Need USAir reserve pilots opinions
05-01-2014, 04:11 AM
#1
Gets Weekends Off
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Aug 2007
Position: 737 CA MIA
Posts: 1,042
Need USAir reserve pilots opinions
Yesterday we got this message from a new (USAir) manager in AA Crew Sched. I like this, as it is refreshing to get some info/update. Normally at AA we get no info or "just told" how it's going to be.
I speak with one USAir guy who's informative and a great friend.
Right now things are Chaotic on reserve at AA. They are handing out Missed Assignments like candy.
The lastest" Nutso" AA gaff is they have put Reports on our days off before reserve. Unpaid you are presumably required to check your schedule. They did not tell the union about these ahead of time. And APA is still try to "Build a relationship" with new management.
How are things going at USAir on reserve right now? Do I underestand correctly that you can work with CS? that they are friendly and work with you?
Here's the letter:
Greetings!
Im sending you a note to introduce myself and to provide an update regarding the world of Crew Planning and Scheduling. My Team is responsible for Planning and Scheduling for our Pilots and Flight Attendants, and for those of you familiar with our org structure, my boss is Tim Campbell. Im new to American Airlines but I was serving in a similar role at US Airways. Now about that update
First, Im disappointed with our progress in implementing the 2012 agreement. Following my arrival in January of this year I realized that major elements of the agreement that are important to both the Pilots and the Company had not been implemented. There are some legitimate reasons for why these items havent been implemented (primarily FAR 117 development and cumbersome mainframe technology) but rather than discuss the past, I want to focus on moving forward and provide an update on our status. Since January, my Team has been working with your representatives on implementing the agreement. Early in the process, your APA Leaders asked the Company to address several items:
Cease from scheduling DHs beyond the duty tables associated with flight
Apply sequence protection to FAR 117 bid conflicts with a start date on or after the 7th day of the contractual month
Limit the number of early morning RAPs and commit to some long-call positions to those pilots coming off a duty-free period (as part of the 4-month test period)
Address how sick-if-needed is applied
Allow more trading via TTOT
We have implemented these items.
Your representatives also informed me that our pilots are frustrated with the pace of several contractual items:
Open-time pickup out-of-base
Dropping of duty-free periods
Reserves picking up flying on days off
Weve moved these items to the top of the development list and were also exploring manual work-arounds. Well begin testing open-time pickup out-of-base in the next month and I hope this will be available to you this summer. Were still investigating the other two and I hope to provide implementation dates soon.
My Team is also working double-time to construct the major systems outlined in the 2012 Agreement: Trip Trade System (TTS), Reserve Assignment System, and PBS. I have asked your APA representatives to participate in the planning and design of these tools and I hope to provide timelines for these tools in the next couple months.
Lastly, your representatives have informed me that our processes for assigning reserves is less than desirable (perhaps a bit of an understatement). Im pleased to say that we are working with the APA on this issue and Im hopeful that we can make real improvements.
Thats enough for now (thanks for making it this far). We are facing an enormous amount of change and I plan to send you periodic updates on these and other items. Thanks for all you do and thanks for your patience as we manage through the integration.
Be well! -
I speak with one USAir guy who's informative and a great friend.
Right now things are Chaotic on reserve at AA. They are handing out Missed Assignments like candy.
The lastest" Nutso" AA gaff is they have put Reports on our days off before reserve. Unpaid you are presumably required to check your schedule. They did not tell the union about these ahead of time. And APA is still try to "Build a relationship" with new management.
How are things going at USAir on reserve right now? Do I underestand correctly that you can work with CS? that they are friendly and work with you?
Here's the letter:
Greetings!
Im sending you a note to introduce myself and to provide an update regarding the world of Crew Planning and Scheduling. My Team is responsible for Planning and Scheduling for our Pilots and Flight Attendants, and for those of you familiar with our org structure, my boss is Tim Campbell. Im new to American Airlines but I was serving in a similar role at US Airways. Now about that update
First, Im disappointed with our progress in implementing the 2012 agreement. Following my arrival in January of this year I realized that major elements of the agreement that are important to both the Pilots and the Company had not been implemented. There are some legitimate reasons for why these items havent been implemented (primarily FAR 117 development and cumbersome mainframe technology) but rather than discuss the past, I want to focus on moving forward and provide an update on our status. Since January, my Team has been working with your representatives on implementing the agreement. Early in the process, your APA Leaders asked the Company to address several items:
Cease from scheduling DHs beyond the duty tables associated with flight
Apply sequence protection to FAR 117 bid conflicts with a start date on or after the 7th day of the contractual month
Limit the number of early morning RAPs and commit to some long-call positions to those pilots coming off a duty-free period (as part of the 4-month test period)
Address how sick-if-needed is applied
Allow more trading via TTOT
We have implemented these items.
