Long Haul Flights

Aviation
1

I am just a passenger don’t know anything about flying but travel from Atlanta to Inchon Korea about 2 times a year . I believe Korean air uses 2 sets of crew members in the flight deck (not sure) Talking to my brother tonight who watches Youtube said the crew who takes the aircraft up brings it down it is the law . Is he correct
Thanks for any one that can give me the answer Norm

2

14 hours and 45 min flight, plus minus one hour… ouch.
It is just one crew, a pilot, a co-pilot and possibly another. They take turns sleeping during flight (anyway the plane is on autopilot), the crew has special places where to sleep (usually in the space above first class).

3

Its been my opinion that on long haul they have at least 3 if not 4 or 5 crew and they rotate. As far as crew, on the 777 and 747 I worked on they have a small sleeper bed just behind the pilot.

4

I found out the regulation about the required numbers, it’s based on the duration of flight:
https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=3106877474ac09000d0514ac960925c7&node=14:3.0.1.1.7.18&rgn=div6

One or two pilot crews - 8 hours max
Two pilots and one additional flight crewmember: 12 hours max
Three or more pilots and an additional flight crewmember: More than 12 hours, but “adequate sleeping quarters on the airplane” will be provided.
They may also implement a “Fatigue Risk Management System” which allows them to exceed these limits if they are found to be safe and approved by the FAA. This system would most likely address the number of timezones crossed but is optional.

1 Like
5

But the big question i have do the same flight crew that takes it up bring it down is there a rule that covers that. If there are 4 flight crew in the cockpit and the fly is 14 hours is there 1 pilot who is in charge of the flight .

6

There is not such a rule in the FAA book. Read the link above.

Example: If one of the pilots got his 8 hours of flight time, it would be illegal to make him fly more (or land) without a rest period. This rest period must be at least twice the number of hours flown since the preceding rest period, but not less than eight hours.