New rules would mean fewer hours for sleepy pilots

WASHINGTON (AP) — Some airline pilots would fly fewer hours and others would fly longer under a government proposal Friday to help prevent dangerous fatigue.

The Federal Aviation Administration plan, months away from becoming final, would set different requirements based on the time of day, number of scheduled flight segments, flight types, and time zones. Pilots would get nine hours of rest between work days, an increase of an hour.

Pilots have complained that the current eight-hour rest period, which begins as soon as they leave the plane, often means only a few hours sleep.

The proposal would also bar airlines from scheduling pilots to be on duty — a combination of being at work ready to fly or in the cockpit flying — longer than 13 hours in a 24-hour period, three hours less than current regulations.

Airlines, however, would be allowed to schedule pilots who start their work day between 7 a.m. and 1 p.m. for as much as 10 hours of flying time — two more hours than currently allowed.