B767 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Fatigue
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Other / Unknown
General None Reported / Taken
Company Policy; Human Factors; Aircraft
Four person crew [was] sent out on what is a typically 3 person trip. Aircraft crew rest facility is typically a First Class seat with a surrounding curtain. As we had 4 pilots; we took two breaks; with two pilots breaking each period. Problem is; the aircraft only has one First Class seat with a curtain - meaning only one pilot per break would get meaningful rest - the other pilot must try and rest/sleep in a seat that is in the middle of a daylight cabin with no curtain. This essentially means we know before we leave; that we'll be arriving in Europe with half of our pilots with no meaningful rest. This is an unsafe practice; and should stop. Anyhow; as I am a Relief Pilot and must take first break; (and was unlucky enough to not get the seat with the curtain) I did not get any rest during my break period. This is because my break was during daylight hours in the middle of a cabin that had a meal service. Later; when I was on the flight deck as the pilot flying (and around 2 am body clock time) I fell asleep as I was exhausted. Go figure - who would have guessed I would be tired at 2 am with no rest? Must just be me.
B767 Relief Pilot reported being dispatched as part of a four man crew in an aircraft with only one curtained crew rest seat. With no rest obtained during his break he is overcome with fatigue and falls asleep while on duty in the cockpit.