A B777 CAPT REPORTS THAT AN INTL FLT EXCEEDS 12 HOURS MORE THAN 70% OF THE TIME BUT HIS ACR WILL ONLY SCHEDULE 3 PLTS; VIOLATING FAR 121.473.

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THE INITIAL FLT PLAN TIME FOR THIS FLT WAS 12 HRS 3 MINS OPERATING WESTERLY WITH WINDS 070 DEGS AT 12 KTS. I KNEW THERE WOULD BE A DEP DELAY FOR AN EASTERLY TKOF; WHICH WE REQUIRED. I PLACED THE REQUIRED CALLS (SCHEDULES; CHIEF PLT ON DUTY) TO REQUEST ANOTHER PLT. NONE WAS AVAILABLE. WORKING WITH DISPATCH; THE FLT TIME WAS REDUCED TO 11 HRS 59 MINS. I DID NOT GET AS MUCH REST AS I HAD HOPED FOR THE NIGHT PRIOR; AND FELT; GIVEN THE DELAYED DEP AND TIME OF DAY; COUPLED WITH THE ACFT STATUS (BELOW); TAKING THIS FLT MIGHT NOT BE THE SMARTEST DECISION I HAVE MADE. AT THE ACFT; THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH A CTR HYD DEMAND PUMP (PLACARDED) WITH A STATUS MESSAGE FOR APU BLEED. MAINT WAS ABLE TO CLR THE STATUS MESSAGE; MAKING US LEGAL PER MEL. WE SPENT MUCH TIME SECURING THE PROPER DOCUMENTS (TPS; NEW FLT PLAN; ETC) TO ALLOW THIS FLT TO DEPART ON RWY 7L; AGAINST FLOW. THE GND DELAY WAS APPROX 40 MINS FOR THE CLRNC TO DEPART OPPOSITE DIRECTION. AS A CREW; WE LOOKED AT EVERY ISSUE IN DETAIL; AND SUBSEQUENTLY DEPARTED UNEVENTFULLY. THIS FLT IS SCHEDULED UNDER 12 HRS; BUT HISTORICALLY IT EXCEEDS (FLT PLAN) 12 HRS IN EXCESS OF 70% OF THE TIME; WITH A FOURTH CREW MEMBER DENIED. I STRONGLY FEEL WE ARE PUSHING SAFETY. FARS STATE ONLY THE FLT HAS TO BE SCHEDULED OVER 12 HRS BEFORE ANOTHER PLT IS REQUIRED. MAYBE THE FAA SHOULD LOOK AT THE HISTORICAL FREQUENCY OF THE FLT PLAN TIMES OVER 12 HRS ON THIS RTE.