99% sure they will both be approved in that scenario with 25% coverage, outside of holiday blackouts.

 

Habitual reserve bidder, but I bid a line in October.

Have 3 day trip worth 15:45. Dropped APD on day 3 then used smart sheet to use two payback days on day 2 and day 3. Day 3 only 3:08 block, but trip credit is on day 3 for about 1:45. Pay for the TOFF on day 3 is only showing the 3:08. I thought the credit would pay as well, which is why I chose that day to use the payback day.

Is this correct, or should the value of the TOFF include the credit? (3:08 + 1:45 = 4:53)

 

You don't get to choose which days the PB days go on when you are using less PB days than the length of the rotation.

From the SRH:

" When dropping a rotation(s), the template will ask you to enter the number of PB days you wish to use, up to the number of PB days you have available or the length of each rotation, whichever is less. If you choose fewer PB Days than the length of the rotation(s) being dropped, the system will automatically place that PB Day(s) on the earliest day(s) of the rotation(s). You are then paid for that portion of the dropped rotation(s) or the whole rotation(s) if the PB days cover it entirely."

 

The smart sheet is worded completely different. It specifically asks which days to place them on. They were not the earliest days in the rotation and they honored it. Kind of wish they did use days one and two. This way cost me money.

Keep in mind this was over an APD drop, not dropping a trip using just payback days (this is not possible in my category since we are properly staffed!)

 

Newbie question: I’ve heard some say that if you don’t want to get used on reserve, to yellow slip short call. Any truth to this?

 

Not exactly. Open time is assigned before SC is. So, if you are junior, you can YS SC every time and it won’t matter because you’ll have been assigned a trip already as a LC pilot.

What “they” are probably saying is that SC pilots statistically get utilized a minority of the time. So, if you don’t get a trip, sometimes a SC is better than dangling in the wind as an eligible LC pilot. But SC assignments also go in seniority order, so again if you are junior…

 

This. One thing that can help though is that generally scheduling will not cut short a SC period in order to assign a future trip as long as there is another pilot legal. So let's say you are going to be #1 for a trip assignment on Wednesday morning. So then you'd YS a SC on Tuesday that ends at say 2000. You need 18 hours from the end of SC till report, so now you are protected against a trip reporting before 1400 on Wednesday. But that is a risky play as you first could be assigned a long rotation during your SC period. And like I said it tends to be rare but if scheduling is running out of pilots for Wednesday they can go in and modify or remove your SC period in order to make you legal for a trip assignment Wednesday. Of course they must be able to properly notify you of all of this so sometimes their hands are tied.

 

I’m a corporate pilot that lives in New Jersey. I make about $300 and am on call 24/7 but only “work” 10-12 days a month. Is it possible to be at home that much at DAL if you consider days not used on reserve as “off days”?

I was thinking of bidding captain ASAP and sit reserve at home.

 

Yes it's possible, but can go in waves....sometimes senior RES in my category can go 2-3 months and not get used....other months we get abused like red headed step children. Category manning and how much network is pushing the schedule are the main drivers

 

Thanks. How many days of flying on a busy month?