Advocates converged on Washington this week to push for passage of the Safe Skies Act, which would extend to cargo pilots the same rest requirements mandated for pilots who fly with passengers. “This is not a partisan issue, it’s a science-based, common-sense issue,” said Chesley Sullenberger, who has been advocating for the act, at a news conference. The act would be part of the FAA reauthorization bill. It would limit cargo pilots to the same daily flight time as pilots for passenger airlines — no more than 9 hours a day. Cargo pilots now fly up to 16 hours a day.
The Cargo Airline Association has taken a stand against the bill. The proposal “could actually make our operations less safe and put our pilots at risk,” the association said in a statement. “Measures used to prevent fatigue must be different for passenger carriers than they are for cargo carriers because our work schedules are different. We fly fewer legs, have longer layovers, and have better rest opportunities on our trips.” Sullenberger disagreed. “Fatigue is a killer,” he said. “It’s time to right this wrong. It’s time to fix this rule.” The Independent Pilots Association has argued that the different rules for cargo pilots are based solely on cost, not safety concerns. ALPA and the Independent Pilots Association also support the act.
