Duty time begins and ends at what times?

• A. Report and release
• B. Pushback and arrival
• C. Crew change and debrief
• D. Takeoff and touchdown

Answer: (A)

Duty time is defined as the period from when you report for duty to the point you are released from duty after completing your assigned duties. The clock starts at report time and ends at release time, which typically occurs after landing and you’ve finished all post-flight tasks, paperwork, and debrief. This makes sense because duty time encompasses preflight, flight, and post-flight responsibilities, not just specific flight segments. Takeoff and touchdown happen within the flight portion, not at the start or end of the duty window. Pushback and arrival are operational moments, and crew change with debrief occurs during the duty window but does not itself mark the end. Therefore, the start and end times are report and release.