Quote:
Originally Posted by ComplexHiAv8r  Not to start a war here, but was it changed because a few bad apples were abusing the system to get the clock started? |
The "clock" is still started when the door closes and brake is released. We are 100% paid for pushback time (in fact the US Air system doesn't even see a "pushback", they see an "out" time which is our "pushback" time).
HOWEVER, the company doesn't count pushback time as FAR block time towards the 30/7, 100/month, or 1000/year limits. So people that were timing out in november or early december using this way of starting the FAR block time will just have to work more.
They went thru various incarnations of starting the clock. Without acars, you can just call in your times, which is why you see express carriers with great on time performance (90%+). A little investigation shows they are calling in pre-fabricated times. Now with acars, they've gone thru various ways of capturing the different times.
But yes, it was changed because people were starting the FAR block time while still sitting at the gate. The company just wants to use us to the fullest extent. I don't know any other carriers that track pushback time for pay and FAR block time for FAR limits like we do. Remember FAR block time is when the aircraft is moving under its own power. Pushback doesn't count toward FAR block.