Originally Posted by
JKSees
New FO with a few reserve questions if someone has time to answer.
I'm trying to figure out when a person sitting reserve is most vulnerable to getting called vs not.
I am about to start 6 days straight of reserve. On day 1 there are 2 of us with 6 days of availability. But since 4 day pairings seem to be the max in the ERJ, can I assume that everyone with 4 and 5 days available are also in my "bucket"?. If so, are they likely to call the 4 day people first, then the 5 day guy before they burn a guy with 6 days left?
So are you most vulnerable when you have 2-4 days available on reserve?
I'm not trying to break any rules here and I certainly want to do my "time" but seriously there are like 50 FO's at any given moment sitting reserve in ORD on the ERJ right now. Seems abhorrent to pull people away from their families so they can just sit there with their thumbs stuck where the sun don't shine with no chance of ever flying. Buddies from my class have been there 3 weeks already and haven't flown once. If I'd known I would have just stayed in the Air Force, where sitting around wasting life is the MO. At least I would have been making 3x more money for getting my thumb dirty.
They will use the person with the least days available. So if it is you with 6 days and a person with 4 days, and a 4 day trip comes the person with 4 days left is getting it. If you want to fly make sure you list yourself "call first". Also watch open time. Volunteer for stuff that isn't in your reserve period, it will go on top of guarantee. Make deals, sounds like you are a commuter, watch all the open time in all the bases. If they are low on reserve someplace and something comes into open time which is during a reserve period call crew support and ask if you can do it. Turn on all the notifications for open time across the company. Reserve can suck a lot, take some suck out of it by being proactive if you want to work.