EASA FDP Calculator: Max Flight Duty Period

Enter your report time and number of sectors to get your max FDP under EASA FTL: the basic maximum daily flight duty period of ORO.FTL.205, for acclimatised crew or an unknown state of acclimatisation.

Source: Regulation (EU) No 965/2012, Annex III (Part-ORO), ORO.FTL.205(b)(1), Table 2, maximum daily FDP for acclimatised crew members; ORO.FTL.205(b)(2), Table 3, crew members in an unknown state of acclimatisation; and ORO.FTL.205(b)(3), Table 4, unknown state of acclimatisation when the operator has implemented FRM (inserted by Regulation (EU) No 83/2014); reference time and WOCL defined in ORO.FTL.105. EASA Easy Access Rules for Air Operations. Not calculated: extensions without in-flight rest (ORO.FTL.205(d)), in-flight rest for augmented crews (ORO.FTL.205(e)), commander’s discretion (ORO.FTL.205(f)), split duty (ORO.FTL.220), standby, and any variation your authority has approved for your operator. They are explained below.

How to read Table 2

Table 2 gives the basic maximum daily FDP for an acclimatised crew member, without extensions and without in-flight rest. Each row is a band of start times, the time you report, in reference time. Each column is the number of sectors you will fly in that duty. The cell where they meet is the longest the flight duty period may last.

• The best case is 13:00: a start between 06:00 and 13:29 with one or two sectors.
• Each sector from the third takes off 30 minutes, down to a floor of 9:00, which every row reaches by the tenth sector.
• Afternoon starts lose 15 minutes every half hour: 12:45 from 13:30, 12:30 from 14:00, and so on to 11:15 for a start between 16:30 and 16:59.
• Evening and night starts, from 17:00 to 04:59, share one row: 11:00 for one or two sectors, because the duty runs into the window of circadian low (WOCL), 02:00 to 05:59.
• Early starts between 05:00 and 05:59 come in 15-minute bands, from 12:00 for a 05:00 report up to 12:45 for a report between 05:45 and 05:59.

The FDP starts when you report for a duty that includes a sector, and it ends when the aircraft finally comes to rest and the engines are shut down at the end of the last sector on which you act as an operating crew member (ORO.FTL.105). The result is therefore the latest time for “engines off” on the last sector, not the end of your duty: post-flight duties come after it and count towards your cumulative duty hours.

Example 1: a morning report with four sectors

You are acclimatised to your home base and report there at 07:45 local time for four sectors. 07:45 falls in the 0600–1329 row; the column for 4 sectors gives 12:00. The aircraft must come to rest at the end of the fourth sector by 19:45. With six sectors the same report would give 11:00, and with ten, 9:00.

Example 2: a late-afternoon report with five sectors

You report at 16:40 for five sectors. The row is 1630–1659 and the column for 5 sectors gives 9:45, so the FDP must end by 02:25 the next morning. Had you reported 45 minutes earlier, at 15:55, the 1530–1559 row would allow 10:15. Moving a report out of the afternoon bands gains more than cutting a sector: a 13:00 report for the same five sectors allows 11:30.

ORO.FTL.205 Tables 2, 3 and 4

The calculator reads these tables as they stand on this page and highlights the cell it used. They are transcribed from ORO.FTL.205(b) of Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 as amended by Regulation (EU) No 83/2014.

Table 2: maximum daily FDP, acclimatised crew members (start of FDP at reference time)

Table 3: maximum daily FDP, unknown state of acclimatisation

Table 4: maximum daily FDP, unknown state of acclimatisation, operator with FRM

The regulation’s tables stop at 10 sectors (Table 2) and 8 sectors (Tables 3 and 4). In an unknown state of acclimatisation the start time does not matter: the body clock cannot be placed, so one row applies at any hour. Table 4 is open only to an operator that has implemented fatigue risk management (FRM, ORO.FTL.120) and whose FRM continuously monitors that the required safety performance is maintained.

Reference time and acclimatisation

Table 2 is read with the body clock, so the rules first decide which clock that is. ORO.FTL.105 defines the terms:

• Acclimatised: your circadian biological clock is synchronised to the time zone where you are. You are considered acclimatised to a 2-hour wide time zone around the local time at the point of departure.
• Reference time: the local time at the reporting point, when that point lies in a 2-hour wide time-zone band around the local time to which you are acclimatised. For a duty from your home base, it is simply the local time of your report.
• Window of circadian low (WOCL): 02:00 to 05:59 in the time zone to which you are acclimatised.
• Sector: the part of an FDP from the aircraft first moving for the purpose of taking off until it comes to rest on its parking position after landing.

