Originally Posted by
Denny Crane
Unless you are a new hire, being on reserve is a choice. If a pilot finds commuting to SC onerous then s/he should bid a regular line on whatever equipment s/he can hold. End of story. If you can't do the time, don't do the crime.
Denny
The above statement is not always true!
I bid into my current category at 75% relative seniority in 2015, which was a substantial buffer above the reserve line, even in the slow months. I even chose to convert after junior pilots, so I would not be on reserve while the junior pilots were in training. The next two AEs pushed me down to 86% relative seniority, even though the category was growing in size. I did not have a CHOICE in being on reserve, due to the 2 year training freeze.
Commuting to reserve was not a choice the first month it happened. After the month, however; it was a choice for the next four months. I also figured out the nuances of reserve in a vacation month. The downsides were a night on VA Ave so I could get bounces in the sim, and all the lonely days when CS would never call me.
