Is it legal for a cargo pilot to be scheduled to fly for 6 consecutive days without a calendar day off if they are required to deadhead to meet an aircraft?

Is it legal for a cargo pilot to be scheduled to fly for 6 consecutive days without a calendar day off if they are required to deadhead to meet an aircraft?

• A. Yes
• B. No
• C. Conditional on scheduling
• D. Only if the deadhead is less than 4 hours

Answer: (A)

In the context of cargo pilot operations, it is indeed permissible for a pilot to be scheduled for six consecutive days of flying without a calendar day off under certain conditions. Regulations governing pilot duty hours and rest requirements typically provide some flexibility concerning scheduling, especially for cargo operations, which may differ from the passenger airline operations.

One key aspect of these regulations is the consideration of deadheading — when a pilot is flown on a flight without responsibility for the aircraft (generally as a passenger). If the deadheading is necessary to bring a pilot into position for a scheduled flight, it does not count against the pilot's flying days in the same way as actual flight duty. This means that for regulatory purposes, the pilot can still be within limits for duty and rest.

While there are still regulations that govern the total accumulated duty time and required rest periods, as long as those are respected, scheduling for six consecutive days can be legal, particularly in the context of the operational demands on cargo carriers. Thus, scheduling a pilot to work six consecutive days, even including deadhead travel, can be compliant with regulatory requirements as long as the overall duty time and rest rules are appropriately adhered to.