Duty Time Limits

Category: aviation

Strict FAA regulations limiting the number of hours a flight crew can be "on duty" to prevent pilot fatigue.

Fatigue is the biggest enemy of safety. Duty time limits are rigid: a pilot can only be on duty for a set amount of time. If a flight is delayed and the crew hits their duty time limit, they must stop—and if there is no replacement crew, the flight is cancelled.

Common Examples

• The flight was forced to cancel because the crew had reached their legal duty time limit due to the multi-hour ground delay.
• Pilots are required by law to strictly monitor and log their duty time to ensure they remain alert throughout the entire mission.