RESERVE B737-300 ASSIGNED 14 HR DUTY DAY; MINIMUM NOTICE; FOR DEP AT XX00. RPTR FEELS 14 HR DUTY DAY AT XX00 IS UNSAFE.

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I HAD BEEN ON CALL AS A RESERVE DURING THE DAY AND WAS ASSIGNED A 14 HR CREW DUTY DAY TRIP WITH MINIMUM NOTICE FOR A LATE NIGHT DEP. SCHEDULING A 14 HR CREW DUTY DAY CAUSES PLT FATIGUE AND IS NOT SAFE. RECOMMENDATION: ALL SCHEDULED CREW DUTY DAYS SHOULD BE LIMITED TO 12 HRS. THE CURRENT FAA REGS BASICALLY LIMIT FLT TIME WITH REGARDS TO CREW REST REQUIREMENTS AND FAIL TO PROVIDE FOR A REASONABLE CREW DUTY DAY. IT HAS BEEN GENERALLY ACCEPTED THAT DUTY TIME IS MORE OF A FATIGUE FACTOR THAN ACTUAL FLT TIME SINCE THE EFFECTS CONTRIBUTING TO AIR CREW FATIGUE ARE NOT CONFINED TO THE TIME AN AIRPLANE IS AIRBORNE; BUT ALSO PRODUCED WHILE ON THE GND. IT SEEMS RIDICULOUS THAT FAA REGS CAN LIMIT A DISPATCHER'S DUTY DAY AT A DESK TO 10 HRS; YET PLTS FLYING AIRPLANES WITH PAX CAN BE SCHEDULED TO 16 HRS OR MORE. I ALSO SUGGEST THAT JUST BECAUSE THE FAA SETS A MAX CREW DUTY DAY LIMIT THAT DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN IT IS WISE TO USE THAT LIMIT OR THOSE GUIDELINES. MOST SUCCESSFUL COMPANIES FAR EXCEED GOV STANDARDS IN PROVIDING QUALITY PRODUCTS AND SVC. HOPEFULLY; ACR SELLS SVC AND SAFETY THAT IS BETTER THAN THE MINIMUM GOV STANDARD. WHAT DO YOU THINK OUR CUSTOMERS WOULD SAY IF THEY WERE AWARE THAT THEIR PLTS HAVE BEEN SCHEDULED ON DUTY FOR 14 HRS? I WONDER WHAT THE FLYING PUBLIC WOULD SAY ABOUT AN AIRLINE WHO SCHEDULES PLTS TO WORK 14 HRS WHEN THE AVERAGE AMERICAN IS TIRED AFTER WORKING A STANDARD 8 HR DAY. WE AS A COMPANY MAY BE PERFECTLY LEGAL ACCORDING TO FAA REGS; BUT WHAT WOULD OUR PAX EXPECT AS A REASONABLE AND SAFE CREW DUTY DAY? LET'S USE A LITTLE COMMON SENSE AND SEE THAT 14 HR CREW DUTY DAYS ARE NOT SAFE ESPECIALLY FOR A RESERVE PLT WHO IS CALLED OUT WITH MINIMUM NOTICE LATE AT NIGHT. THE 12 HR CREW DUTY DAY RULE IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR A DUTY PERIOD INVOLVING A PERIOD OF TIME IN THE EARLY AM HOURS. HOWEVER; THE CURRENT PLT CONTRACT AND MORE IMPORTANTLY THE FLT DEPT POLICY IS TO SCHEDULE 14 HR CREW DUTY PERIODS AT NIGHT WITH A 4 HR 'REST' PERIOD. HOW CAN WE AS PLTS AND THE COMPANY RATIONALIZE THAT THIS IS A SAFE PRACTICE TO OURSELVES AND OUR PAX? THIS SHOULD NOT BE A CONTRACT ISSUE; THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE FOR THE COMPANY AND ACR. I REMEMBER WHEN I BECAME A CAPT AND I WAS TOLD BY THE CHIEF PLT THAT IF I WAS TIRED; I WOULD HAVE HIS SUPPORT TO CANCEL THE FLT. THE PROB IS THAT I DON'T WANT TO CANCEL A TRIP AND STRAND PAX. MANY TIMES I EVEN EXTEND MY CREW DUTY DAY TO MAKE THE SCHEDULE WORK. PLEASE STOP SCHEDULING 14 HR CREW DUTY DAYS AND PUTTING ME IN THIS SIT WHERE I HAVE TO EXTEND 16 HRS DUE TO WX OR OTHER PROBS. I MAKE THE EXTRA EFFORT TO KEEP OUR SCHEDULE AND IN RETURN I ASK THAT THE COMPANY LIMIT THE SCHEDULED CREW DUTY DAY TO 12 HRS AND PROVIDE FOR A MAX OF 14 HR FOR UNSCHEDULED OPS IF NOT AT A CREW BASE.