Originally Posted by
evh347
Yes, but I can only speak for the 200 though.
You are expected to be there at your report time and on call until your release time. Traveling to/from your base during your scheduled duty time is not advisable. You might get away with it, but the day you get stuck somewhere is when you get called. If you are within a couple hours of your release time and the schedulers are in a good mood with a lot of reserves in waiting, you might be able to get released early, but don't count on it as a regular thing. It doesn't hurt to ask though if you're itching for a beer.
if you can get a feel for things you can start working the system to get a lil more QOL however like evh347 says it isn't necessarily advisable.
i tend to get ready reserve a lot and i am the first called out if i'm on a 2 hr call out i also commute in...so this is how i think i beat the system...
if i have to do the early ready reserve on day 1 i commute in on the first flight that day...the shift starts at 7am the flight gets in at 710 am...sometimes it gets in earlier and i sign in and i'm okay if not i just don't sign in and call scheduling and say hey i'm just getting thru security can you sign me in...
as far as getting out on the last day...they can't use us for PM ready reserve on the last day so if i am on the AM and it goes til 3pm i just leave around 1pm bc generally they won't use me b/c i'm not good for anything...i just don't call to get released...
if i am on the 2 hr call out on the last day which goes til 7pm i still take a 3pm flight bc i am generally useless...
i just keep an eye on whats open...what the weather is...how many more flights have to go out...did the crew come with the plane...will they time out soon and is everything at the outstations well staffed...if this is the case i sneak out early and just hold my breath...