered food, nice hotels, no parking in the bush waiting for hours in the back of a roasting hot machine... no bugs. You guys don't exactly rough it. The last fire I was on this summer the Bird Dog and the bombers were discussing when they should have the food order in as much as where they were dropping the loads... I'm lucky if I have three granola bars in the machine with me. Of course the scooper's work a bit harder, but the retardant boys and girls have THE gig imho... Show up, drop, back to base, quick cappuccino or latte, bite to eat, back to work....

stl

[cyxe]

Does anyone know if there has been any Canadian research on pilot fatigue?

I'm not sure but the people that would know are those at the DRDC in Toronto:
http://www.toronto.drdc-rddc.gc.ca/index1-eng.asp

Mark Rosekind at NASA did a bunch of stuff on pilot fatige and fatigue contermeasures a while back, not sure if he's still active in that or not. This is a link to the fatigue countermeasures group at NASA Ames:
http://human-factors.arc.nasa.gov/zteam/
EDIT: Speaking of fatigue.....just noticed CD already linked to them a few posts back....more coffee for me

[bezerker]

Widow, TC has done some research and has shared with us their knowledge. Fatigue Risk Management System for Canadian Aviation - FRMS Toolbox http://www.tc.gc.ca/civilaviation/sms/frms/menu.htm

Of particular interest to me was Policies and Procedures Development Guidelines http://www.tc.gc.ca/civilaviation/sms/pdf/14576e.pdf

I haven't quite figured out who this program is mandatory for (CD?) But I believe it is meant to be part of an SMS, although the document seems geared more towards ground and maintenance staff.

At any rate, TC's guidelines were quite amazing to me. I don't know if anyone else has read through this stuff (why would you if it wasn't mandatory?), but their definition of fatigue is a lot different than mine. Here is their fatigue checklist:

Section 3.4 Verification of Actual Sleep (Mandatory)

Prior to starting work, employees who have undergone fatigue management awareness training will be required to assess their fitness-for-work risk by calculating their individual fatigue likelihood score for the previous 48 hours. The result helps employees determine the likelihood of fatigue-related impairment and the degree of safety associated with scheduled work activities.

An individual fatigue likelihood score (IFLS) can be calculated using the following
table.

How to calculate the Individual Fatigue Likelihood Score

Prior sleep/wake factor__________Threshold value___________Scoring*
X (sleep in prior 24 hours)___________5 hours______Add 4 points for every hour below threshold
Y (sleep in prior 48 hours)_________12 hours_______Add 2 points for each hour below threshold
Z (time awake since last sleep)______Y___________Add 1 point for each hour of wakefulness greater than Y

* Partial hours should be pro-rated or scored proportionally. For example, if the scoring
calls for 4 points for every hour below the threshold, give 2 points for a half hour and
1 point for 15 minutes.


Decision tree based on Individual Fatigue Likelihood Score

Individual Fatigue Score_____Risk Level_____Approved Controls
Zero__________________Acceptable_______No additional controls necessary except in the
______________________________________presence of higher level indicators of fatigue

1-4__________________Minor___________Inform line supervisor and document in daily logbook.
____________________________________Self-monitor for fatigue-related symptoms, and apply
____________________________________ individual controls such as strategic use of caffeine,
____________________________________ task rotation, working in pairs, additional rest breaks.

5-8__________________Moderate________Inform local manager and document in a fatigue report.
_____________________________________Implement additional fatigue controls such as task
____________________________________reallocation, napping, and increased level of peer and
____________________________________supervisory monitoring.

9+__________________Significant________Call manager before driving to work. Document in a
____________________________________fatigue report on next work shift. Do not engage in safety
____________________________________critical tasks (including driving to work), and do not return
____________________________________to work until sufficiently rested as per sleep/time awake rules.


I may be reading this wrong, but it appears that you do this checklist prior to work and as long as you have had 5 hours of sleep in the last 12 hours, and 12 hours of sleep in the last 48 hours, you are at an acceptable risk level to start your shift. Yet 2 hours into your shift (by using different sleep patterns in the formula) if you redid the checklist, it is possible that you are now a significant risk factor and unfit to drive your car (according to the chart). This is a glaring error in my opinion.

