a. Must a carrier designate the underlying time zone (e.g., local or home base) to
be utilized by pilots to determine the correct time of day to enter Tables A, B &
C? If so, when andwhere must the carrier make a designation of the time zone
for FDP start purposes? Must the designation be in writing? Must a carrier wait
until after a 30-hour rest break to change starting time zones in a theater? Must
the carrier designate any change in the time zone a flightcrew member is expected
to use to enter the Tables for each FDP on the schedule, or elsewhere?
In the clarification letter issued to A4A referenced above, the FAA stated that, for
the purpose of determining where to enter Tables A, B and C, a carrier may
designate either the local time where the flightcrew member began the series of
FDPs or the corresponding home base time if the flightcrew member is acclimated
to a theater that encompasses the home base. When, where or how the
designation is made is up to the carrier, but typically it is expected that it would
be made in the context of setting up the schedules so that when flightcrew
members bid on crew pairings, they have a complete understanding of how the
schedule was constructed. In this respect, the designation would typically also be
in writing. Once made, the designation would apply for the series of FDPs ending
when a flightcrew member begins the 30 hour rest period under § 117.25(b).
Then the process repeats itself when the next series of FDP begins. A new series
of FDPs will begin when any of three circumstances occur: the flightcrew
member receives 30 consecutive hours of rest, the flightcrew member ends an
FDP outside of the theater where the FDP began and becomes unacclimated, or
the flightcrew member becomes acclimated to a new theater.
