zippinbye

Could I get a refresher on the PWA stipulations that are unique to a new category, such as MSP 717 or a future West Coast 220 base?
My main interest is the implications on a category freeze. Does a new category award requiring IQ training get you out of an existing freeze, or come with a different than normal freeze obligation? I ask only after doing a key word search of the PWA, and I cannot pin it down. Hoping somebody with better knowledge or superior search skills can steer me in the right direction. Thanks!

Denny Crane

Pretty sure your current freeze will be added to any freeze you incur from bidding a new category.

Denny

casual observer

I had 18 months of an existing freeze when I bid the latest new category last March. It was coincidently also my first captain bid at Delta. I got the bid and noticed icrew had my new freeze pushed out 36 months (2 years for the new category plus my existing 18 months).

I called crew resources and explained what I thought happened, from how I interpreted the contract.

If you are bidding to a first time captain slot to an existing category, you can get the award even though you have an existing freeze, but the existing freeze is tacked on to the new 2 year freeze. This is how they initially interpreted my situation.

If you are bidding to a new category, however, any existing freeze is waved and you incur only a new 2 year freeze.

They agreed and my freeze was adjusted back to just the 2 years.

Again, my situation may be different because it was first captain and new category, so I'd ask around more before you bank on it.

In regards to first time captain, 22.G.6 says: A pilot who is under a category freeze and who has not previously completed training for a mainline Captain position will nevertheless be eligible to be awarded a Captain position. In such event, the balance of such pilot's existing category freeze shall be added to the category freeze resulting from the Captain position award.

In regards to a new category freeze, 22.A.7.c says: Category freeze means a period of time...during which the pilot will (unless declared eligible by the Company) be ineligible to be awarded another AE with an earliest conversion date falling within the freeze period (other than to a new or reestablished category) for which qualification training is required.

casual observer

Obviously look harder at section 22. 22.A.7.c looks like it waves the freeze when you bid into a new or reestablished category. I’ll call up CR tomorrow and get it straightened out.

FL370esq

The MSP717 category is a new category. You may bid to it regardless of any remaining freeze you may currently have and, if successfully awarded a MSP717 position, you would simply incur the "standard" 24 month freeze for the award.
That freeze starts running on the day of the award.

zippinbye

Thanks all - just what I needed!