I don't know what other people's sleeping habits are like, but I need 8 hours in the last 24 or else I am on a steady downhill ride. If you assumed the shortest shift was 8 hours, am I the only one who thinks that 5 hours sleep in the last 32 hrs is unacceptable? It seems crazy to me that these are the numbers given by those that will decide the future of commercial pilot fatigue.

[Chuck Ellsworth]

As long as those in commercial aviation allow those idiots who write this stuff to determine their work schedule you deserve what ever you get.

I can't believe that anyone with an IQ over 85 would even read that garbage, let alone allow it to be a guideline for safety.

[airplane rider]

Personally, I like the research comparing levels of fatigue to levels of impairment by alcohol. It seems to be the only comparison that people understand.

[Driving Rain]

DR,

I was talking about for helicopters. What you quoted is CARS, what we are restricted to on fires is 8hrs flight time,

Yes I know its the CARs it's also taken directly from my SOP.
We are allowed to bomb for 8 hours only however we seem to differ from other provinces in we calculate bomb time as the time the first load is dropped to the time the last load is dropped. We don't calculate to and from the fires at all so it can make for a very long day.

I agree we have it better than you fellows in the fling wing end of things, but that was result of many up hill battles over the years and putting our foot down and simply refusing to work.
I remember the first off home base alerts once Ontario had it's own in house fleet of tankers and tanker pilots back in 88. A crew was ordered to go to YRL and sit under the wing with lawn chairs and an MH10 (walkie talkie) and "we'll call you if we need you". The crew (CL Guy) refused and was threatened with dismissal for refusing work. They demanded and in the end we got suitable airport accommodations, like washrooms, lounges, and offices with phones and air conditioning just like every other employee. Believe me that crews stand was not lost on me or the other crews. Once you've grown a backbone the rest is easy.
Next came the battle for proper meals and a place to prepare them.
The food issue came to head after a Quebec 215 crashed with the loss of both pilots and Transportation Safety Board investigators proved the crew was never given an opportunity to eat and had shared only a bag of chips in the 24 preceding hours.
The problem is and has always been.. we are just a pin on a map to the overlords and that's all we'll ever be.

[sky's the limit]

I agree we have it better than you fellows in the fling wing end of things, but that was result of many up hill battles over the years and putting our foot down and simply refusing to work.

Next came the battle for proper meals and a place to prepare them.
The food issue came to head after a Quebec 215 crashed with the loss of both pilots and Transportation Safety Board investigators proved the crew was never given an opportunity to eat and had shared only a bag of chips in the 24 preceding hours..

That was the subject of a very long conversation with a very high time (in lieu of "old") helicopter pilot and myself this summer. Neither of us begrudge the Con Air folks their catered meals and urban lifestyle, in fact we're wonder who negotiated those contracts and if we could get them to come help us rotary folks out.... the bag of chips is eerily familiar, although I'm particularly fond of the two day old egg salad sandwich squashed on the bottom of my flight bag....

Unfortunately as you say, it will take a nasty crash to make change. Our "provided meals" on forestry consist of bottled water and occasionally MRE's... ouch! I did get lucky and day base out of Chilliwack this August, and consumed lots of the famous pie... even long lined my crew some one day.

stl

[mattedfred]

http://public.alpa.org/portals/alpa/fas ... 090924.htm

[KAG]

For the CARS 705 opperators out there what is your min time at the hotel?
What is your min rest period?

[Widow]

http://public.alpa.org/portals/alpa/fas ... 090924.htm

I find it interesting that (IF)ALPA has made recommendations with respect to regulation of flight/duty times both to the FAA and ICAO - and has been doing so for 25 years - yet in this presentation to ALPA by our new DGCA, Martin Ely, it would seem that TC is going to leave flight/duty time risk management to the companies' SMS. Did anyone there question Mr. Ely about this?

[CAL]

One of our overnights has us at the hotel for 9 hours if we are lucky.
We have complained but nothing ever happens...this topic has given me renewed strength!

[KAG]

One of our overnights has us at the hotel for 9 hours if we are lucky.
We have complained but nothing ever happens...this topic has given me renewed strength!

