7576FO

[QUOTE=ForeverFO;15


Can you explain how this happens? Is that 18 days WITHIN the month, or like from the 20th to the 8th of the next month?

I need to look at the MIA bid sheets. The worst DFW 777 reserve bid line might have a block of 8 or 9 days ON, but never more.[/QUOTE]


January 777 FO reserve line 2711 has the last 7 days on duty. That person then gets DFW 777 FO reserve line 2745 February. That line has 1st 9 days on duty. Then 2 days off. Wow a whole 2 days off after being on reserve for 16 days.

In Miami there are worse examples and i've lived them. I was 2 from the bottom on reserve. I flew many months at 77+ hours on reserve. Lots of it short call. Many back to back trips.

So I posted here numerous times and people like Sliceback would disagree with me. Huh? I just lived this and he writes that I did this to myself.

If you are junior reserve at AA you will not get reserve lines you want.

Basically it goes like this. Senior reserves at least in Miami bid days off at the end of say March, then bid days off at the beginning of April. Obviously to have a block of days off.

So up to six times a year the junior reserves can expect to be on reserve for long long stretches. My record last year was 22 days on duty. My 24's off in 7 were in Sao Paulo Brazil.

Now last year I was trying to build up my sick bank and only called in sick once in 1.5 years. Last year in March April I flew 3 double all nighters in a row. Get back on a Wed morn and fly out Thurs night again. I was so tired I went and got a testosterone check at the DR. A week later DR says it's normal, you're just tired, get some sleep and exercise more. WOW!

Then I posted here June 2013 to July 2013 this was during a 22 day tour of duty reserve at AA. 22 days ON no days OFF. THe way the bids come together.
I flew 4 trips in a row. Double all nighters up to and including 4th of July. While in EZE (Buenos Aires) on 3rd trip. I notice they have me flying same morning, same night. No-one does this, except maybe commuters.
I Skype scheduling and decide see if they "get it" my game this day was to make them say "You're fatigued" It was a senior scheduler. She knew there was no way I was going to do this. It took about 2 minutes of banter and her saying "it's not me it's American" THen she put me down as fatigued. I returned the morning of the 3rd and flew out again on the 4th but this time it was a 3 day daytime/daytime trip. Much easier.

Like most airlines when fatigued you must fill out a form. Our's takes 20-25 minutes.
I followed that up with a call to the chiefs office. And was straight up honest you have to get more people on this airplane. I made him acknowledge i'd flown 4 trips in a row. This is unheard of on 777. But he couldn't get off the phone fast enough.

From Jan 2013 until July 2013 premium pay was never offered to 777 FO in MIA.
I was called 3 Sundays ago for a days off premium trip. But I chose not to in order to celebrate Football playoffs.

Looking at other bases reserve lines are minimally better, there are less examples of long stretches. But there are many with 15 on the way the bids come together. They do not fix this. They wait to see if you get 30 off in 168 in an outstation.

I just want what other airlines have. 6 on, 2 3 or 4 off, 6 on 2 3 or 5 off ,
I am told even with PBS American will still have long stretches of reserve.
UNLESS USAIR PILOTS DEMAND WE AVOID THE AA RESERVE SYSTEM.

I have a hobby. It is really hard to schedule with 22 days on duty.

A tale of Two cities is how this reserve system reads. I often fly with DFW or LGA reserve pilots sent to cover MIA flying. I like the DFW 777 FO's they are always calm, and nice and relaxed and are always surprised at how much I fly.

Just last night we had a DFW 777 CA and LGA 777 CA covering our trips.


Cheers to all,
7576

7576FO

We need 30 off in 168 to be in Base.

Irishish

You are right, I shouldn't have said never. I do believe that the beginning of FAR117 was difficult for schedulers to figure out coverage-wise and some flying into days off had to happen. You must have been their only option, because I believe they will exhaust all other buckets before forcing you into a day off.

450knotOffice

^^^This blows my mind. When I was at AE, we ALWAYS had at least one scheduled CALENDAR day off, in base, in 7.

How tough can it be to negotiate a calendar day off in base at least every 7 days if regional airlines do this?!

The Drizzle

My thoughts exactly. Nothing ruined my innocence more than finding out my mainline contract was worse, in many ways, than my BS rj contract at a lower rung regional.

757HI

I flew 90+ hours with 17 to 18 days off a month as a captain at Trans States.

Came to a major and have never had more then 14 days off flying 80-85 a month…..

450knotOffice

And you, my friend, stated it even more succinctly than I did. The pay, 401(k) are certainly light years ahead, but I was shocked to find the QOL factors - the Bid lines and Reserve system - are HORRID.

Freeflyfreak

Bubble burst already 450 ;-p