Baradium

I'm honestly confused as to what the moral of your story is here? Reserve assignments working like they should is bad? Or commuters aren't always happy to get assignments? Nowhere does that include pilots "living within the rule to pick up the slack for those who don't."

I've commuted on reserve here, but I tend to just stay in a crash pad until time off... but our reserve rules and time off aren't all that bad even if you DO commute because you don't tend to work many different days than a lienholder. Sure, if you live in base you can take advantage and have almost days off... but even commuters can be home a reasonable amount of time without having to commute on the leash.

By this logic anyone who lives in base who doesn't bid reserve must be making a "poor choice" since it means less time at home in most categories.

Iceberg

The inhumanity. Imagine the poor reserve assigned flying because a block holder’s commute fell apart. Or worse, the block holder dared to be sick! Poor abused reserve...

notEnuf

It is what it is. I wonder if the poor block holder (regular pilot) who is rerouted has a right to complain if our company is operating within the PWA? I do both, they have their own rules we all need to deal with or change. A pilot who bids reserve isn’t any less entitled to b!tch, is he/she?

crewdawg

That only works if your cateogry regularly sees GS#2. In my category GS#2 are extremely rare and I'm almost certain I've never seen GS#3 in the last two years. Heck even in the summer I'm lucky if GS#1 even gets down to my seniority.

Iceberg

I might be in agreement with you, I guess I should have labeled my post as sarcasm. I just think sailings post was little absurd and extremely specific. I have to imagine the reserves who get burned while trying to game the system on long call at home change after they can’t make it to work on time.

Gunfighter

This sounds like WB B mindset to me. I use the same metric. As a line holding WB B, I can average 6.5 to 7.5 hours per day with trips that are commutable on both ends. A NB A schedule for my seniority would average 5:15 -5:30 per day and lose one day per trip commuting.

Using current pay rates one day of 320 A at 5:20 credit is equivalent to one day of 330 B at 6:20 of credit. If you can beat 6:20 per day you are making more money per day. If the report/release times save you a day away from home because of the commute, you are ahead of the game. If you are 350B or 777B, the gap is even larger.

As far as the gross pay numbers are concerned, you can almost always WS or swap to get a few extra hours or days in a WB category. If you want to work as many days as a 320A, that closes the gap in gross pay. If you substitute 350 pay rate and productivity it takes 7ER A to come out equal pay per day.

As a generality, WB B is better for commuters because of the report/release times and the higher number of DH days on the front or back of trips. NB A works well for those who live in base or have a short commute with frequent flights like BOS-NYC, PHX-LAX, etc.

We have 14,000 opinions on what makes the ideal job. I'm thankful for all of those NB As senior to me who cherish that fourth stripe more than an easy commute, just as those NB As junior to me are glad I commute and want the WB B schedule.

vyperdriver

The issue is reserve abuse...I have no issue working and understand my reserve obligations, but 10 months of 85hr+ months, in many cases flying well above line holder ALV, is a foul.

sailingfun

What category base is this happening in? In the past when hearing these stories a quick look at schedules shows it not to be true on a average.

Herkflyr

If you are truly flying 85+ hours a month on reserve, for 10 months straight, then the GS in your category are likely plentiful...which means you can fly GS on your X days, get paid above the guarantee, and get the violated X days paid back--which means you'll likely fly far less than 85 hours, and get paid far more.

The ultimate crew resources wet dream of reserves flying 85 hours a month, all due to reserve assignments via on call days, with no GS and payback days, is hard to do. I would say it is completely impossible for ten consecutive months, what with vacation, training, FAR 117 requirements for 30 hour rest etc.

smellson

I would disagree with you. The rsv guys flying 85hr/month are typically the guys that can't hold weekends off. 95% of the GS going out, are on weekends. I've filled up for the past 5 months now and I can typically get a weekend or two off. The guys below me are almost guaranteed to fill up every month. I hit 90hrs for September and tried just about every trick in the book to avoid work.