Originally Posted by
Viper25
See, I don’t bid reserve because I don’t even understand what you’re getting at here. As a permanent line bidder, I don’t even know where to begin to figure it out.
The day after vacation, you can't be used until 1800 and since you have CQ the day after that, you'd be unusable on reserve day between vacation and CQ. You're not contactable during CQ, so the day after is pretty much gone as well. On the WB, I'd often throw 2 days on either side and kill 4 days of reserve with almost no chance of being used. A few times I even put 3 days on either side and was never used.
Originally Posted by
Viper25
If I were to understand it, I’d certainly bid reserve more. But absent a WELL-known and vetted one-stop-shop (*in writing*) for these strategies (similar to the summer survival guide type of document), I’m not going to absorb this stuff through osmosis by flying with reserve pilots.
I imagine I’m not alone feeling the way I do, and this is why so many avoid reserve, even in base. While it may come easy to a few just by reading the SRH and 23 S, for most people it understandably needs to be spelled out more. I’d love to bid reserve and minimize being used. I just don’t know how.
Like so many things, it's best to just learn it by doing. Sure you'll screw up here and there just like bidding, but it will be worth it in the long run. If you live local, not taking the time to learn it is a giving up a lot of time getting paid to stay home. The SRH is actually pretty good of a guide with the bullet points for LC pilots and SC pilots. Of course you're on the hook more days per month, which isn't nothing. However, if you're senior and learn the system, you'll want to throw up when you think of bidding a line and having to go to work 12-15 days/month.