Originally Posted by
ReadOnly7
That’s why one should meter out their sick bank usage the entire span of your career. Helps keep the operation more reliable, while also not leaving one cent on the table.
Not directed specifically at you, just food for thought for everyone.
I always tell my FOs to try to build up a 255 hr SL balance in case something happens to them.
I am currently out on SL due to my doctor changing a prescription a couple of months ago. The FAA requires grounding for the first 90 days on the medication. I had ~320 hrs SL prior to this; I'll return to flying with ~60 hrs. But at least I'll earn 7 hrs/mo until I recoup all of the SL burned on this SL.
I will also likely go on LTD for a few weeks while the FAA med dept reviews my doctor's paperwork. And yes, I've turned it all over to ALPA Aeromedical.
Before this, I would use SL to make sure my balance stayed in the low 300s.
... just posting this as a precautionary tale for anyone who decides to keep their balance near zero for their career.
And yes, I will still have close to zero SL when I retire.