Originally Posted by
AggiePilot
I've got family in Houston that I could stay with instead of getting a crashpad. I've read on the forum that it takes such and such amount of time to get a line and that until then you sit reserve.
Does that mean you have scheduled periods of reserve in the same way that other guys have scheduled periods of flying?
How is reserve prior to holding a line different than bidding for a schedule that has reserve blocks in it?
Does having a line mean that you definitely get to bid for a flying schedule or will you still be sitting reserve?
Most newhires go to Newark. You can bid Houston anytime and you'll get it when you can hold it with your seniority. Since they just changed the age to 65 for retirements, everything will move a little slower than before.
You will start on reserve and can bid which days off you want. Again, bidding is in seniority order. If you're junior, you get what is left over. Your schedule will tell you which days you are on reserve and which you are off. You can then bid for reserve periods. You bid what works for you. Do you wan to be on call early in the day or late? When you bid your reserve line, you must state A or B reserve. A is long call = 9 hours to go time. B is short call = 3 hours to go time. B pays 4 hours more per month. 76 hours vs. 72. You won't see a mixture of reserve and line flying. You'll be one or the other.
You bid for reserve lines or regular lines (with flying on it). The main difference is on reserve you don't know what you're doing ahead of time and get min days off. Lineholders can bid for when and where they want to go (in seniority order!). Reserves are for covering when lineholders call in sick, don't like flying they got on their line, don't like driving in snow, etc. So reserve can suck. Just remember that when you are on reserve; you are on reserve and they can call you and send you any where, anytime. I hate when pilots get upset on reserve when the company makes them do their job. If you have the attitude that you're on reserve and they are going to use you, then you will cope better. It's not as bad as some people make it to be.
CAL has some issues with it's bidding system right now. I hope it gets better soon.
Good luck.