Continuous Duty Overnight
Encyclopedia
Continuous Duty Overnights (CDOs) are also referred to as "stand-ups", "naps", or "high-speeds" and is a scheduling practice used in regional airline
operations to circumvent, or "outsmart" government flight crew minimum rest requirements. A few major airlines (such as Northwest) also use them.
A crew working a CDO will generally operate the last flight out at night, have on duty time on the ground (anywhere from 0-8 hours) at the destination and then operate the first flight back in the morning. Since the break between flights is not sufficient to qualify as a free from duty rest period, the crewmembers remain continuously on duty, even though they may have been provided with a hotel
room for rest. Crew members would normally require 9 hours of consecutive rest for a scheduled flight time of less than 8 hours. . Since crews can legally be kept on duty up to 16 hours the airlines use this to circumvent the Federal Aviation Administration
's (FAA) minimum crew rest requirements by keeping the crew on duty for the entire night.
Another factor is delays. Because of this set up; delays taken throughout the day that result in a delay the last flight (first flight of a CDO) do not impact the first flight the next day. It would simply reduced the amount of time the crew are on the ground.
The continuous duty overnight schedule could be flown 3-5 times consecutively (i.e., back-to-back).
at 2040 (8:40pm). Which means the crew will have to arrive earlier to park, clear airport security, and get to their operations office to check in. Then they would fly from 2147-0037 (2 hours 50 minute flight). Once at their destination they have 6 hours 13 minutes on the ground. In that time they have to ride to and check in (about 20 minutes) at the hotel. They would get to their hotel room about 0100 and have to be awake at 0530 (30 minutes to get ready) for the 0600 shuttle to the airport. Leaving the crew about 4 hours and 30 minutes of “rest”. A 0650 departure and 2 hour 18 minute return trip gets them at the gate at 0908. After unloading they would be released (still at the aircraft) at 0923. That is a total of 12 hours and 43 minutes on duty and 5 hours and 8 minutes of flying.
Flight crew would report at 2100, fly from 2200-2300, then "stand-up" on duty overnight from 2315-0515, then fly 0600-0700, followed by a rest period from 0700-1700. The flight crew would then report at 1700, fly 1800-1900, then "stand-up" on duty 1915-0115, and then fly 0200-0300. This example involves only one hour flight examples, a clear underestimation of actual flight times and number of segments that might typically be flown.
Runway incursion at Baltimore-Washington International Airport
Broke 10,000 speed restriction near DTW
Takeoff from the wrong runway at La Crosse
Crew taxied to the incorrect runway at Jacksonville
Low altitude on an ILS approach at Akron-Canton
Takeoff without clearance at Cincinnati
Takeoff in the wrong aircraft at La Crosse
Takeoff without required fuel at Atlanta
Lined up to land on the wrong runway at Chicago O'Hare
Runway incursion at Dallas Fort Worth
Takeoff in the wrong aircraft in Denver
Runway incursion at Kalamazoo
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
operations to circumvent, or "outsmart" government flight crew minimum rest requirements. A few major airlines (such as Northwest) also use them.
A crew working a CDO will generally operate the last flight out at night, have on duty time on the ground (anywhere from 0-8 hours) at the destination and then operate the first flight back in the morning. Since the break between flights is not sufficient to qualify as a free from duty rest period, the crewmembers remain continuously on duty, even though they may have been provided with a hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
room for rest. Crew members would normally require 9 hours of consecutive rest for a scheduled flight time of less than 8 hours. . Since crews can legally be kept on duty up to 16 hours the airlines use this to circumvent the Federal Aviation Administration
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
's (FAA) minimum crew rest requirements by keeping the crew on duty for the entire night.
Another factor is delays. Because of this set up; delays taken throughout the day that result in a delay the last flight (first flight of a CDO) do not impact the first flight the next day. It would simply reduced the amount of time the crew are on the ground.
The continuous duty overnight schedule could be flown 3-5 times consecutively (i.e., back-to-back).
Examples of a CDO
Flight crew is to report to the airportAirport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
at 2040 (8:40pm). Which means the crew will have to arrive earlier to park, clear airport security, and get to their operations office to check in. Then they would fly from 2147-0037 (2 hours 50 minute flight). Once at their destination they have 6 hours 13 minutes on the ground. In that time they have to ride to and check in (about 20 minutes) at the hotel. They would get to their hotel room about 0100 and have to be awake at 0530 (30 minutes to get ready) for the 0600 shuttle to the airport. Leaving the crew about 4 hours and 30 minutes of “rest”. A 0650 departure and 2 hour 18 minute return trip gets them at the gate at 0908. After unloading they would be released (still at the aircraft) at 0923. That is a total of 12 hours and 43 minutes on duty and 5 hours and 8 minutes of flying.
Flight crew would report at 2100, fly from 2200-2300, then "stand-up" on duty overnight from 2315-0515, then fly 0600-0700, followed by a rest period from 0700-1700. The flight crew would then report at 1700, fly 1800-1900, then "stand-up" on duty 1915-0115, and then fly 0200-0300. This example involves only one hour flight examples, a clear underestimation of actual flight times and number of segments that might typically be flown.
Other issues
Some crews are not provided a hotel by their airline or want to make the most of their time on the ground and resort to sleeping in the aircraft. Pilots take off their ties and hang up their shirts. "You don't want to look unprofessional after sleeping in an aircraft," another pilot said. "There are some people that bring sleeping bags and pillows and their own blankets so they don't have to use the airline blankets." In airline slang, this is called 'a camp out.'A Small Sampling of Incidents/Accidents from CDOs
Runway incursion at Cleveland Hopkins InternationalRunway incursion at Baltimore-Washington International Airport
Broke 10,000 speed restriction near DTW
Takeoff from the wrong runway at La Crosse
Crew taxied to the incorrect runway at Jacksonville
Low altitude on an ILS approach at Akron-Canton
Takeoff without clearance at Cincinnati
Takeoff in the wrong aircraft at La Crosse
Takeoff without required fuel at Atlanta
Lined up to land on the wrong runway at Chicago O'Hare
Runway incursion at Dallas Fort Worth
Takeoff in the wrong aircraft in Denver
Runway incursion at Kalamazoo