I know there are single issue voters but, “I voted for Trump because I wanted seniority progression to increase in ANC” is a new one.

With next vacancy bid coming "soon" & effective date with PBS online for a summer schedule, what are your thoughts about what would net the most days at home in Anchorage for an FO, including potential commute times. Assume just enough seniority to be ANC based so the choice of all of the below.

1. ANC based: PBS "plug" line in ANC (assuming reserve still goes more senior than current Open Flying lines)
2. SEA based: PBS long call reserve, with potential short call conversions.
3. LAX or SFO based: PBS line that's better than the plug.

The order is what I'm thinking nets most days at home but curious to hear from others.

HAL is the polar opposite

OF lines have been going more senior lately, and most res pilots that I’ve talked to are only flying 1-2x a month. So a lot of being paid to not fly, which is great if you live in base. Of course that will change whenever the flying picks up, but being reserve in base will absolutely be better than commuting to SEA. I held an OF line through the summer, but flying dropped way off around October and I have been back on reserve for a few months. I am expecting to be on reserve until things pick up in the spring. With the 14 hour call out you might be able to do LCR from ANC, but the big advantage to LCR is that you can pick up trips in open time. I only commuted to SFO, but I think LAX would be an easier commute since there is a daily direct flight.
Of course no one knows how exactly PBS will change everything, but I think the good flying and weekends off will still go senior and red eyes will still be junior. It should make it easier to get the days off you want though. Unfortunately without any CA vacancies in the next bid I think there will not be much movement in ANC.

You can only pick up open time trips on long call if they match your number of available days, with the exception of picking up a four day with five available. Otherwise all you can do is “preference” what you’d like, if they do not have a trip to assign on day one, expect a conversion to short call starting at 2 PM.

Does AS have any plans to use FLICA? It's truly amazing, and life-changing for junior people, the senior group doesn't like it much because we can get great trips out of seniority.

In Unity...

I was only converted once when I was LCR a couple months ago.
eta: of course this will probably change with PBS.

This is correct.

Once PBS arrives, it will allow picking up a trip that matches your days available plus or minus a day, which will provide greater flexibility. I can't wait for that, soooo many nice trips I've missed out on.

Am I reading the PBS reserve rules correctly (specifically LOA 22-10 N.1.c.) that conversions from long call to short call are unlimited? The company just has to pay more after the first 6 conversions?

Yeah. The new reserve is only LCR during the intial award, so you can bid for "Long Call - Non convertable" (at least 10% of LCR lines) or just normal long call that comes with possible conversions. Once you have your schedule, you can change your days on to Short Call if thats your jam (a minimum of 30% of total reserve lines).

I guess I should add, no one is requred to bid SCR. So in theory we could all be LCR with no SCRs available to the company for last minute sick/fatigue calls. I think that was the though process behind no limit on the converts.

Ideally enough pilots who live in base who will prefer SCR for the increased pay.