B777 RELIEF PLT WAS SENT OUT OF BASE TO FLY ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE CLOCK BECAUSE TWO OTHER PLTS HAD CALLED IN FATIGUED.

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I WAS NOTIFIED BY SCHEDULING THAT I WAS JUNIOR MAN TO FLY A 4 DAY TRIP OUT OF BASE. THE SCHEDULER SAID 2 JUNIOR FO'S CALLED IN SICK. SHE SAID IT WAS AN INTL DEST TRIP WITH A DEADHEAD. AS I HAD OVER 2 HRS BEFORE I HAD TO LEAVE HOME; I CLEANED UP THE WORK I WAS DOING IN THE GARAGE; CAME IN; PACKED AND SHOWERED. THEN I WENT TO THE COMPUTER TO CHK THE FLT. UP TO THIS TIME; I HAD ASSUMED THE INTL DEST TRIP WAS FOR THE FOLLOWING DAY. AS IT TURNED OUT; IT WAS FOR THAT NIGHT; AND THE 2 JUNIOR PLTS HAD NOT CALLED IN SICK BUT FATIGUED. SINCE IT WAS GETTING LATE; I JUST WENT TO THE ARPT FOR THE TRIP. I WAS IN COACH FOR DEADHEAD AND COULD NOT GET A NAP. I ARRIVED FOR THE INTL DEST FLT 30 MINS AFTER DEP TIME AND DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO PREPARE FOR THE FLT; SO I SUGGESTED THAT THE RELIEF PLT AND I CHANGE PLACES. DURING MY 2 1/2 HR CREW BREAK; I TRIED TO NAP BUT WAS UNABLE DUE TO TURB. WHEN IT CAME TIME FOR DSCNT AND LNDG; I WAS HAVING SUCH A HARD TIME STAYING ALERT; I ONCE AGAIN TRADED PLACES WITH THE RELIEF PLT AND HAD HIM SIT IN THE FO POS. AT LNDG; I HAD BEEN UP FOR OVER 24 HRS. LOOKING BACK; I SHOULD NEVER HAVE ACCEPTED THIS ASSIGNMENT AS IT WAS INEVITABLE I WOULD BE FATIGUED BY THE TIME WE ARRIVED. USING OUT-OF-BASE PLTS TO COVER BACK-SIDE-OF-THE-CLOCK FLTS IS INHERENTLY DANGEROUS. I CERTAINLY WOULD NOT WANT MY FAMILY ON AN INTL FLT WITH A PLT WHO WAS ON DUTY FOR 24 HRS.