AN ACR BE02 FO COMPLAINS ABOUT EXCESSIVE DUTY AND FLT TIME THAT; WHILE LEGAL; RESULTS IN; HIS OPINION; AN UNSAFE OP. HE RELATES 2 EVENTS ON A FLT THAT HE FEELS WERE THE DIRECT RESULT OF HIS FATIGUED STATE.

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I AM FILLING OUT THIS FORM NOT BECAUSE OF SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED; BUT RATHER BECAUSE OF A POTENTIAL DISASTER. ENCLOSED IS A COPY OF ONE OF OUR BASE'S SHIFT SCHEDULE. THIS IS NOT AN OUT OF THE ORDINARY SCHEDULE; BUT ACTUALLY OUR NORMAL SCHEDULE EACH MONTH. I AM VERY CONCERNED OF PLT FATIGUE; NOT ONLY FOR MYSELF; BUT OF MY FELLOW PLTS AND MY PAX. AS A COMMUTER AIRLINE PLT ACR X; WE ARE EXPECTED TO FLY; AND THE SCHEDULES ARE WRITTEN TO THE POINT OF MAX PHYSICAL CAPABILITIES; AND STRETCHES THE LEGAL LIMIT TO THE MAX. WE ARE CONSTANTLY PUTTING IN 8 OR MORE HRS OF FLT TIME AND WORKING 16 HR SHIFTS A DAY. SOMEHOW; THIS IS LEGAL. WORKING 16 HRS A DAY IS TWICE THAT OF THE NORMAL 9-5 JOB; HOW CAN THE FAA FEEL THIS IS SAFE? WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MANY LIVES; YET WE ARE ALLOWED TO WORK LONGER HRS THAN TRUCK DRIVERS! AT THE END OF A 16 HR SHIFT; AND 8 HRS OF FLYING; MY MIND IS MENTALLY FATIGUED AND MY MOTOR SKILLS AND REFLEX ABILITIES; AS WELL AS DECISION MAKING ABILITIES; ALL SUFFER. MY LAST LEG THE OTHER NIGHT OF A 15 HR SHIFT RESULTED IN SETTING OFF THE TERRAIN ALERT ON THE GPWS; AND STALL WARNING HORN ON LNDG. I THOUGHT TO MYSELF; 'I SHOULD NOT BE FLYING.' THE FAA NEEDS TO CHANGE THESE REGS TO LOWER THE MAX TIME ON DUTY. CERTAIN AIRLINES; SUCH AS THE ONE I FLY FOR; STRETCH THESE REGS TO MAX WHEN CREATING THE SCHEDULE; RATHER THAN CREATING SAFE SCHEDULES. THE CURRENT DUTY MAXIMUMS OF 16 HRS SHOULD ONLY BE USED AS A LAST RESORT WHEN NEEDED; NOT AS THE NORM. THE FAA NEEDS TO CREATE A STIPULATION; AND/OR LOWER THE MAX DUTY TIME TO SOMETHING MORE REASONABLE; SUCH AS 12 HRS. THE MAX FLT TIME CAN STAY THE SAME; BUT THE DUTY TIME NEEDS TO CHANGE -- IT IS NOT SAFE WHEN DONE EVERY OTHER DAY.