They're treating reserves like line pilots with no line. I posted a last month that on average I am flying 8.5 days out of every 10 available days, and that average has increased since then. I fly every single day I am on reserve with very rare exception; Last month I flew every day. And with the lack of reserve availability it is impossible to swap X-days or manipulate my schedule at all. That is most definitely not the intended function of reserve pilots, at least not historically speaking.

To be fair, reserve for me was a choice I made to be a junior guy in a senior seat. I get that and that is fine. But this is my 4th airline and I am 2nd generation airline pilot so I know what reserve life should look like and this ain't that. Fortunately, the guard rails we do have up are nice (18-hour LC, report times, etc), but the company is getting a little far afield with how low the reserve levels are, at least for my NB A seat in ATL, which is all I pay attention to. The short call abuse doesn't affect me because I never sit SC. In the last year I have actually had unused SC 3 times. If I get assigned SC I usually get a trip assigned to me a few hours later.

I credited 105 hours last month on reserve (with one RRPY credit). I average about 80 and my RAW scores are routinely in the 150 range before I fill up or the month ends. I don't mind breaking RLV in credit every month, but I work 17-18 days a month to do it with no ability to manipulate my schedule.

 

That stinks man. In contrast here in NYC on the ER I haven’t flown for 5 weeks. Averaged about 7 days of “leaving my house for Delta” a month last year. Less than that so far this year. We went from 100 reserve lines all winter back to 50 in March but still hasn’t really changed how much reserve pilots seem to be flying.

 

If I don't get called today (1200-1800 SC) I'll likely be done for the month. I think the SCC will put me over the wall for RAW Group 2, and there's enough junior to me guys that I can probably skate like Tony Hawk until June. April 1 trip. May is looking like maybe 1 if that. Maxing out SCC each month too.

Like Extenda, I bid reserve by choice, and basically brew beer, fix dirtbikes, ride mountainbikes etc.

I am currently sitting SC at a mountain bike park down the street from my house.

**BASE LOCAL TIME FLOWN/TO BE FLOWN IN:
PREVIOUS 6 MONTHS (DEC24-MAY25): 132:01
CALENDAR YEAR 2025 ( THRU MAY ): 105:31
INPUT MONTH ( MAY ) : 5:17

**FAR 117 CUMULATIVE TIMES AS OF 13:11 15MAY25 **
FLIGHT TIME IN PREVIOUS 672 HOURS (MAX = 100): 12:59
FLIGHT TIME IN PREVIOUS 365 DAYS (MAX = 1000): 350:02
FLIGHT DUTY PERIOD IN PREVIOUS 168 HRS (MAX = 60): 00:00
FLIGHT DUTY PERIOD IN PREVIOUS 672 HRS (MAX = 190): 16:17

 

And the most important part of this lame post…..I did this to myself.

 

I think it’s good for people to see the contrasting realities of reserve depending on plane, seat, base, time of year, etc.

Yes you can get slammed on reserve but to the posters point, you’re supposed to be in “reserve”. Meaning if everything goes fine your category should be staffed properly and reserves fill in the gaps for sick calls and occasional IROPs.

You shouldn’t be getting assigned one out of five 4 day trips two days out that have been sitting in open time for the whole month, along with 100 other trips. This is how it was when I first upgraded on the ER a few years ago.

JMHO

 

I think with the lack of hiring, everyone's going to be working more this coming year. I wouldn't count on reserves doing anything but flying. We're still a growing airline by fleet count - we are getting a net growth of 10 airplanes this year, just without any more hiring.

 

This sounds like an Atlanta problem...

 

Today was a new one.

In garage working on dirtbikes on short call.

Phone rings ONCE from crew scheduling. Stops. No voicemail left. Look at micrew. Nonsensical 30 hour rest assigned (like in 3 days after I'm a 30/168 pumpkin)

Log into icrew. Nothing. Screen capped that crap.

No rest, no trip, no message.

Not my problem.

Went back to servicing the rear suspension on my 450.

 

Hate that for ya. It certainly comes and goes by cateogry and can vary wildly by seniority. While you've experienced that, in my NB category, we have pilots going to ATL for bounces. For June, all but 3 days are blue and I know one pilots who has flown < 40 hours in the last 6 months. Next year this time we may be back to being abused, it's a crap shoot. Based on the hiring situation, I doubt it gets better this summer.

 

Everyday in June is blue on NYC7ERA. Which is rare. Curious to see what OT and RES grid look like after the 20th.