dma88

My tiny brain can't find the answer in the PWA or Scheduling Reference Handbook so I'm looking for help from this august group. Where is PB day processing in the PCS sequence?

Section 23.E.2 of the PWA says that PCS is run in the following sequence:
1. MLOA
2. IVD
3. APD
4. PD and X day moves
5. Recovery slips
6. White Slips
7. SWTP

From what I was able to decipher (per PWA 23.S.14), PB days are considered additional days off but that still doesn't help understand where it sits in the PCS processing pecking order.

You would think (with 25 years at Delter and as a widebody F/O) that I could hold Christmas off but nnnoooo... so I am attempting some damage control and trying to make some changes.

Maybe it just hit me this year but it seems like there is an inordinate amount of open time around the holidays - even before any of the PD/APD/IVD/WS shuffling that goes on starting on the 20th of November. It's almost like none of the trips around 12/25/2017 were assigned on the initial award and they're all in open time to drive up the number of reserves required. Probably just an anomaly of the December bid period but I haven't followed it that closely in years past. Am I missing something?

Thanks for your help and perspective.

crewdawg

I was told that PB days are processed between steps 3 and 4 from your post...that was from a talk with the scheduling gurus at DALPA.

They can only force coverage trips to the bottom 50% of the category (that's active that month) in a holiday month. So if we have that much more flying this year, then you get what we have right now. Not sure if this is higher or lower, based on previous years. Staying low on staffing is an obvious issue as well.

So about the only way to ensure days off are to ensure you'll be 50% or better. I know, easier said than done when categories expand and contract.

TED74

Not 50% of category, but 50% of line holders. Coverage can generally reach into the 40s in category.

crewdawg

Correct, important distinction, good catch.

Keno75

To caveat off this with another question.... Do you use one PB over the entire trip or does the PB day have to match the trip you are trying to get relieved from? For example...If I had a 3 day trip I would like to get off in any given month, I would need 3 PB days in the bank for that to work (of course coverage have to agree over those day, I believe)?

Thanks in advance

DLpilot

You only need 1 PB day to drop the trip. If you only have 1 PB then it only pays for the first day. If you have 3 PB days then it will automatically use all 3 for the 3 day trip and pay you for the entire trip.

Scoop

And remember it needs positive coverage for all days to go through - even if you are only dropping 1 or 2 days.

Scoop

Abouttime2fish

Who's calling scheds to remind them to hit the pcs go button this morning....