All right guys I've been getting used right up to the guarantee for March and April and I figured why not try to get the thunder rolling next month. I was hoping guys could throw out the finer points on how this works.

More specifically I am an ATL M88B with the first 5 days off in the month. Should I bid my golden days at the beginning or the end of the month? When I yellow slip (or put in qualifiers to fly on my X days) how should that look? If I don't get a trip in those first 5 days is it basically futile to keep trying?

And finally how do things like MLOA or sick leave affect my thunder?

Thanks.