Please find below an update regarding:
- Fatigue Reports
- OFF-Day Requests
- Guichet.lu Website
Fatigue Reports
Despite the improvement of the new Flight Time Limitations in the CWA, our flight operation still poses a risk that pilots feel insufficiently rested and unfit to safely perform the next duty or series of duties. In such situations it is of utmost importance not just only to comply with the maximum flight time limitations as per the CWA, but also respect OM-A, Chapter 6, Section 1.
One reason why we emphasize the personal responsibility is the possibility of cumulative fatigue while operating several days in a row. This has not been addressed adequately in the regulations, especially when operating and resting against the body clock.
Please apply a very high and professional standard in determining your capability to safely operate any subsequent flight and remember that you might possibly face a situation where you have to justify your decisions. Therefore, please do not hesitate to ask for more rest should you need it!
As we have indicated in the past, maintaining a sleep log from the beginning of a rotation will assist you in making a professional and informed decision. Also, do not forget to file a proactive Fatigue Report when asking for additional rest, or a reactive Fatigue Report, if you experienced high levels of fatigue during a flight.
We cannot emphasize enough, that Fatigue Reports by pilots are the most valuable and necessary means to feed the Fatigue Risk Management System with realistic data and to justify changes in rotation planning.
Guidance on how to report fatigue can be found on the ALPL website.
OFF-Day Requests
We have received numerous reports from members who experienced that their off-day requests are not granted as often anymore as in previous years. We are aware of the fact that particularly the number 1 priority off-day request is important to our members, and we are in a constructive dialogue with the Management of Crew Planning Department and the Chief Pilot.
For clarification and a better understanding, we would like to mention the following.
- In the past, the allocation of almost all off-day requests contributed to numerous changes concerning the Floating Off Days (FOD) in the actual rosters.
- The new CWA includes more fixed off-days (A and B Days) and much stricter rules in regard to how C Days (formerly known as FOD) can be changed once a roster is published. The improved off-day stability hence has an impact on how rosters are produced by crew planning.
- Per calendar day only a certain number of slots for off-days are available. The allocation of owed off-days as per the CWA could further limit the number of available slots.
- Scheduling of training, especially training flights but also ground training is prioritized.
- Off-day requests are processed according to seniority, but if an off-day request results in a significant inefficiency like additional rest or blank days, not only on the individual roster but also for the overall roster solution, this request may be rejected by the system.
- As now a higher level of automation is used, please consider giving the system more flexibility by requesting your off-days with a variable starting date and placing more strategic bids. This could increase the chances for a satisfactory result. Instead of trips you can also bid for specific destinations.
- If you see that any training is planned in a period where you would like to request your off-days, please contact crew planning well in advance to give them time to reschedule the training.
Over the last couple of months, it became evident that changes in the PBS are urgently required to improve transparency and to increase the individual bid award success rate. As mentioned earlier, we are in a constructive dialogue with the CPO and Crew Planning Department and hope to achieve a significant improvement as quickly as possible.
Guichet.lu Website
We would like to take the opportunity and point to the website guichet.lu. Should you think about taking parental leave for example or if you have questions about retirement, this is a good platform to get first-hand information about the requirements, the application processes, etc. Generally, on this website, you can find detailed information about almost every aspect of the Luxemburgish social system explained in French, German and English.
Nevertheless, please don`t hesitate to contact us on cvboard@alpl.lu anytime, if you have any questions.