Where do you work CAL? We also have a rule about the min rest in a hotel is 9 hours (the shortest rest we have planned is 10 hours but that includes travel time to/from hotel), but that is subject to the crew agreeing to it. To be honest it would take a short day followed by a short day for me to agree to only have 9 hours in the hotel.
I can't see how 9 hours is even legal given that you need 8 hours in the prone position. I don't know anyone who can eat dinner, unwind and fall asleep, then wake up, get ready, and eat breakfast in combined time allotment of 1 hour?!?! It should be a MIN of 10 hours at the hotel. 12 hours rest if you worked a 13 hour day IMHO.

TC needs to stop wording their rules so damn grey and make them black and white. And while there at it there needs to be a serious change to the CARS for duty times, legs flown, crew rest and the defination of "unforseen opperational circumstance". We have duty regs that our southern and European counterparts find appalling.

[Chuck Ellsworth]

Duty hours are sure skewed when you compare what pilots are forced to work and what the TCCA employers are forced to wor... hang on a second ....O.K. I'll use the word work because some of them actually do work and try and do their best.

So back to the skewed bit, if TCCA feels that pilots should be forced to work these hours without proper rest times will they accept the same rules for them selves?

[Rockie]

TC needs to stop wording their rules so damn grey and make them black and white. And while there at it there needs to be a serious change to the CARS for duty times, legs flown, crew rest and the defination of "unforseen opperational circumstance". We have duty regs that our southern and European counterparts find appalling.

Transport Canada is getting out of the business of regulating so you can give up any hope of them changing the regulations. That will be left completely up to the companies under the SMS/Fatigue Management Programs. For what it's worth there is clarification on "Unforeseen Operational Circumstances" and other duty time topics in the guidance material that might help you out a bit. You can find it here:

http://www.tc.gc.ca/civilaviation/comme ... ion700.pdf

[KAG]

OK, here's the scenario
You have 6 legs, 13.5 hour duty day planned. On leg 1 you incur a 2 hour delay for deicing. Is it unforeseen that you’re going to break your duty day? You know you’re going to exceed 14 hours, but due to “unforeseen operational circumstances” you can now go to 17 hours, if the crew agrees.
To me it’s foreseeable that I’m going to break 14 hours and therefore at some point along the day have a second crew come in to finish the day - if it’s possible. If your no where near a base then you have to decide if your “fit” enough to continue.

Westjet leaves this decision to us, there is no pressure, nor will they question you deciding not to extend, which is IMO the intent of this rule.
Other operators are not so caring. This should be fixed / changed.

It is foreseeable, 14 hours is already exceeding most people’s endurance, and therefore if it’s not on the last leg of the day, the plan must be changed early on.

[MuckRucker]

OK, here's the scenario
You have 6 legs, 13.5 hour duty day planned. On leg 1 you incur a 2 hour delay for deicing. Is it unforeseen that you’re going to break your duty day? You know you’re going to exceed 14 hours, but due to “unforeseen operational circumstances” you can now go to 17 hours, if the crew agrees.
To me it’s foreseeable that I’m going to break 14 hours and therefore at some point along the day have a second crew come in to finish the day - if it’s possible. If your no where near a base then you have to decide if your “fit” enough to continue.

Westjet leaves this decision to us, there is no pressure, nor will they question you deciding not to extend, which is IMO the intent of this rule.
Other operators are not so caring. This should be fixed / changed.

It is foreseeable, 14 hours is already exceeding most people’s endurance, and therefore if it’s not on the last leg of the day, the plan must be changed early on.

In my mind, if the weather was forecast such that flight operations would likely require deicing... it's NOT unforeseen. Especially at home base.

As the regs on UOC are so vague, it should be further clarified in a collective agreement with examples, perhaps like this:

Unforeseen Operational Circumstances (UOC) – means any unplanned event, such as, but not limited to, unforecast adverse weather, equipment malfunction or air traffic control delay, that is beyond the control of the Company. Unforeseen Opertational Circumstances relates solely to operational circumstances, which result in delays to a planned schedule after the flightcrew has arrived at the aircraft to prepare for the flight or series of flights. These circumstances must be crew, weather, aircraft mechanical, ATC or emergency related and must directly affect the operation of the aircraft. Delaying the departure of a flight to wait for a delayed passenger may have an operational effect on the schedule, but it is not an UOC.

