germb74

I found it VERY challenging to manage both--essentially I was working two full-time jobs to do my 17 days plus contribute adequately at the reserves. Most of my 13-14 days off were spent doing mil duty. The company expects you to do mil duty on your days off. That being said, there are times I rarely asked them to drop below 17 days--they were accommodating, but this usually results in loss of pay protection for reserve assignments while at work. (Hard line converted to reserve line = no 3.65 hours of pay for reserve assignments).

OrionFE

So what did you do about it?

Avroman

This place sounds worse than some of the passenger regionals....

727C47

Actually it's some of the best flying I have done in my life.

ghilis101

He went to Delta and I followed suit, im 2 classes behind him.

The flying and layovers can be fun with the right crew and location. I always loved HKG, ANC, and even Delhi believe it or not. Seeing the Taj Mahal was one of the greatest experiences in my life, but I couldn't have done it without a great outgoing crew. Ive also hiked up the Hollywood sign during a LAX layover, taken a high speed ferry to Macau, rode the maglev in Shanghai, rode bikes downtown in Amsterdam, ran trails in Germany etc and all have been with great crews. Unfortunately never saw Australia but that's could be coming soon in a future contract for you guys.

What youre going to dislike is being forced to sit reserve in places like CVG when you know youre not needed, youre a few days from being off, and scheduling wont let you go home early just to spite you. Its the needless hostility that rains down from above that will frustrate you. And be careful about going home on your own while youre still on days on, you can be drug tested in your reserve location, and a "no show" to the testing facility is just as bad as testing positive on your record.

Droopy

Many thanks to all who have passed on info (both good and bad) for those of us looking. Couple of questions...

How does reserve work? How does it compare to a line? Is there as big a difference as there is in the regional world?

Looking through some of the interview gouge sites, a common question involves losing Hyd #4 out over the pond. Not having a ton of experience with pond crossings and zero with a 747, what are some things to consider?

Thanks again!

myoface

Reserve is a state of mind at kalitta. There are hard lines and reserve lines, but the biggest difference is when on a hard line and you get put on reserve on any given day in any given city, you get credited 3.65 hours toward your pay guarantee or above it. When on a reserve line you dont get that 3.65 credit. The only way to break guarantee is too actually fly 62 hours and for all their ineptitude, scheduling seemed be be very good at working reserves to about 60 hours for the month.

Hard lines are published, you rarely actually fly your whole published line with your whole crew. Ad hoc charters, mx, sick calls, etc make it so you will fly anything any time.

The interview question is just to see if you use your resources. QRH, mx control, etc. losing the hyd pump is not a big deal and they want to see you keep going but in a thoughtful manner.

Remember the mantra "GIT ER DONE".

germb74

All a "line" means is that you have certain duty days, and duty free days. A few lines on the -400 have published pairings in excess of 62 hours, so they got paid at least the "bid line guarantee" associated with that line (provided you didn't try and modify your schedule in any way). I was a classic guy and haven't seen bid line guarantee since Christmas 2008.

Aside from that, there is no contract language that requires the company to actually assign you to the trips you were awarded, nor do they have to pay you the value of the flight(s) you should have flown if they do decide to assign your trip to someone else. In my six years there, I never actually flew my "line" as published.

You have to contact scheduling every day while on the road. There is a MOU in place that basically gives them three options WHEN they pull you off your trip:

1) Release you for 24 hours (called an FAR "1/7" break). If they use this option, your pay for the day toward the 62 hour guarantee is zero. They can and do use this option for 2, 3, or 4 days in a row consecutively if you happen to be in a location without a plane or trip to protect.

2). Assign you to reserve ("line" holders and nonline holders alike). The only difference, as previously mentioned, is that line holders get 3.65 hours of pay towards guarantee for each day assigned reserve and reserves do not. They can assign R1 (hot standby--rarely used), R2 (standard short call--one hour callback and two hour report), R3 (eight hour callback--rarely used anymore either).

3. Assign and release you to another trip within 24 hours of the contact.

I don't remember being asked any technical questions; it was mainly "What do you know about Kalitta"?) and "Are you sure you're up for this lifestyle?" Of course, this was when they were hiring madly. As for losing #4 hydraulic system, you're going to have to use a QRH procedure to emergency extend gear/flaps; your normal brakes live on Sys 4 so you'll have to use alternate breaks. They wouldn't expect you to know that though; it's just a CRM and coordinating exercise. Not a whole lot to do on this one until you're ready to configure, except consider where you're going and whether they will be able to get you fixed quickly or if it's better to divert to a nearby MX base--ops should be helping you make that decision (I have a story about flying with a fellow member of the forum--we lost two hydraulic systems while landing in Afghanistan; got to spend a week there in the hotel in downtown Kabul waiting for parts :-). Ops did tell us good luck finding a hotel though.

HercDriver130

Bottom line... bid for days you want off... 2nd... hard line protection will aide you in exceeding guarantee for pay..... note.....if you change your hardline days in ANY way.. the company will revert your entire line to a rsv line and you lose the 3.65 protection for Reserve status days...

in a bit over 3 years I have only broken guarantee twice with a reserve line... MUCH easier to do with a hardline if you fly a good amount during the month with hard lines during 2012 i broke guarantee 10 of 12 months. NO rhyme or reason to scheduling... some months you will move move move.. other months you will sit around while others are flying... its a mystery few have figured out.....

worse than a regional?....not by a long shot...IF you can live with the 17 day schedule most guys (one girl) come to really like the long stretches of time off... 13/14 days. YES.... its possible to get a back to back situation when very junior that could keep you out over 17 days.. up to 34 days... most I did was 29... 23 a couple times.. contract does say they have to give you 5 days between lines if you don't want the back to back...

interview.... use common sense..... its not that bad... easily the most relaxed interview I have ever been party to.

727C47

Well said, the funny thing is trying to guess who everybody is behind the screen names, I know we all have been at CVG, or the "Hair of the Dog", or the 5 Towns together , at one time or another.