American's two-pilot flight plan 'acceptable'

Bloomberg News Service

WASHINGTON — The Federal Aviation Administration has rejected a complaint that American Airlines violated safety rules by using two pilots instead of three on Boeing 767 jets between Dallas and Honolulu.

Capt. Rich Rubin, a 21-year veteran American Airlines pilot, criticized American's decision in June to reduce staffing from three pilots to two on its daily flights from Dallas to Honolulu and Maui.

The Fort Worth, Texas-based airline said it removed the relief pilot for the summer because seasonal wind changes allow the trips to be completed in less than eight hours, the limit at which federal regulations require a relief pilot. The flight will be staffed with three pilots starting Sept. 5 as the winds change, airline spokesman John Hotard said.

Rubin had argued that more than half of the Dallas-Honolulu flights in June took more than eight hours.

The FAA said American used an "acceptable" process to schedule the flights.

"The FAA finds that there is no one absolute or perfect solution to the demands of flight and rest scheduling in aviation," said a letter from Thomas Stuckey, the agency's manager of flight standards.

Pilots' unions are increasing pressure on federal regulators to ensure that airlines give pilots adequate rest. The FAA's southwest regional office "was remiss in their responsibility to provide proper oversight to American Airlines," said Rubin, who is also a representative of the Allied Pilots Association, which represents American pilots.

"American was well within its rights" in scheduling the flights, Hotard said.