FO OF A DC10 QUESTIONS THE LEGAL CLARITY OF THE REQUIRED LENGTH OF THE CREW REST PERIOD PRIOR TO AN INTL FLT AFTER COMPLETION OF AN 8 HR DOMESTIC FLT.

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ON MAR/XA/99; OUR CREW WAS SCHEDULED FOR AND FLEW A TRIP CONSISTING OF 4 SUPPLEMENTAL LEGS. THE SCHEDULED DEP TIME FROM MSP WAS XX30. THE FIRST 3 LEGS OF THE TRIP WERE ACTIVE AND THE REMAINING LEG WAS A DEADHEAD BACK TO MSP. OUR ARR TIME AT MSP WAS XX38. THE TOTAL SCHEDULED FLT TIME WAS 8 HRS. A TOTAL OF 8 HRS 7 MINS WAS FLOWN. THE FOLLOWING DAY; WE WERE SCHEDULED FOR AN INTL TRIP TO PVR WITH A SCHEDULED DEP TIME OF XX10. WE DEPARTED MSP AT XX25 AND LANDED BACK AT MSP AT XX45 MAR/XC/99. A TOTAL OF 7 HRS 58 MINS WAS FLOWN. THERE ARE A COUPLE DIFFERENT FAR INTERPS WITHIN THE COMPANY AS TO HOW MUCH CREW REST IS NEEDED WHEN FLYING INTL. ONE INTERP IS IF OVER 8 HRS IS FLOWN; THEN A TOTAL OF 16 HRS 15 MINS IS REQUIRED BEFORE RPTING FOR THE NEXT FLT. THE OTHER OPINION IS -- AS LONG AS YOU DON'T FLY OVER 8 YRS WITHIN THE PRECEDING 24 HRS; YOU DON'T NEED 16 HRS 15 MINS CREW REST BEFORE RPTING FOR THE NEXT FLT. IT HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED; THEREFORE; I'M FORWARDING THIS RPT. REGS ARE WRITTEN TO STANDARDIZE PROCS AND HELP ENSURE A SAFE FLYING ENVIRONMENT. IN ORDER FOR THIS TO OCCUR; THESE REGS NEED TO BE COMPLIED WITH. IN ORDER FOR THEM TO BE COMPLIED WITH; THEY NEED TO BE WRITTEN IN A MANNER SO THEY CAN BE UNDERSTOOD AND CORRECTLY INTERPED BY EVERYONE. IF THERE IS EVER A QUESTION ABOUT A LEGALITY; IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND RESOLVED BEFORE THE EVENT OCCURS.