Originally Posted by
FITH
Fangs, thanks for taking the time to craft a great response. I should have more specific with my question and relied less on the title. So, I’m definitely looking to NOT work. I’d love to spend more time with family while still earning a decent paycheck as well as reducing the pain of commuting. I’ve been awarded the NYC330, and I’ll convert in the next few months.
I really bid the 330 with the general knowledge that WB reserve will result in less utilization than NB, but I somewhat belatedly thought I might try to get a better idea of how many days I might work if I was on reserve. I am 80ish percent and can hold a line, which I’ll be happy to do if the reserve gig doesn’t bear as much fruit as think. What was your experience when you were a WB FO on reserve?
Thanks again for your time.
I was a 765 FO before Covid, so this
might be a little stale. A current NY 330 pilot might weigh in with more current into. As I think I mentioned, I was also the plug for my first 6 months on reserve, so this is worst case...
I averaged 9-10 days of work as a WB B, but that was somewhat wild in swings. Some months were 14 days, some were 4. I probably averaged 3 days of SC, which as a commuter meant I had to be in NY, so I count that as days of work. Generally, I found that I'd get SC on day 1 of a 4 day block, and then maybe a 3 day trip, maybe another SC. The trips were fantastic. 1-leg days, dozing for dollars, no bad layovers. Overall, commuting to WB reserve really wasn't that bad, and that was on a 12-hour leash. It was a great gig, and I'd probably still be there if not for Covid and a promise I made my wife about commuting.
I think you'll love it, and not regret it one bit. The only potential downside is the circadian swaps, which I didn't struggle with, but some do. Best of luck, enjoy Europe!