When the local time where a duty starts differs by more than 2 hours from the local time where the next duty starts, Table 1 decides your state for the next FDP. It crosses the time difference between reference time and the local time where the next duty starts with the time elapsed since you reported at reference time:

B means still acclimatised to the local time of the departure time zone; D, acclimatised to the local time where the next duty starts; X, an unknown state of acclimatisation. In words: for the first 48 hours you keep your departure clock whatever the time difference. After that, a difference under 4 hours means you have adjusted, while larger differences leave you in an unknown state until 72, 96 or 120 hours have passed.

Example: you report at your base and fly to a destination 6 hours behind it. A return FDP that starts there 30 hours after your first report is read on the base clock (B): a 07:45 local report there is 13:45 at base, so Table 2 gives 12:45 for one or two sectors (the 1330–1359 row), not the 13:00 that 07:45 on the local clock would suggest. If the return starts 55 hours after your first report, you are in an unknown state (X) and Table 3 gives 11:00 for one or two sectors at any hour. After 72 hours you are acclimatised to the local time there (D) and Table 2 is read on local time again.

Extending the FDP

Planned extension without in-flight rest, ORO.FTL.205(d)

An operator may roster an FDP beyond Table 2 for an acclimatised crew member, within these conditions:

• by up to 1 hour, not more than twice in any 7 consecutive days;
• the minimum pre-flight and post-flight rest periods are each increased by 2 hours, or the post-flight rest alone by 4 hours; when extensions are used on consecutive FDPs, the rest between them runs consecutively;
• the extension is planned in advance and limited to 5 sectors when the WOCL is not encroached, 4 sectors when it is encroached by 2 hours or less, and 2 sectors when it is encroached by more than 2 hours;
• it cannot be combined with extensions for in-flight rest or split duty in the same duty period.

The exact extended limits for each start time and number of sectors are set in the certification specifications (CS FTL.1.205) and in your operator’s approved scheme, which is why the calculator does not add the extension for you.

Commander’s discretion, ORO.FTL.205(f)

For unforeseen circumstances that arise at or after reporting, such as adverse weather, an equipment malfunction or an air traffic delay, the commander may modify the limits after consulting the crew about their alertness. The maximum daily FDP, after any extension for in-flight rest or split duty, may be increased by no more than 2 hours, or 3 hours with an augmented flight crew. If the increase is exceeded on the final sector because of unforeseen circumstances after take-off, the flight may continue to its planned destination or alternate. The rest period after the FDP may be reduced, but never below 10 hours. Each use is reported to the operator, which must handle the reports in a non-punitive way and use them to correct rosters that do not work. Discretion works the other way too: the operator must have procedures for the commander, after consulting the crew, to reduce the actual FDP or increase the rest when special circumstances could lead to severe fatigue (ORO.FTL.205(a)(2)).

In-flight rest and split duty

In-flight rest. With an augmented flight crew, each pilot can leave the flight deck to rest, and the FDP may go beyond Table 2 (ORO.FTL.205(e)). The certification specifications set the limits by the number of additional pilots and the class of rest facility, from a bunk in a separate compartment (class 1) to a reclining seat (class 3):

These limits, from CS FTL.1.205(c), may be increased by 1 hour for an FDP that includes one sector of more than 9 hours of continuous flight time and no more than 2 sectors. In-flight rest in a rest facility is not the same as controlled rest, a short nap in the flight deck seat.

Split duty. A break on the ground inside the FDP can lengthen it (ORO.FTL.220). Under CS FTL.1.220 the break lasts at least 3 consecutive hours, not counting a total of at least 30 minutes for post- and pre-flight duties and travel, and Table 2 may be increased by up to 50 % of the break. Suitable accommodation is required for a break of 6 hours or more, or one that encroaches the WOCL; otherwise, any part of the break beyond 6 hours or inside the WOCL does not count towards the extension. The whole break counts as FDP, split duty may not follow reduced rest, and it cannot be combined with in-flight rest.

