Originally Posted by
OFTRDBN
Hey guys just looking for a little info. I’ve read about the home almost every night aspect of your schedules and that sounds great. I’m also curious with how the trips are constructed as in is it a 4 on 3 off or 5 on 2 off or some other variation kind of gig? Is it possible to trip trade with other pilots to massage your schedule?
Post COVID most lines are 14-15 days on. So its a mostly a combination of 3-6 days on with random amounts of time off between. Below are some lines for August. (Yellow is days on)
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Some bases also get TDY (Temporary Duty) Lines, and those are 16 days on. 2 stretches of 8 days. They deadhead you out to a different base on day 1 and return on day 8, they put you in a hotel and you use the corporate Uber account.
Trip trading is possible, and while it's gotten better, it's still back in the stone ages. You have to send a email to all pilots in base or work 1:1 with someone you want to swap with, then send an email to the appropriate parties, and then wait 2-5 days to hear back. Most stuff is approved, but if you are looking to give yourself a min-rest overnight of 10 hours they will not do it. When the shoes on the other foot they won't hesitate to give you a min-rest overnight when it's for their benefit though, kind of annoying.
You can also use your PTO bank to preemptively place off days on your schedule before the bid. If you had a day on in your award that you put in for PTO you will likely get it off, but it's by no means a guarantee.