fedupbusdriver

Reading the TA, I was wondering what everyone's thoughts on the changes to Reserve are, and their effect on the crewmembers who like to bid reserve.

Will the change to open time lead to less flying on B reserve? If crewmembers can trip trade each morning with day flying that comes open short notice, will this lead to less B trips assigned to Reserve pilots, and a subsequent increase in trips open during the A period as people dump their A trips for B trips? Will this cause the company to create more A periods in the bid pack, and fewer B periods? Will it also create more makeup hounds than we already have, flying straight time on the much more gentleman-like day trips?

Do you think that the new A+ and B+ lines will be more liked, or less liked than the original periods?

I know that this topic doesn't appeal to most, but a few of us MEM guys like to bid Reserve. By the way, I am not griping about these changes, I believe that the more open scheduling can be, the better for all. I just wonder what some of the possible ramifications to these changes might be.

MX727

It'll be a learning process in regards to A,A+,B and B+.

As far as the ability for everyone to pick up trips just prior to CRS assigning them that morning, I think it will mean less RSV usage across the board. It may take a while for people to check open time in the morning, but once they learn about and get addicted to the extra pay......well, you see how quick open time disappears now.

BigWatchPilot

We will have to wait and see...

As far as changes...there are a few good, not so good, and indifferent.

1) Reserve Period...A, A+, B, B+

2) When you call in to be released at the end of a trip...you are released for 10 hours...no longer, until your next reserve period.

3) Duty day is shorter...no more 17:30 days...I think it is down to 16.

4) Open time will be more accurate.

5) Reserve leveling at time of trip assignment...hopefully no more double crew notification in one day from the over zealous scheduler getting caught up on the next few days.

6) Able to view crewmembers names on the leveling list if their calendar is viewable.

Others can add to the list this is what is standing out to me...

fdx727pilot

Same as now. If you come in from, say an afternoon callout for an overnite layover and get back the nest morning at 10am, they release you for 10+30 which is the 30min post block in duty plus 10 hours. you then resume RB at 2030 that evening.
Same scenario, but with a long out and back and you get in at 01:25 local. Then you are released until 11:55 local, and resume RB at 13:30, with a notification window starting at noon.

Sounds exactly like the way the system currently works.

BigWatchPilot

Not quite...have you read the current contract???

25.M Scheduling, Reserve 3.f: Post Duty Availability
A reserve pilot shall contact CRS within 30 minutes after block-in at the completion of a reserve trip. If the pilot is not given another assignment for that duty period, he shall be released for a minimum rest period of 10 hours or until the start of his next availability period, whichever is later.

Albief15

Dumping R days to pick up trips has more or less been allowed as long as reserve manning allows. When I was still on the panel I heard a guy who was a block rep and is now a flex argue with a junior guy about that issue. Junior guy says "all is fair..." BR pointed out that if union or company wanted to freeze open time for LINE HOLDERS only it might be tougher for reserve guys, but quality of life for line holders would be much better.

Who's right? Nobody IMHO. It just depends on if you want to protect the more senior guys or open things wide open. BR point was "you only have to be junior ONCE....", which was a true statement.

Point to this ramble? If senior guys don't like the way open time disappears, then perhaps an additional LOA can be crafted if required...but of course it would have to be voted on by membership. Also--company can freeze out guys from dumping A period trips for B period trips if reserve manning won't allow it--so the point may become somewhat moot anyway.

BigWatchPilot

Scheduling likes to overlook this all the time, you have to catch them...

You are on RB on call at noon. You go out on a trip and deadhead back the next day and get in at 13:45 local. You reserve day has already started...so 10:30 hours or you next R day...the R day is later. You should be released until the next day at 13:30. They will try to do the 10 hour thing and you are back on call at 00:15 local and now you can be launched on a RA trip since you have legal rest. This has happend quite a few times to me.

T-tail

I have some optimism that the changes in RSV leveling transparency and Open Time visibility, that bidding RSV will become more attractive to MEM dwellers, and make better trips available to commuters.

viperdriver

Does the trip Rig rules help Reserve guys at all? SHould we see RLG go up a little bit. I know it would increase leveling but that won't help anyone as everyone's leveling would increase.

Viper

RedeyeAV8r

Trip RIG has nothing to do with RLG.........except if you get assigned an INTL trip (after 1-3:75 kicks in). Then you will get paid accordingly/

RLG is a factor of Average line BLG. In my opinion the increase to the 13 hour spread between High and low lines will affect RLG. If average line BLG creeps up (like I think it will) RLG will increase.

BTW the formula for RLG is .96% x AVG BLG
formula for R-Day value is RLG divided by # Rdays for the month.


Lets say it is a NORMAL 4 week month and AVG BLG is 72 hours
(what it should be IMHO)

.96% x 72 = 69:2 RLG Rday value is 69.2 divided by 15 days = 4.6 hours for an Rday