B777 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Fatigue; Other / Unknown
No Specific Anomaly Occurred All Types
General None Reported / Taken
Human Factors; Company Policy; Aircraft
I was on the first break due to my assignment as a Relief Pilot. This is the time during the main passenger service and the noise seems much worse than during the second half of the flight when the flight attendants are mostly resting. It should be noted that after my suggesting it before briefing that the flying Captain did brief the flight attendants to be 'mindful that the area by door 1L is very noise sensitive for the resting pilots.' He was less specific than I would have been. I find the results of specifically instructing the fight attendants to not use the jumpseat or phone except in case of an emergency does get better results than we got. Dancing around these issues does not solve the problem. During my six-hour break I was completely unable to get any sleep whatsoever. The first two and a half hours I was constantly jarred out of any near sleep by the banging and clanking noises of flight attendants staging the serving carts; trays; and other items mere inches from the aft bunk wall. Further; despite being instructed about the noise sensitivity; the flight attendants used the phone and slammed it down. After the service I continued to be unable to rest due various noises associated with the jumpseat being used; and by various cabinets and doors opening against the bunk by door 1L. The cockpit door was slammed several times which was also quite jarring. At one point I called out to the flight attendants and asked them to not use the phone and to be mindful of the noise. They stopped using the phone; but other noises continued. After my break (and during the flying pilots break) the other Relief Pilot and I observed on the aircraft surveillance video system; one of the flight attendants use the jumpseat attached to the bunk wall at least three different times. This individual didn't even make an attempt to close the jumpseat quietly; he just stood up quickly allowing the seat to slam against the wall There was clearly nothing malicious going on; it's just that the problem doesn't register with the flight attendants because they have never been in the bunk and had someone slam the jumpseat as they have tried to sleep. The Flight Attendant almost popped or jumped up. This [is] because of the nature of the seat and a lack of anything to hold on to while getting up. Especially with older individuals they need to have momentum in getting up and this alone causes the seat to slam against the wall. Even if one could use the seat gently; it can be heard by those in the rest facility. This is incredibly jarring to the crew members whose heads are three or four inches from the seat and trying to sleep. The Captain later commented that he was unable to get decent rest. The identity of the Flight Attendant is not relevant or important because this person was in general a very professional and nice individual. But this happens over and over on so many flights with so many different people that it points to an endemic problem in the design of the bunk placement; and further a failure of the company to significantly address this problem with the crews by communicating in concrete and significant language about these issues. The company seems to want to tiptoe around the issues which for the life of me I cannot understand; especially when the problem is that an exemption from an FAR needs to be sought to call this a CLASS 1 facility. One would think that the company would do everything possible to enhance the ability of the pilots to rest. This was the worst rest I have experienced to date and I was seriously fatigued for the landing. Thankfully I wasn't a flying pilot as I was unable to focus. It was hard to even keep my eyes open during the approach phase. I found myself unable to concentrate on the simplest of tasks. If this crew rest facility is going to continue to be used by pilots as a CLASS 1 rest facility the following must take place: 1) Meaningful and significant flight attendant education about pilot restbeing mandated by FAR's and not being the same as passenger rest. The company put out a very weak statement to flight attendants not long ago about this; lumping pilots in with passengers about being able to get 'desired rest.' Equating crew to passengers with regard to rest waters down the importance of the issue. Pilot rest is an FAA mandated safety matter; not a convenience or customer service matter. Further; rather than directing flight attendants to not use the phone or forward jumpseat by door 1L (except in case of emergency) the language states; 'Keep this in mind and whenever possible; use the inter phone at a different jumpseat.' Such weak language leaves the impression that it's okay to use the phone or jumpseat rather than emphasizing that they should not be used; expect in cases of emergencies. Further; the Captain who enforces such directives becomes the 'one off' or the annoyance in the eyes of the flight attendants. The company should do its job so the pilots aren't seen as the problem by the other crew members.2) A sound-deadening curtain (as on other model 777s) should be immediately installed and the flight attendants instructed to deploy said curtain whenever pilots are in the crew rest facility.3) Measures taken to restrict or rethink how the carts; bins; and other serving items are staged at door 1L for passenger service. 4) Reminders to all pilots and flight attendants to be mindful about slamming the cockpit door during flight with pilots in the crew rest facility; unless of course it is an emergency.
B777 Captain believes that the Class 1 crew rest facility on some of his companies B777 aircraft does not meet FAR standards; due to noise created by flight attendants during cabin service.