Originally Posted by
CFI 1981
When you have a line, are you still given a number of days reserve or are all the times scheduled trips and days off only?
When bidding for lines, what are the least desirable lines that go to the new hires for the most part.
Would it be number of consecutive days, weekends on, holidays on or other criteria like that? I guess I am asking how does the line bidding process work in a general sense.Are you saying that if I was not called during a few days while on reserve, there exists the possibility I may have to work on one of my days off in order to have the 11 days minimum days off?
Seeing that 50 seaters are on the decline, do you think Commutair has a reasonably safe niche market and would survive the downsizing trend?
Again, speaking for CommutAir, you are either a line holder or a reserve, not both. Some companies have hybrid lines but we are not one of them. After schedules are posted, reserve pilots do have an option to pick up open (unassigned) time and replace some of their reserve days during the "line improvement period."
The least desirable lines are usually "stand-ups." That's where you fly the last flight out at night, spend a few hours in the hotel, and fly the first flight back to base in the morning. These are legal because your duty time starts at night and you are on duty all night. Then when you fly back in in the morning you are released into "rest."
Bidding for reserve, or as a line holder for that matter, all boils down to seniority. The more senior, the better. We use a PBS system that is done via a computer program. You put in preferences then the computer builds lines in seniority order. The higher your seniority, the more likely it will be that your preferences are honored.
You get 11 hard days off a month. That means no obligation to work or be on call. If you are on a reserve day and you are not used, that still counts as a work day by the contract and by the FAR's. You are on a Reserve Availability Period and therefore considered to be working.
My personal opinion is that the 50-seat jet market is in for some rough times ahead. There is still a market for them, but it is shrinking as mainline is taking back some of that flying. Turbo-props are very cost effective. The Dash8 burns about 1400 lb/hr in cruise whereas the CRJ-200 is closer to 3,000 lb/hr if I remember correctly. That's pretty significant. We seem to be trucking along and United seems pretty happy with our operation. Feel free to PM me if you have any more questions.