How do I handle being out of cell phone coverage while on 24HR reserve...like say scuba diving, off-shore fishing, sitting in a Cessna, lost in the outback, out mowing the lawn, on a J/S coming back from a trip I picked up...etc.

Is CRS kind to "Hey, I may be out of cellphone range for two hours, do you have anything for me now? I will check back in ASAP."

Thanks in advance.

Like any reserve, you better been in coverage. My first day ever on R24, I got called while the mrs. and I were hip deep in a river fly fishing! With that said, I'd call CRS if I knew I was going to be out of coverage for a known period of time and work with them! I did this once when I jumpseated home from a trip previously assigned in R24.

I asked this question recently and was told by a non 727 guy "the contract says you must be in coverage, etc". I then was given to my 727 guy who said I could waive the requirement, but wanted a definative time that I was back "on call". My impression is (believe it or not) they DO NOT have to honor your request. Might ask someone at contract enforcement.

Reading from the book of:

25.M.g Reduced Availability Situations

A reserve pilot shall be available for assignment notification during his notification window, except as follows:

i. CRS may release a reserve pilot for a specified period of time during a reserve period.


While I haven't done R24 in awhile, every scheduler I've dealt with has been pretty reasonable about cutting me some slack. At the same time, I try to avoid being unavailable during the two prime assignment windows in the afternoon, and not much reason for me to ask to be released in the AM during the night launch.

I am not going to not mow the lawn just because I am on R24 and must be available. I am not going to not go to a movie just because I am on R24 and might not catch the call.

I am going to give my scheduler a call, see if anything's going on, and ask him or her to work with me. And if they want me to call them back, happy to do so.

But, in my experience with R24, pretty much all of the trip assigments have been assigned in the 30-37 hour prior range (barring the bad deal hub turn following the required call within 30 min)

Is that what they're calling it these days?