SkyGuide for Crews
Pilot Rest, Duty, Reserve, and Fatigue Questions
Can a Pilot Accept an Assignment When Fatigued?
Part 117 makes fitness for duty a shared responsibility and bars an assignment after the pilot reports being too fatigued to perform safely.
Reviewed against primary U.S. sources - July 15, 2026
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Contract answer preview
"What facts matter before I ask about this contract issue?"
Short answer
A certificate holder may not assign, and a covered flightcrew member may not accept, a flight duty period after the pilot has reported being too fatigued to safely perform the assigned duties. A pilot who becomes too fatigued during the duty period must follow the carrier's fatigue-reporting process immediately.
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A schedule can meet the numerical rest minimum while illness, disrupted sleep, circadian timing, prior workload, or other conditions still leave a pilot unfit. Part 117 treats fitness as an operational safety determination, not only a math problem.
Use the carrier's current procedure
The immediate reporting channel, required form, transportation, pay treatment, and follow-up process vary. Use the airline's approved fatigue policy and, when represented, current union guidance rather than an internet script.
Preserve the operational facts
Save the assignment, rest opportunity, contact times, delays, extensions, report made, and the airline's response. Those facts help separate the safety decision from any later contractual dispute.
This page provides general U.S. educational information, not legal advice or an individual legality determination. Regulations, agreements, side letters, policies, and facts can change the result. Use current official channels for safety decisions, discipline, medical or leave issues, and grievance deadlines.
Primary sources
Use the current regulation, agency guidance, and your current collective bargaining agreement for an individual decision.
- FAA Advisory Circular 117-3: Fitness for Duty
Federal Aviation Administration - FAA: Flightcrew Member Duty and Rest Requirements Final Rule
Federal Aviation Administration
Related crew questions
How much rest do airline pilots get?
Under Part 117, covered passenger-airline pilots generally need a 10-consecutive-hour rest period that includes an opportunity for eight uninterrupted hours of sleep.
Pilot rest and fatigueWhat is the difference between a pilot flight duty period and duty?
Part 117 defines flight duty period and duty separately, which matters for deadhead, training, administrative work, rest, and cumulative limits.
Pilot rest and fatigueDoes deadhead count as pilot duty or rest?
Under Part 117, required deadhead transportation is duty and is not rest, although its treatment inside an FDP and under a contract requires closer review.
Pilot rest and fatigueHow do pilot reserve and rest rules work together?
Part 117 distinguishes airport/standby reserve, short-call reserve, long-call reserve, and reserve followed by an FDP; the exact limit depends on the sequence.