Originally Posted by
Iwa Washi
The number of B727 FO's sitting Reserve A right now is about 25-30% of what it was eight months ago. However, the B727 op-tempo has not changed one bit, and may have even increased. For example, last summer when we would have 15-20 folks sitting Reserve A, usually eight-ten of them were being tapped for flights and airport standbys Monday through Friday. That requirement still exists today. However, lately, there are only four to six FO's sitting Reserve A. Therefore, Monday through Friday, just about every single B727 FO sitting Reserve A is being utilized (that's right - close to 100% utilization during the week) and then crew schedules still needs to draft like crazy to pick up the slack. Another result of this is that it is now virtually impossible for a B727 FO to drop or move their reserve days due to insufficient reserves.
I absolutely agree. Last month I had a block of 8 RA days and was called out 5 of the 8 days. The only reason I got a day off in all of that madness was because of a 1-7. I tried to move two R-days in the middle of the week and was denied. I tried to shift the block of R-days a few days: denied. I tried dropping two R days and was told: "Denied due to insufficient reserves."
And we're overmanned? I think not.