The FAA sets strict regulations for pilot working hours that limit the number of hours daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly. These limitations set a safety standard that helps reduce fatigue in pilots and ensure safety during flight. It also avoids risks of cognitive impairment during flight that could occur if pilots are overtired and overworked.
Limited working hours for pilots can serve as a benefit that protects work-life balance as well as mental and physical wellness, all while they still earn a high and competitive salary for their work. If you are interested in becoming a pilot, this guide will help you understand how many hours pilots work and what the typical schedule is like.
FAA Maximum Hours for Airline Pilots
The FAA has strict regulations that put limitations on flying hours for airline pilots, as listed under 14 C.F.R. Part 117. These rules apply to all pilots conducting passenger operations under Part 121, the standard for major scheduled airlines.
Time Frame | Flight Duty Period (FDP) | Rest Time |
| Daily | 9-10 hours per FDP, depending on the scheduled report time and number of flight segments | At least 10 consecutive hours before each FDP, including a minimum 8-hour sleep opportunity |
| Weekly (7-Day Rolling Window) | 60 FDP hours within any 168 consecutive hours (a rolling 7-day window) | At least 30 consecutive hours free from all duty within any 168-hour period |
| Monthly (28-Day Rolling Window) | 100 hours | No specific monthly rest minimum; the 30-hour weekly free-from-duty-rule applies on a rolling basis |
| Yearly | 1,000 hours | After international travel exceeding 60° longitude and 168+ hours away from home base: 56 consecutive hours rest required |
In addition to limitations on flight hours, the FAA also mandates that pilots receive ample time to rest between working hours. These rest requirements for pilots are also listed under 14 C.F.R. Part 117.
Why Does the FAA Limit Flight Hours for Pilots?
Setting a limitation for how much pilots can fly during a given time period sets a safety measure for all passengers and crew during a flight. Pilot fatigue can become a serious danger not only to those in the aircraft but also to other aircraft in flight. Fatigue can impair judgment, slow reaction time, reduce situational awareness, and reduce cognitive function essential for a pilot to safely do their job. A pilot relies on cognitive functions during flight, especially when a pilot needs to react to changing conditions mid-flight.
The FAA takes flight hour and rest requirements seriously to avoid the consequences of pilot fatigue. Daily, weekly, and annual limitations on flying hours, as well as mandated rest periods in between assignments, ensures the FAA that every pilot has had adequate time to recover physically and cognitively before taking the controls again.
Flight Hours vs. Duty Hours
Flight hours are the hours in which a pilot is actively operating an aircraft. Beyond flight hours, pilots are responsible, based on the airline they work for, for duty hours. The duty hours can include briefings, inspections, and wait times while on the ground. Pilots are also subject to limitations on duty hours in addition to flight hours.
Included in duty hours are any delay times, airport duties, and even pre/post-flight tasks. Flight hours clock any hours when the aircraft first moves for departure to when it parks at the end of the flight. Only under specific circumstances do pilots experience extended hours beyond the limitation. The FAA heavily regulates these working hours for safety purposes.
Low Hour Pilot Jobs
For student pilots who are interested in the most flexible pilot careers, or the jobs that have the best work-life balance, there are a few pilot jobs to keep in mind:
- Certified Flight Instructor: this is a common job student pilots use to help build flight hours towards their ATP license. While it offers daily flight time, the flight time is significantly shorter than what most commercial pilots experience in a working day.
- Skydiving pilot: this job is both seasonal and offers an average of only 4-6 hours of flight per day
- Banner towing: this job is often also seasonal work, often allowing student pilots to build hours towards an ATP license
- Cargo pilots: major cargo carriers often run on week-on/week-off schedules, or even two-weeks-on/two-weeks-off schedules.
- Long-haul international airline pilots: because of the duration of a long-haul flight, pilots get ample time off between working days in exchange for working longer shifts
- Corporate/charter pilots: because these pilots often serve as a shuttle to and from a local destination, these pilots get to return home every night after a working day
The amount of time pilots receive off from work also depends on the company they work for. Airlines, cargo carriers, and other companies may have their own restrictions on top of what the FAA mandates for pilot working hours.
Tips for Building Flight Hours
Because of the strict regulations of how much a pilot can work, some students worry about building flight hours towards licenses – or towards more experience needed for applying to the most competitive jobs. There are still plenty of opportunities to build flight hours towards an ATP license. Think of it within this context: a student in an accelerated flight training program can obtain their licenses and become a commercial pilot in as little as 12-13 months.
For those who are weighing the option of becoming a commercial pilot, this aviation career values maintaining a balance between work and physical and cognitive rest that most careers do not offer. In addition, pilots still earn a high salary for their work, even with the time off.