Your representatives also informed me that our pilots are frustrated with the pace of several contractual items:
Open-time pickup out-of-base
Dropping of duty-free periods
Reserves picking up flying on days off
Weve moved these items to the top of the development list and were also exploring manual work-arounds. Well begin testing open-time pickup out-of-base in the next month and I hope this will be available to you this summer. Were still investigating the other two and I hope to provide implementation dates soon.
My Team is also working double-time to construct the major systems outlined in the 2012 Agreement: Trip Trade System (TTS), Reserve Assignment System, and PBS. I have asked your APA representatives to participate in the planning and design of these tools and I hope to provide timelines for these tools in the next couple months.
Lastly, your representatives have informed me that our processes for assigning reserves is less than desirable (perhaps a bit of an understatement). Im pleased to say that we are working with the APA on this issue and Im hopeful that we can make real improvements.
Thats enough for now (thanks for making it this far). We are facing an enormous amount of change and I plan to send you periodic updates on these and other items. Thanks for all you do and thanks for your patience as we manage through the integration.
Be well! -
05-01-2014, 05:56 AM
#2
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2013
Posts: 203
That letter certainly sounds like a step in the right direction. Let's hope it continues. I personally have found our crew schedulers to be nice and work with you to the extent they can. There are a few schedulers that are truly great to work with. Of course we also have our share of bad ones too. Overall, they seem to be friendly. Hopefully that won't change as most of our schedulers know their job is almost over. All our schedulers work in PIT and with the jobs eventually moving to DFW, I doubt many, if any, will move for the job.
It's good to know the company is working with the APA. Hopefully they will include USAPA and try and keep some good things in the new reserve system that we have over here...
It's good to know the company is working with the APA. Hopefully they will include USAPA and try and keep some good things in the new reserve system that we have over here...
05-01-2014, 07:54 AM
#4
Line Holder
Joined APC: Sep 2008
Posts: 52
There are two different reserve systems at US. The "east/west". I've flown under both of them. As others have posted, some of the schedulers you can work with, some you can't. The two different contracts have various rules that allow more flexibility. The west reserve has little flexibility, but the structure (Reserve A, B, C, D) is far better then the 24 duty/rest periods that the East has. On the east you only get 9 hours rest between reserve periods. (correct me someone if I'm wrong). East long call is 9 hour call out, west is 12 hour.
On the west, schedulers won't fill an open trip immediately. It will stay open until the 2 hour call out time giving opportunity for it to be picked up by a line holder with available time.
On the east, an open trip is filled immediately after it comes open to the next available reserve. Both these situations have their pros/cons. It's just a matter of getting use to it and making it work to your advantage.
I certainly hope those at the negotiating table take a collective look at all three reserve systems and implement the best of each.
Maybe we should get a thread up describing all the differences between the 3....maybe someone would actually read it and use it in a productive way. I've wondered if this even happens with the APA/USAPA negotiators. I have a feeling though they get busy fighting each other and small things like this slip thru the cracks.
On the west, schedulers won't fill an open trip immediately. It will stay open until the 2 hour call out time giving opportunity for it to be picked up by a line holder with available time.
On the east, an open trip is filled immediately after it comes open to the next available reserve. Both these situations have their pros/cons. It's just a matter of getting use to it and making it work to your advantage.
I certainly hope those at the negotiating table take a collective look at all three reserve systems and implement the best of each.
Maybe we should get a thread up describing all the differences between the 3....maybe someone would actually read it and use it in a productive way. I've wondered if this even happens with the APA/USAPA negotiators. I have a feeling though they get busy fighting each other and small things like this slip thru the cracks.
05-01-2014, 08:46 AM
#5
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2013
Posts: 203
Originally Posted by morecowbell
On the east you only get 9 hours rest between reserve periods. (correct me someone if I'm wrong). East long call is 9 hour call out, west is 12 hour.
On the west, schedulers won't fill an open trip immediately. It will stay open until the 2 hour call out time giving opportunity for it to be picked up by a line holder with available time.
On the east, an open trip is filled immediately after it comes open to the next available reserve. Both these situations have their pros/cons. It's just a matter of getting use to it and making it work to your advantage.
I certainly hope those at the negotiating table take a collective look at all three reserve systems and implement the best of each.
On the west, schedulers won't fill an open trip immediately. It will stay open until the 2 hour call out time giving opportunity for it to be picked up by a line holder with available time.
On the east, an open trip is filled immediately after it comes open to the next available reserve. Both these situations have their pros/cons. It's just a matter of getting use to it and making it work to your advantage.
I certainly hope those at the negotiating table take a collective look at all three reserve systems and implement the best of each.
On the East, once you get off a reserve trip, you are usually done for that day. They would only try to get you if they are really short. And I think 117 has made the time 10 hrs now.
I agree, if we can get the best of all three systems, reserve may not be as bad...
05-01-2014, 09:00 AM
#6
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2013
Posts: 1,764
Originally Posted by morecowbell
There are two different reserve systems at US. The "east/west". I've flown under both of them. As others have posted, some of the schedulers you can work with, some you can't. The two different contracts have various rules that allow more flexibility. The west reserve has little flexibility, but the structure (Reserve A, B, C, D) is far better then the 24 duty/rest periods that the East has. On the east you only get 9 hours rest between reserve periods. (correct me someone if I'm wrong). East long call is 9 hour call out, west is 12 hour.
