Originally Posted by Dave Fitzgerald

The conversion they are talking about is not whether you can turn down an assignment on VDO. It refers to the ability of withdrawing the VDO designation back to a regular RDO with in CCS. It goes to manpower planning. The crew desk wants their cake and eat it too.

A VDO is not considered under any of the rules for days on reserve. FAR 117 or contractual ability to be contacted. Meaning, like senior manning, they can ask you, cold, if you can make it to the airport in 2 hours. No FAR 117 rest, no long call pre rest requirements, or duty associated with short call. So, I might consider a VDO my option to work or not. I've never had a problem with turning down a VDO call with the crew desk.

It's an end around to all the rules, and pretty much the only way the crew desk can cover a trip on very short notice, particularly if they don't have a legal short call available.