Originally Posted by
C17flyguy
I'm 717s living in ATL, had a line since I started in June of last year, started bidding reserve in Jan. Before this week I had 30 hours for year. I've been called twice (both 1 day out and backs), Yellowslipped 2 trips and greenslipped 2 trips... In March I got the nasty gram about going to the sim (hence the yellowslips)... And I had a ridiculous beard for my GA drivers license.
I'd say the 717 is probably the only junior plane you can do this on right now, and it's all luck and timing. 88s and ERs fly their tail off on reserve it looks like from browsing daily trip coverage. Also, the captain I flew with yesterday commutes from FL to NYC (Jr capt) and sat long call at home. Dunno if I would do it on probation though
Yeah the 717 got fat staffed and from what I hear there's still delays getting planes online. After they stuffed a bunch of pilots into that category, they started knee jerk opening up 2 other bases rapidly watering down the flying. There are a few bubbles you can find to do this in, but they are rare these days. Very rare. I suspect the 717 situation will be largely resolved by the time anyone new gets online, or shortly thereafter.
If you're senior in category, and its not too short staffed, and bid to work the first week to 10 days where you're the last to get called, and then stack your off days towards the end where you'd be number one for bucket finally but are now off and unavailable, it could still work. But things like that are the exception and will become even rarer. Company put us on notice to expect a summer of love with several categories for at least the summer, but its logical to conclude that will spill over into pretty much anything a new hire can hold.
And current/future trends aside, 12 hours long call isn't nearly enough to sit at home as a commuter for the majority of pilots outside of a handful of ultra high frequency destinations, especially probies.