On the west, schedulers won't fill an open trip immediately. It will stay open until the 2 hour call out time giving opportunity for it to be picked up by a line holder with available time.
On the east, an open trip is filled immediately after it comes open to the next available reserve. Both these situations have their pros/cons. It's just a matter of getting use to it and making it work to your advantage.
I certainly hope those at the negotiating table take a collective look at all three reserve systems and implement the best of each.
Maybe we should get a thread up describing all the differences between the 3....maybe someone would actually read it and use it in a productive way. I've wondered if this even happens with the APA/USAPA negotiators. I have a feeling though they get busy fighting each other and small things like this slip thru the cracks.
On the west, schedulers won't fill an open trip immediately. It will stay open until the 2 hour call out time giving opportunity for it to be picked up by a line holder with available time.
On the east, an open trip is filled immediately after it comes open to the next available reserve. Both these situations have their pros/cons. It's just a matter of getting use to it and making it work to your advantage.
I certainly hope those at the negotiating table take a collective look at all three reserve systems and implement the best of each.
Maybe we should get a thread up describing all the differences between the 3....maybe someone would actually read it and use it in a productive way. I've wondered if this even happens with the APA/USAPA negotiators. I have a feeling though they get busy fighting each other and small things like this slip thru the cracks.
05-02-2014, 12:54 PM
#7
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: May 2007
Position: A320 CA
Posts: 1,530
Originally Posted by morecowbell
There are two different reserve systems at US. The "east/west". I've flown under both of them. As others have posted, some of the schedulers you can work with, some you can't. The two different contracts have various rules that allow more flexibility. The west reserve has little flexibility, but the structure (Reserve A, B, C, D) is far better then the 24 duty/rest periods that the East has. On the east you only get 9 hours rest between reserve periods. (correct me someone if I'm wrong). East long call is 9 hour call out, west is 12 hour.
On the west, schedulers won't fill an open trip immediately. It will stay open until the 2 hour call out time giving opportunity for it to be picked up by a line holder with available time.
On the east, an open trip is filled immediately after it comes open to the next available reserve. Both these situations have their pros/cons. It's just a matter of getting use to it and making it work to your advantage.
I certainly hope those at the negotiating table take a collective look at all three reserve systems and implement the best of each.
Maybe we should get a thread up describing all the differences between the 3....maybe someone would actually read it and use it in a productive way. I've wondered if this even happens with the APA/USAPA negotiators. I have a feeling though they get busy fighting each other and small things like this slip thru the cracks.
On the west, schedulers won't fill an open trip immediately. It will stay open until the 2 hour call out time giving opportunity for it to be picked up by a line holder with available time.
On the east, an open trip is filled immediately after it comes open to the next available reserve. Both these situations have their pros/cons. It's just a matter of getting use to it and making it work to your advantage.
I certainly hope those at the negotiating table take a collective look at all three reserve systems and implement the best of each.
Maybe we should get a thread up describing all the differences between the 3....maybe someone would actually read it and use it in a productive way. I've wondered if this even happens with the APA/USAPA negotiators. I have a feeling though they get busy fighting each other and small things like this slip thru the cracks.
05-03-2014, 04:06 AM
#8
Line Holder
Joined APC: Nov 2013
Posts: 25
Reserve
Originally Posted by Arado 234
Life on long call ('R') was like vacation. Even with the 9 hour call out life was somewhat predictable, once you had the open flying in CATCREW figured out. The only glitch in that system is System Crew Scheduling that can give you trips that are not shown available on CATCREW.
05-03-2014, 01:57 PM
#9
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2006
Posts: 375
Originally Posted by H8Flying
If life on long call was like vacation then you probably have not been here a long time or just got lucky to be in a base that was overstaffed in your position. My experience with reserve here over the last 27 years has been vastly different. The only time it was tolerable was when I first got hired and we had the right to pass trips to junior reserves. Since bankruptcy and LOA 93, there have been times that long call reserves either flew every day(which red eye would you like to fly?) or if lucky enough to not get a trip, were immediately transitioned to short call. My classmate who is a junior Airbus Capt in CLT flies everyday and just had to call in fatigued after 5 straight nasty assignments just to get enough time off and rest to be somewhat prepared for his sim training back into the right seat as a result of getting displaced. My experience with short call (Airbus Capt CLT) since FAR 117 was implemented has been terrible. My 4am RAP puts me available first thing in the morning for all the crap that goes wrong overnight so being in a 5 day bucket usually means nothing. I'm called out well before a 7am RAP who might be in a one day bucket. Scheduling abuse is alive and well. I probably fill out an event report and/or call the hotline/Chief Pilots at least every two weeks detailing a new or continuing problem. Please don't delude anyone into thinking reserve life here is anything but terrible for the vast majority of us.
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