Originally Posted by
F15andMD11
All mil guys considering the airlines get this idea out of your head. It won't happen, sitting long call (LC) that is. LC is a starting and ending point in your reserve period. In the middle you will be on SC / airport stby at your base. Maybe at airline X there are entire LC months you can bid on, I'd imagine those would go pretty senior. Not available to a new hire. Also once you switch equipment you're back to a "new hire," reserve schedule, just paid better. Assuming you move to new equipment at first opportunity and are at the bottom of the equipment list.
Now someone will post that they've been on LC since they were hired and how awesome it is.
LC is going to either a) suck, or b) go very senior.
Typically it sucks. They will use LC first for anything which is known in advance (saving SC for last-minute sick calls which LC can't cover). They also can typically convert you to short call X number of days per month, and they will.
So you're either flying or sitting SC. LC might be useful if SC is under-utilized and you don't want to travel to base and spend every weeks sitting in a pad.