Are the hours I am on duty really okay?

In the name of the safe operation of any flight, limits for maximum duty time and minimum rest time are published by the Aviation Authorities in Europe and worldwide. When doing so, the Aviation Authority took into account the specific circumstances of the type of operation concerned (i.e. Ryanair specific operator’s scheme).

These limitations are put in place to avoid fatigue occurring either on a flight, on successive flights, or accumulated over a period of time. As Ryanair aeroplanes are all registered in Ireland, the Irish Aviation Authority is in charge of this regulation. It is irrelevant where a crew member is currently based.

According to this regulation, the pilot in command or any crew member shall not undertake his or her duty while incapable of performing that duty due to the effects of injury, sickness, fatigue, etcetera. Each individual is responsible for his/her own fitness for duty, and the company must not interfere.

In case crew members want to have their individual situation checked, there are mechanisms in place to do so. The operator must maintain and submit to the Authority current records of each crew member.

The limitations are as follows, and they apply to crew on all Ryanair aeroplanes, irrespective of where you are based.

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Maximum flight duty period:

Please note that this includes more than just the flying time. The formula is:

• Pre flight preparation time 45 minutes
• plus all flight time
• plus all transit time on the ground
• plus post flight debriefing time 30 minutes

• Standby duty at the airport is also fully counted as part of any duty time calculation, if prior to a flight duty period
• Positioning/Deadheading is also fully counted as part of any duty time calculation, if prior to a flight duty period

Added up like this, the limitations are as follows:

• Not more than 2,000 hours annually
• Per day, in relation to the start of your shift, and in relation to the number of sectors rostered for this shift, limitations are

if the flight duty period starts between	maximum rostered sectors	maximum flight duty period
00:31 and 05:44 hrs	4 sectors	14 hours
05:45 and 00:30 hrs	6 sectors	14 hours

Minimum rest period:

• 10 hours, or the duration of the previous flight duty period, whichever is greater
• 2 local nights in a 36-hour period within any 7 consecutive days

Days Off:

• Crew members shall not be on duty more than 7 consecuitve days between days off, and
• Have 2 consecuitve days off in any 14 days following the previous 2 consecutive days off, and
• Have a minimum of 6 days off in any consecutive 4 weeks, and
• Have an average of at least 8 days off in each consecutive 4 week period, average over 3 such periods.

A planned rest period may be included as part of a day off.

Split duty:

Where a flight duty period consists of two periods separated by a break, the allowable planned duty period may be increased, but only under the following conditions:

• The break must be longer than 3 hours
• The flight duty period before or after such a break must not exceed 10 hours
• The increase of the following duty must not be higher than an additional 5 hours
• The crew must be notified about such a split duty in advance

Extension of flight duty periods, reduction of rest periods:

An aircraft commander may, due to unforeseen circumstances, extend a flight duty period by up to 2 hours, or reduce the rest period to not less than 10 hours, provided the total flight time and maximum flight duty time limitation is not exceeded. Such action also needs to be reported to the Authority, and appropriate compensation is to be provided in ensuing rest periods.

Notice: The full text of these regulations are available for you on the aeroplane. Ask your pilot in command for a copy.

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