UOC Example 1 - Crew reports for duty at departure airport for a duty day planned at 13 hours and 30 minutes. Crew informed that the aircraft is 2 hours late or will be delayed for a maintanance issue. This is cannot be classified as UOC and shall not be used to extend the duty day.

UOC Example 2 - Crew arrives at aircraft to prepare for first sector of the day. The forecast was predicting only rain, however, it turns to freezing rain thus requiring deice. Any delay resulting from the unforecast freezing rain may be considered to be unforeseen. UOC may be used to extend the duty day provided the crew deems it safe to do so.

UOC Example 3 - Crew arrives at office to prepare for first sector of the day. The weather forecast is predicting heavy snow for several hours before and after scheduled time of departure. Any delay resulting from the forecast snow storm cannot be considered unforeseen. UOC shall not be used to extend the duty day.

UOC Example 4 - Flight is scheduled to land at an airport that is known to be experiencing labour unrest. For the 2 immediately previous days, a company flight passing through this airport has been delayed by a minimum of 1 hour. Any delays in subsequent flights through this airport due to labour unrest cannot be considered unforeseen and shall not be used to extend the duty day.

UOC Example 5 - While performing a walkaround at an intermediate stop, crew discovers fluid leaking from beneath the aircraft. Maintenance determines that a repair must be performed on a hydralic line. Any delay resulting from the unscheduled repair may be considered unforeseen. UOC may be used to extend the duty day.

[medi-whacked]

Driving rain..

Do you work in the fire bombing industry?
You said in an earlier post

"Time Free from Duty

1. Means a period of time during which the employer cannot assign a flight crew member any company related duty to be performed during the period including standby."

If this is the case how is it that you guys get away with a "day off" if you were required to standby but did not fly?
as per this thread
viewtopic.php?f=25&t=56468&start=25
(see the post from Big Pistons )

[Old Spice]

For the CARS 705 opperators out there what is your min time at the hotel?
What is your min rest period?

Our company (705) ops state 10 hours free from duty. This essentialy gives us 11 hours wheels down to wheels up. I find this adequate however we can shorten this by 45 min. if we choose. There have been instances where crew members have said no even with legal min and been supported by the company.

[Driving Rain]

Driving rain..

Do you work in the fire bombing industry?
You said in an earlier post

"Time Free from Duty

1. Means a period of time during which the employer cannot assign a flight crew member any company related duty to be performed during the period including standby."

If this is the case how is it that you guys get away with a "day off" if you were required to standby but did not fly?
as per this thread
viewtopic.php?f=25&t=56468&start=25
(see the post from Big Pistons )

Yes I work in fire protection in Ontario.

If this is the case how is it that you guys get away with a "day off" if you were required to standby but did not fly?
as per this thread

Ontario is a little different than other provinces because we have enough crews to cover our aircraft so that we have a 10 days on and 4 days off schedule all summer from April 1st to the end of the season. We must be contact able on work days from 9am to 9pm all season. In fire flaps we may be required to report for duty at or before 9 am and may be required to work past 9pm. However most fire alerts run from 12 noon till 7pm. We report for duty 1 hour prior to the posted alert. It is rare that we run up against the CAR flight and duty time limitations. The one that we run up against the most is when the duty day gets extended and we start later the next day and that only happens in extreme fire flap situations.

If there is no requirement for the crew to be on any kind of alert due to maintenance or what fire calls a "green day" (few and years between) when you can be free from being contact able or any duty, it's considered a day off as far as the CARS go but we are paid for the day regardless.

Many crew, me included don't live where we're based. We also take advantage of vacation credits in the summer months to maintain a semblance of home life.

[medi-whacked]

Driving Rain..

Thank you for the response.
It would appear you do not deal with the scenario that Big Pistons refered to.

I can not find a CARS ruling that shows how they get away with being on call yet it is considered a day off.
Big Pistons said that this is how Con Aire do it. Maybe it is specific to their company.

Does any other operator have an exemption like this?

