Flight and duty time regulations: Prescriptive vs. performance-based options

Flight crew fatigue is a hazard that can lead to accidents. To help prevent this, airlines and flight crews use fatigue risk management - ways to reduce or manage tiredness on the job.

In Canada, flight crew fatigue is regulated under Part VII of the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs). These rules set limits on how long a crew member can work and how much rest they must get. The goal is to keep crews alert and able to do their job safely.

The rules also allow for some flexibility. Airlines can use a fatigue risk management system (FRMS) to create their own plans, as long as safety isn’t affected. Overall, these regulations are designed to lower the risk of fatigue and keep flights safe in Canadian airspace.

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Ways to manage fatigue

The flight and duty time regulations include 2 ways to manage fatigue:

  • one is prescriptive (they include specific limits and requirements), and
  • one is performance-based

Prescriptive approach

Under a prescriptive approach, air operators and flight crew must follow fixed rules that clearly define:

  • the maximum number of hours they can work, fly, or be on duty
  • the minimum amount of rest and time off they must have between shifts

You can find detailed prescriptive rules for managing flight crew fatigue in Advisory Circular (AC) No. 700-047. You can also find a summary of the regulations in the Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement.

In addition, air operators that fall under Subpart 705 of the Canadian Aviation Regulations must also manage fatigue as part of their safety management system.

The tables below cover Canada’s existing prescriptive rules.

Flight crew fatigue management - Prescriptive limitations

700.27: Maximum flight time
Time period Maximum hours
28 days 112 hours
90 days 300 hours
365 days 1000 hours
In the case of single-pilot operation, any 24 consecutive hours. 8 hours
700.28: Maximum flight duty period (FDP)

Maximum 9 to 13 hours based on start time of day and the sector flown.

700.29: Maximum hours of work
Option Hours per 7 days Hours per 28 days Hours per 365 days
1 60 192 2,200
2 70 192 2,200
700.29: Time free from duty
  • Option 1
    • 1 single day free from duty per 7 days
    • 4 single days free from duty per 28 days
  • Option 2
    • 5 days off per 21 days
700.40: Rest periods
  • Homebase: 12 hours or 11 hours plus travel time, or 10 hours in suitable accommodation provided by the air operator
  • Away from homebase: 10 hours in suitable accommodation
Type of rest periods
CARs section More rest period due to Local nights rest required
700.41: Disruptive schedule Disruptive schedules 1
700.42: Time zone differences Time one difference 1, 2 or 3
700.51: Consecutive flight duty shift

3 consecutive night duty periods

*Allow 5 consecutive nights with a rest period of 3 hours during each flight duty period (FDP)

 1
700.43: Positioning
  • If positioning 3 hours or less more than maximum flight duty period (FDP), the rest period must equal hours of work (FDP plus positioning)
  • If positioning greater than 3 hours more than maximum FDP, the rest period must be equal to hours of work plus positioning
  • More than 7 hours of positioning – flight risk management system is required
700.60: FDP due to in-flight rest and augmented flight crew
Pilots rest facility class Maximum flight duty period Additional flight crew members
Class 1 15 hours 1 or more pilot
Class 1 18 hours 2 or more pilots
Class 2 15 hours 1 or more pilot
Class 2 16.5 hours 2 or more pilots
Class 3 14 hours 1 or more pilot
Class 3 15.25 hours 2 or more pilots

More than 18 hours extension requires a fatigue risk management system (FRMS).

700.61: Long range flights

No extra flight duty period (FDP) following a flight greater than 7 hours, if it occurs within the window of circadian low.

700.62: Ultra-long range flights

Permitted only under a fatigue risk management system (FRMS).

700.63: Unforeseen operational circumstance
Number of flight crew members Permitted additional flight duty period (FDP)
1 pilot 1 extra hour
Non-augmented (2 pilots) 2 extra hours
Augmented

If 1 flight, 3 extra hours

If 2 or 3 flights, 2 extra hours


Performance-based approach

This approach gives air operators more flexibility than the standard (prescriptive) rules. Instead of using fixed limits for flight time, duty time and rest, they can use a fatigue risk management system (FRMS) to predict and prevent fatigue.

In order to use the performance-based approach, air operators need to submit a safety case to get approval for an ongoing exemption. You can find more information on exemption and safety case process in Advisory Circular (AC) No. 700-045.

A fatigue risk management system has 4 parts:

  • A plan. Explain how your system works, who’s in charge of it, and how you will measure and monitor the system
  • A process. Document how you will use data to identify, assess, and mitigate fatigue risk
  • A promotion program. Your plan for promoting this topic through training and sharing information
  • A quality assurance program. You will need to audit and review your system to keep it effective and compliant

Find more information on fatigue risk management systems in Advisory Circular (AC) No. 700-046.

Advisory Circulars (ACs)

Key references for FRMS

Other resources

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