A pilot was awake for an on duty reserve period very early in the morning then put back on rest to report for a duty period 10 hours later. He was unable to sleep and so eventually was off duty that evening nineteen hours after the rescheduling call.

Narrative

I was scheduled to start a reserve sequence before dawn and was awake and prepared to start a duty day then. Ten minutes later I received a call from Crew Scheduling stating that I was to be 'put back on rest' and then have to report at the airport eleven hours and twenty five minutes later. I would then be flying three legs and would finish that evening at an out station. Around two hours after the scheduling call I was able to fall back asleep for two hours. From then on I was unable to get any more sleep due to being prepared to be on duty at the earlier time. I then flew the assigned trip and was off duty nineteen hours and twenty five minutes later; almost 20 hours after I was originally awake and ready for duty. I believe this occurred because we only have one reserve call out period. Then Crew Scheduling can use this legal; but unsafe tactic; to use reserves at all hours of the day. We need to have several scheduled call out periods for reserves. As an example at a previous airline I worked for call outs were 0500-1900; 1000-0000; and 1900-0000. Also; the staffing levels at this airline I believe are far below what would be needed to operate at a safe level. We need a lot more pilots to cover the flying we have; sick calls; vacations; weather/maintenance disruptions; etc.