Originally Posted by
bluesideup1224
It sounds like the lines are great with lots of days off, but can anybody shed some light on reserve QOL? (It's reserve, so not great of course but..) I've heard they try to start you later on your first day and release you early on your last- does scheduling really stick to that? (I'll be commuting so..) How does the 12 hour callout work- I'm guessing scheduling assigns that based on rsv seniority? Is it by month or on a week by week basis? Also, aprox how many guys are on reserve per base.. is SFO or LAX considered 'junior' or are they about the same? Do you fly most of the time or spend some nights in the crash pad?
Thanks in advance guys, the info is appreciated!
Someone currently on reserve at VX can chime in, I can only answer a little of this. The first key thing I would say you should do is when your reserve schedule comes out, put your VDO (Virgin Day off) at the start of every stretch of days off. If you don't put VDOs at the end of your reserve stretch, you risk that chance they may use you and force a trip that runs well into your first day off. So make sure you put VDOs on every first day off from a reserve stretch!
VDOs per the *new* work rules agreement cannot be touched with work unless unintentional operation into it, like a delayed flight due to weather/maintenance.
The 12 hr callout you mention is long call reserve LCR. Recently, due to "attrition and shortage" they haven't done LCR lines, and just regular short call reserve which I think is still a 2 hr callout. Every bid month you get 12 days off and a 75 hr guarantee. As for starting reserve, I believe most stretch of 5 day reserve is with a 3:30pm availability the first day. I know I commuted in the first day on reserve. As for the last day there is no guarantee when you'll get done. If you don't have at trip assigned by that last day there is a chance they can release you early on that last day. But I think recently being as short as they are, you can get a trip and finish at 10pm on your last day, with the chance you can't commute home that night.
Reserves are percentages of pilot total in the base. It's around 10%. 18 crews in JFK, 10% means 1.8 pilots so 2 reserves there. SFO I think is 178ish so about 17-18 reserves there. SFO and LAX are junior and newhires from April can hold LAX already. As for flying on reserve, last year I didn't fly much. I think I did 45-55 hrs or so. It was no where close to guarantee. However, I think with attrition and the new rest rules coming up, I think our reserves are being kept busy. Make sure you use the VDOs as described above, that will be a huge QOL issue you can avoid.