Originally Posted by
drahotad
Maybe this will help the perspective. Even though I had an 85 hr line for May I was given 2 days of reserve thrown onto my schedule. Today was one. Went on reserve at 430am and of course I got a call at 431. Hey were going to have you take a dead head in a towncar for 3:15 min to operate an 6hr turn and then dh you back via another towncar. Really? Ok. 30 min later, no, we changed our minds your back on reserve, but we might send you to a dif station to operate a dif turn. 30 more min later, yes we are going to have you do the second turn, but there are no towncars. We are going to get you a rental and you have to drive 2 hrs, operate a 7 hour turn and drive back. Get to station and there is a plane swap that takes 1hr to do. Needless to say, it has been a very long day. Any yes, this happens all the time.
Yep. If you're based in any of the FL cities, you are indeed on reserve for the entire state. Ah the rental cars. I'm just waiting for that day when a tired pilot is driving the 3 hours back to base after a 16 hr duty day, falls asleep at the wheel and injures (or heaven forbid kills) another motorist. Watch how fast the F&H lawyers go from defending status quo violations to throwing the pilot under the bus for driving while fatigued. Pilot loses everything and the company emerges unscathed. Nowhere in the GOM does it require a pilot to have a valid drivers license in their possession while on duty. "Sorry, I misplaced my drivers license and I'm getting a ride to work from a friend." End of story.