Was that for me

Anybody else out there having issues staying current with the lack of flying for reserves or line holders?

How are you resolving it, PDO, M/U, VLT. or sim time?

Anyone else go NOQ? How did you get paid and what did you have to do?

Please, I want to stay away from the "why don't you go fly a trip" snip, and just see if it's a bigger problem than Mgt makes out.

Thank you in advance

max8222

WTFM, I started a thread about LAX lines and the difficulties with staying current due to the high # of RFO pairings and little open time. The companies outlook is that you need to do what you can to try and get them in. Things such as first fly on reserve, make up, VLT on days off ect. If you make an effort and are not senior enough to hold FO trips then they are supposed to pay you to come in for your 3X3. By the way it is not just get 3 TO/LDGS in the sim. It is a regular check ride. Basically it is not a no threat event like it use to be. Guess it is a good deterent for getting you to get them on your time. Some guys PDO bump but if your in ANC or LAX a quick out and back is not possible so it can turn into a 3 day event to get a landing in. If you are senior and bid airport or hotel standby 3 months in a row and get into trouble you will not find much help or sympathy.

I am on an RFO trip right now and had to ask for a landing due to having a death in my family last month and bad weather on my last trip requiring monitored app/capt landing.Capt and FO were OK with it when I explained that it was not due to me goofing off.

I like the way Delta does it on trips with RFO. Who ever has the least # of landings on the paperwork or who needs one to stay current gets the leg. I think we have to many big egos and seniority issues here for that to ever happen.

MaxKts

Is that allowed - to use "Delta" and "big egos" in the same post?

MaydayMark

I worked at a previous airline where the f/o got the "extra" landing. In other words, if there were three landings, the f/o got 2 of them (5 landings, the f/o got 3 ... you get the idea). It was sort of the Capt's responsibility to "train" the new "young guns." I'm a bit surprised at the FedEx concept that the Capt takes the first landing and then alternates concept (which also means that if there is only 1 landing, the Capt. takes it!).

With RSV, RFO, BMP, VAC and high mins Capt's ... it can be really tough for an f/o to stay current. I was an MD-11 f/o for 9 years and averaged 2 landings/mo (many months I received none).

So ... I almost always give my f/o's the "extra" landings and I always try to buy the first beer

skypine27

WTFM:

I am an FO who often bids reserve. Anyway, after not being called for a while, in addition to dropping an entire months worth of reserve days, I was about to go NOQ.

I talked to some training guys on the phone in MEM, and eventually worked out actually going to the sim in MEM for a 3&3 before I went NOQ.

It was not plesant, but not unplesant. I did NOT get paid for the sim time, and it was blocked at 2.0 hours and consisted of a mini 6 month ride (V1 cut, etc).

I did not lose any pay, except for going to the sim for a 3 hour block (1 hour brief + 2 hour sim) on my days off.

Proof is in the pudding, you CAN go to the sim for a 3&3. I did. Just make sure you do it BEFORE you go NOQ.

MD11HOG

You can schedule some sim time on your on time. I believe the program is called "Partnership in Proficiency". It's your time and you get to tell the instructor what you want to work on. Call the 11 traing dept schedulers. You just can't do it the month before training. That's just information so don't beat me up over it.
Now for some ammo: The Idea for a senior MEM F/O to bid sweet RFO trips and then bump one of my landings is bullsh!t. (I don't care how they do it at Delta) And, you d@mn well know we've got guys who whould do it given the chance. Memphis, I repeat, Memphis.

USMCFDX

Had the same thing happen to me in ANC awhile back. Senior female F/O wanted my landing on the leg back to ANC. She had been flying sweet RFO trips and needed the leg. I told her and the captain that if it was my choice not a chance, he agreed.

Another time I went first fly and they gave me an RFO trip. Called skeds to say *** and they said they had to assign the first trip that fit. Even though I needed landings and I know a trip with same footprint was assigned to another pilot that included landings. Ended up sending a e-mail to JP and was told to come in for a paid 3/3 if needed. Not a big deal since I lived there, but still would have rather avoided the box.

BrownGirls YUM

Geez, tough crowd. You must have forgotten to add that this was a non-member or someone who had been flying DPs---that would make it understandable, but someone who just needed a landing because they had been flying trips without enough of them built in? How much does it hurt to give up a landing you don't need? I must be missing something here...

nightfreight

I agree with USMCFDX. If you can't get a landing due to extreme circumstances, then it would be a different story. Professional RFO's aren't in that situation. If they are senior enough, they could/should bid pairings where they could get their landings. Tough luck for them..

Junior folks don't get those choices. Also, reserve guys often fly with High min captains (usually crappy pairings). This of course is different and I would gladly give them a landing.

Daniel Larusso

I think Max8222's post summed it/us up pretty well in advance of many of the predictable comments. We are a 'fun' bunch at times............