Originally Posted by FlyJB
correct me if my assumption is wrong. because im not 100% sure how reserve works but i think i have a good idea.
Here goes... when on reserve you sit around and wait for the airline to call you and tell you they need you to make a flight, you dont have a regular schedule to stick to and it is unpredictable but you have to be able to report to work within 2 hours (typically). Most pilots sit on reserve for anywhere between 6 months to 6 years or more depending on the company. right? The pay for being on reserve is for 70 - 75 "credit hours"... Does that mean you are paid for 70 - 75 hours per month regardless of whether you get the chance to fly them or not??
also if anyone is on reserve, how many actual flight hours do you get to spend in the air on average per month?
thanks
You've got the general idea. I don't think you can really say however that "most pilots sit on reserve for anywhere between 6 months to 6 years." It's totally dependant upon many circumstances. And that's assuming you don't want to sit reserve. At UPS, many people chooses to sit reserve even though they can hold a hard line.
Pay is typically your monthly guarantee...whatever it is at your particular company. I suppose you can say 75 hours is ballpark, but it depends upon the company. Many contracts have ways you can work the system to get paid more than the guarantee without actually flying as many hours. For example, if your guarantee is 75 hours and you don't get called to fly at all during the month, but you pick up a 5 hour trip on a day off, you could be paid 80 hours. You'll also get per diem for the days you do work.
As far as schedule is concerned, you know what days you're available and what days you're off. Every company has a different way of assigning your availability during your "on" days.
How many hours do you actually fly? Again, completely dependent on circumstance. Could be close to nothing or could be more than the guarantee.
EDPM