A RAW score is a number assigned to reserves. I'm not sure what the acronym stand for, but it's something like "Reserve Availability ..." Someone here will probably know.

Basically, at the beginning of the month everyone starts at zero and the number goes up the more you fly. There are apparently other factors that influence the number, but I'm not sure what they are. Time flown is the biggest factor in determining your score.

The purpose of the RAW score is to spread the reserve flying equally as possible. The company doesn't want someone to go over guarantee while another is sitting at home having hardly flown. So the person with the lower RAW score would get a trip before someone with a higher score, because by definition, that person hasn't flown as much that month. That way, you don't have someone with 90 hours for the month and another with only 20 hours.

If you really want to fly, you can lower your RAW score by 15 points. You go to PCS, then slip requests to do that. Be aware that by doing this, you are really submitting a yellow slip, so all the YS rules rules regarding trip assignments apply.