A method, computer program, and a wireless system for scheduling half duplex frequency division duplex bursts includes populating a burst frame having an uplink sub-frame and a downlink sub-frame with one or more block pairs, each block pair including an uplink block and a down link block. Populating the burst frame includes identifying a largest unscheduled block pair, and appending one of the uplink block and the downlink block of the identified block pair to a shortest sub-frame string. Populating the burst frame also includes appending the other of the uplink block and the downlink block to a diagonally opposed sub-frame string. The method also includes determining if a conflict exists between the uplink block and the downlink block for each scheduled block pair.