Originally Posted by flensr

On reserves as a first year guy in PHX, I would pretty much always get called to fly on my first and second reserve blocks of the month. Third and later reserve blocks, I'd usually fly if I preferenced fly and sit if I preferenced pass.

An awarded line for a first year FO is quite often weekend flying, just like a first year reserve line will be weekend reserve. Mostly 3 day trips with 3 days off. Turns tend to get bid by senior pilots living in base so expect all of your trips to be away from base for the first few years at least. Even first year pilots are gonna get 15 days off unless they pick up additional trips.

Weekend reserves is pretty much the standard for first year. That said, it's not all bad. This Feb because flying is so thin, I cleared my entire schedule out, all 4 weekend reserve blocks. Gone. Yea I probably won't be able to pick up much, but I didn't want to sit weekend reserve so I put them up for give-away and every single weekend went away, poof. It's not always like that but right now flying is thin enough that you may be able to give away anything you don't like and roll the bones on trying to pick up stuff you DO like.

And of course, min guarantee applies. If you don't want to play the game, you fly your line and ka-ching cash your check.