Agreed. I should have ended my last post with "I couldn't recommend doing that OTHER THAN using 2-hour NC."

 

There's (currently) nothing illegitimate to pre-posting SC assignments. It's just a step in the coverage ladder. If they refrained from assigning open time to SC pilots during that step in coverage and skip ahead, well then I believe that would be 23m7 and the eligible SC pilot should get pay/credit.

 

Agreed, that's what I was saying (and, I cited the risk of a potential change). I disagree with your conclusion, though. To flesh out the scenario: Say I live three hours (drive) from base. I have SC starting at 1000 assigned early, have NOT invoked NC, with a rotation reporting at 1300 assigned at some point after 1900 the night prior (so, less than 18 hours). I have failed to take your excellent advice and checked my schedule even though not required and see the rotation. I acknowledge same in iCrew.

I now have an acknowledged rotation on my schedule. I need to leave my house at 1000 to make my report time, and I like to pad that by :15 minutes for potential traffic--so I leave at 0945. At what time am I contactable for that SC period? I think §23.S.9.b.2) is rather clear on that.

If the sched gets changed and they call me at 1000 to tell me to be there at 1005... well, that's the rub. "Risky?" Perhaps--but that's not my point. If I've checked my schedule and "depart[ed] to report for an awarded/assigned rotation," where have I failed to meet my contractual obligations?

That's a fair point all the way around....

 

Never said it was illegitimate.

As to the second point, yeah, already conceded that one to cencal.

That leads back to the part of my post no one's quoting: "What we really need is a SC version of §23.S.5.e. (non-contactable during ___ hours prior to scheduled report; I'd suggest 10 as a minimum starting point, aligned with 117 rest)."

 

You need to leave your house to make your short call start time. The rotation is not yours. It may be removed.

Feel free to interpret as you wish, but if you aren’t within prolog availability at your short call start time and they change your schedule such that you have a 1005 report for rotation B, not a 1400 report for rotation A, your drive won’t allow you to make a prompt availability considering normal traffic to rotation B.

 

I think I see what you're driving at. But it's kind of juggling multiple requirements. If I understand correctly, you're saying that you're no longer "promptly available for contact" after having left your house at 9:45 for the assigned/awarded 1300 report on your 1000 SC.

But to lean heavily on that aspect runs the risk of ignoring the other 2 requirements for SC (again, I'm not including 2-hour NC in this).

Requirements during SC:
1) general area of your base
2) promptly available for contact until departing for assigned/awarded rotation
3) promptly available to report

Would you have met all 3 of those when your SC began?

 

I see both your point here. That's the key I've been missing, I guess--thanks!

 

Just to wrap this up in a tidy bow, your scenario is a perfect use-case as a driving commuter for 2-hour NC. Invoke it, and start your drive to be able to be immediately available at the end of the 2 hours (regardless if a rotation is or isn't pre-assigned.) As you near the airport, (officially) check your schedule.... if there's nothing on your schedule, head to starbucks, your crashpad, or wherever your SC hangout spot is and be promptly available. The 2-hour NC in this case can let you leave your house later than you would otherwise need to, to be "promptly available" at the actual beginning of SC.

Doing it this way means they can't assign you the 1005 report.

 

Just make sure you tell them about the 2 hour NC before they assign a rotation.

 

Functionally, that's how it's been working. But the letter of the contract is at the time of notification, right? Absolutely not trying to split hairs, I can just see the company flexing on an individual pilot citing 23.S.