Cumulative limits and rest

A legal day can still be part of an illegal month. ORO.FTL.210 caps duty and flight time over rolling periods and calendar periods:

Post-flight duty counts as duty. Rest is set by ORO.FTL.235: before an FDP that starts at home base, at least as long as the preceding duty or 12 hours, whichever is greater; away from base, at least as long as the preceding duty or 10 hours, whichever is greater, including an 8-hour sleep opportunity on top of the time for travel and physiological needs. A recurrent extended recovery rest of at least 36 hours, including two local nights, must come round at least every 168 hours. The flight time limitations article in the v1prep Library covers rest, standby and days off in full.

The EU rules and your operator’s FTL scheme

Subpart FTL applies to commercial air transport by aeroplane. Air taxi, emergency medical service and single-pilot commercial air transport by aeroplane remain under older rules for now (Article 8 of Regulation (EU) No 965/2012). The limits are in three layers:

• The implementing rule (ORO.FTL): Tables 1 to 4, the planned extension, commander’s discretion, the cumulative limits and the rest periods on this page. They bind every operator in its scope.
• The certification specifications (CS FTL.1): the detail the rule leaves to them, such as the extended limits, in-flight rest, split duty, standby and reserve.
• The operator’s flight time specification scheme, which its competent authority approves (ORO.FTL.125). It applies the certification specifications or, after EASA has assessed them, deviations from them. Collective agreements and the operator’s own fatigue risk management (ORO.FTL.120) may make it stricter.

Your roster is planned against that approved scheme, not against this page. The calculator gives the regulation’s basic figure, which is useful for checking a roster, preparing for an interview or the ATPL air law exam, and understanding why a duty was built the way it was. The scheme’s figure is the one that applies to you.

Frequently asked questions

What is the maximum flight duty period under EASA rules? For an acclimatised crew member, ORO.FTL.205(b)(1) allows 13:00 when the FDP starts between 06:00 and 13:29 with one or two sectors. Each sector from the third takes off 30 minutes, down to 9:00, and later starts have lower limits, reaching 11:00 for one or two sectors between 17:00 and 04:59. In an unknown state of acclimatisation the limit is 11:00 for one or two sectors, whatever the start time. Planned extensions, commander’s discretion and in-flight rest can change these figures under set conditions.

What is reference time in EASA FTL? The local time at the reporting point, when that point lies in a 2-hour wide time-zone band around the local time to which the crew member is acclimatised (ORO.FTL.105). Table 2 of ORO.FTL.205 is entered with the start of the FDP in reference time. For a duty that starts at home base, it is the local time of the report.

When is a crew member in an unknown state of acclimatisation? Table 1 of ORO.FTL.105 decides it after a change of more than 2 hours in local time. For the first 48 hours after reporting at reference time, the crew member stays acclimatised to the departure time zone. After that, with a time difference of 4 to 6 hours the state is unknown until 72 hours have passed, with up to 9 hours until 96 hours, and with up to 12 hours until 120 hours; then the crew member is acclimatised to the new local time. In the unknown state, Table 3 applies: 11:00 for one or two sectors, down to 9:00 from six sectors.

Can the FDP be extended under EASA rules? Yes, within limits. A planned extension of up to 1 hour is allowed not more than twice in any 7 consecutive days, with longer rest before and after (ORO.FTL.205(d)). For unforeseen circumstances, commander’s discretion allows up to 2 hours, or 3 hours with an augmented flight crew (ORO.FTL.205(f)). In-flight rest for an augmented crew allows up to 17 hours, or 18 hours when the FDP includes one sector of more than 9 hours and no more than 2 sectors, and a split duty adds up to half of a break on the ground of at least 3 hours.

What are the EASA cumulative duty and flight time limits? ORO.FTL.210 limits duty to 60 hours in any 7 consecutive days, 110 hours in any 14 consecutive days and 190 hours in any 28 consecutive days, and flight time to 100 hours in any 28 consecutive days, 900 hours in a calendar year and 1,000 hours in any 12 consecutive calendar months.

Is this the FDP limit my airline uses? Not necessarily. Your operator plans duties under its own flight time specification scheme, approved by its competent authority (ORO.FTL.125). The scheme applies the tables in ORO.FTL.205 and the certification specifications, or deviations from them that EASA has assessed, and may be stricter. The calculator gives the regulation’s basic figure, for learning and checking; your operator’s scheme is the one that applies.