Min schedule
 

So my priorities have changed and I’m interested in flying as few days per month as possible. My only experience is on 717 (while junior) and it was somewhat challenging to get much above a daily 5:15 average, which meant it was hard to get less than 15 days per month.

Anyone have opinions on best fleet to minimize days worked per month? I’m thinking both in terms of average daily hours to minimize PBS days awarded, and ability to drop/swap. I realize these factors will change coming out of the pandemic, but just looking for historic insight. I’m targeting west coast bases.

Thanks in advance!

Do you live in base or out of base? Widebody reserve has typically not flown much in the winter, as the schedule is cut back, and any left over flying is picked up by WS. But that works only if you live in base, otherwise you might end up commuting for SC in a hotel room.

Out of base. Thanks for the reply. Since I’m out of base, I’m trying to set up for a line with min days.

350B/330B, live near base, bid reserve and never look back.

Start with “set min credit” in PBS.
Keep what you’re awarded on the low side of the window.


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Get senior on a NB and bid 7 hour day turns. 10 of those, and you are done for the month.

pre-pandemic when I was scoping WB B, they seemed to have a lot of 6-7 hour avg per day...3 day trip pays 18-21. Look at the current bid award to see what kind of trips you can get

either way. Need some seniority. 😁

Edit added: I should have RTFQ better, but will leave my non-responsive PBS answer anyway since it might help somebody next month.

First Bid Group...

1. Set condition min credit
2. Avoid {any trips you hate}
3. Credit per day 6:00 or more
4. List trips you like, or layovers you like
5. Clear SKD and restart

Second Bid Group...

1. Set condition min credit
2. Avoid {any trips you hate}
3. Credit per day 5:40 or more
4. List trips you like, or layovers you like
5. Clear SKD and restart

Third Bid Group...

1. Set condition min credit
2. Avoid {any trips you hate}
3. Credit per day 5:20 or more
4. List trips you like, or layovers you like
​​​​​​​5. {the last bid group will NOT have a Clr SKD & restart}

​​​​​​​... keep going with less restrictive papameters

If you don’t need a bunch of specific days off, that should work. If the 1st group doesn’t produce a solution, it will start anew with the 2nd bid group etc, etc. You can adjust the min credit times of each group as you see fit. Each successive bid group should be less restrictive, giving PBS more trips with which it can buils a solution.

And if there were days off you want where would you put the “Prefer Off” within that logic?

I guess it depends on the importance of those days off. If you MUST have them off, put them right below Set condition Min Credit. I believe that will always be the top one in the bid group.

The more PREFER OFF days you add, the less likely it will be able find a solution near the top bid group (which, in this case, would give you the fewest work days via a higher avg day credit.)

p.s. The reason you want to list all of your desired trips specifically is that a pilot senior to you might have already snagged one of them with a vague bid preference. If you specifically ask for it and it is already assigned, PBS goes back to see who got it and whether PBS can still call him a satisfied customer by substituting another trip that is still in open time and reassigning his trip to you. This is not well understood by some senior dudes. ;) PBS calls it SHUFFLING. Look it up in the PBS guide.

Disclaimer: I am 6 months out of PBS currency. (VEOP)

Set Condition Min Credit can work, but the number that can be awarded this can be limited arbitrarily by the PBS Administrator. It could be even denied to the most senior bidder.

If your strategy involves getting awarded a low credit line, consider the following strategy. I would add that this SHOULD be everyone’s strategy during the summer months, where you should aim to fly straight credit only to the GS trigger and only fly GS above that.

Example: ALV of 82:30 and LCW of 75:00-90:00. Your goal is to get across 75:00 but not much higher. Find a combination of trips and credit that will get you across the LCW.

3 4-days and 1 3-day would get you to 78:45. Not perfect, but works for the example. Bid as follows:

Start Pairings
Set Condition Min Credit
Prefer Off
Avoid
Award Pairing Length = 4 days Limit 3
Award Pairing Length = 3 days Limit 1
Avoid Pairings if Pairing credit > 0

The last line prevents PBS from filling you to the threshold.