[sky's the limit]

I can not find a CARS ruling that shows how they get away with being on call yet it is considered a day off.
Big Pistons said that this is how Con Aire do it. Maybe it is specific to their company.

Does any other operator have an exemption like this?

In the helicopter world, you can be living in a tent 150nm from anything and if you don't fly for a day the employer wants to call it a "day off" so you can extend beyond 27 (providing you didn't have 5 off prior), how messed up is that? There are plenty of loopholes, none of which benefit the crews, only the employers, and no with SMS we're not going to see any changes to CARS.

stl

[Driving Rain]

Does any other operator have an exemption like this?

It's the norm with companies that contract their services to the provinces.
I believe the rotor wing companies that have contracts for the summer in Ontario due it this way also as well as the detection and bird dog contractors. They cut flight crew to a minimum to maximize the bottom line.

[Widow]

Pilots call for tougher rules on fatigue
Passenger Safety; Air Canada union says regulations are outdated

Scott Deveau, National Post
Published: Thursday, October 08, 2009

Air Canada's pilots' union has been collecting data on incidents of fatigue among its members over the past six months with the goal of prompting Ottawa to improve its "dated and unscientific" regulations on how many hours per day pilots can safely fly in the country.

The issue of pilot fatigue has been pushed to the forefront after the U. S. Federal Aviation Administration began reviewing its own regulations in the aftermath of the Colgan Air crash in Buffalo, N. Y., this year.

Evidence given during the hearings into the tragedy, where 50 people perished, suggested pilot fatigue might have been a contributing factor. At least 250 accidents in the past 15 years in the United States have cited pilot fatigue as a possible factor, according to National Transportation Safety Board statistics.

In Canada, pilots are allowed to fly 14 hours in a 24-hour period, and there are specific guidelines for rest periods in between.

But the Air Canada Pilots Association (ACPA) argues that the existing laws, which were set by Transport Canada in 1996, are out of sync with the latest research on the contributing factors to pilot fatigue and could potentially be putting passengers at risk.

"[The regulations] are dated and they're not based on the scientific data," said Captain Barry Wiszniowski, ACPA technical and safety division chairman.

The issue is not so much the duration of time in the air, but rather the fact that it doesn't consider start times and other contributing factors to fatigue, the ACPA says. A pilot, for instance, who starts at 1 a. m. will likely be more tired after 14 hours than one who starts at 9 a. m., the research suggests.

Since ACPA started recording the data in May, it began to notice instances of pilot fatigue in Air Canada's operations that have since been remedied.

For example, the country's largest carrier, which is working with its union on the project, used to have a run from Deer Lake, N. L., to Toronto that started at 4 a. m. and required the pilots to fly another round-trip to Ottawa before the shift ended in Toronto. The additional flight to the nation's capital was immediately identified as an "onerous pairing" and was subsequently eliminated after several reports of pilot fatigue, Mr. Wiszniowski said.

Adding urgency to the matter is that the International Civil Aviation Organization, the UN body tasked with overseeing the industry, has issued a directive that all member states, including Canada, have a fatigue risk-management system in place by Nov. 19, based on modern research and best practices.

ICAO argues that lengthy flights are increasingly common with longer-range aircraft, and cumulative hours are adding up with higher frequencies on short-haul flights. It is because of this that the UN body urges modern system be adopted, an ICAO spokesman said yesterday.

The federal government has said they lacked the scientific data to update the current regulations, and would not commit to the Nov. 19 deadline yesterday. It is because of Transport Canada's inaction that ACPA took it upon itself to start collecting the data on questionnaires, with the goal of preventing Ottawa from applying for an exemption from the ICAO directive based on a lack of information, Capt. Wiszniowski said.

"We need the scientific data to go forth," he said. "Fatigue is a major concern to our members, and a major concern that aviation authorities around the world are working to address."

[Driving Rain]

medi-whacked wrote:
I can not find a CARS ruling that shows how they get away with being on call yet it is considered a day off.
Big Pistons said that this is how Con Aire do it. Maybe it is specific to their company.

Does any other operator have an exemption like this?

I wouldn't worry that this arrangement will tranfer over to the medivac world because this can only work in a seasonal job. Basically they get their days off fulfilment at the begining and end of the contracts. This could not work in a year round employment situation.