nene

Short call windows have to be given with 12hrs notice (like a trip) and they last for 9hrs (times will vary depending on your category and flight activity). If you are commuting in for a SC you can call the scheduler and let them know you may be unreachable (while in flight) but will be at the airport within 2 hrs after the start of the SC period. Also, if you call they will release you for the last two hours of the SC period to commute home if not much is going on. Not bad for a commuter.....sit around the airport for a 5hr period. Enough time to hit the gym, eat some lunch/dinner, check email then be on your way.

OOfff

to clarify, you have no obligation to check your schedule. No time stamp is made. If, however, they put something on by 3pm, you can have a 10am show time on that first day. If they don’t do it by 3, you’re on LC at midnight so earliest show is noon

CBreezy

This is true but just want to emphasize that you are on the hook for anything on your schedule up to 3. They will not call you.

ClaraLO

Thanks for the response. What defines a period of SC? Trying to figure out the “worst” case scenario. Is that 6 SC in a month or is that SC reserve for the duration of a working month, 6 max for the year? Looking at the possibility of commuting from Chattanooga to ATL for reference

OOfff

six nine-hour periods per month. You will be released into at least 10 hours of rest prior to a SC

ChazzMMichaels

Depending which side of Chattanooga you may not need to worry about it.

Starscream

Just one thing to add — it’s not a 3pm hard time on a day prior to RSV days, it’s 9 hours prior to the start of RSV. There will be instances where your RSV day does not start at 12am (usually because of partial payback day or required 30/168 rest on your schedule after finishing a trip). If the assignment is on your schedule 9hrs before your RSV obligation starts, then you have a 10hr leash from the start of your RSV day. If the assignment is not on your schedule 9hrs prior, then you have a 12hr leash (normal LC callout time). Hence the 3pm day prior for a normal day off to RSV timeframe dictating 10am/12pm report times/SC begin times.

Regarding partial payback (PB) days, those come into play once you start figuring out Green Slips. That’s another discussion, but given how short we are, you’ll want to figure this out ASAP. A Green Slip is a premium pay award to fly on some/all of your days off. Under our RSV system, there is absolutely no reason not to fly one unless the trip falls on a day where
you have some outside-of-work obligation that you cannot miss. When flying a GS on RSV, you are awarded payback days (PB) that fall on your subsequent RSV days with pay above guarantee depending on how much flying occurred on your days off. When you are criticially short staffed and on RSV, the last thing you want to do is fly RSV trips on your RSV days when you can fly trips
on your days off unless you have something you absolutely can’t miss. Also a great way to get a day off that you couldn’t otherwise get (i.e. PB days from a GS touching a RSV day that you needed/wanted off but couldn’t hold with the PBS bid). Learn this stuff ASAP. Once you get through your OEs, this stuff becomes the next critical thing to learn.

gloopy

This.

Its not a hard 2 hours but rather "reasonable report" for which 2 hours is about right under fair conditions. Unexpected traffic, flat tires, etc can apply if reasonable. If the CHA pilot in question is 2-3 hours (I assume that was said because of traffic adding that extra hour) then most of the time s/he would need to either be in position or at least be closer. Some car commuters drive part of the way and hang out at a mall/movies/coffee shop/gym to hedge their bets.

That said, it would probably depend on the flying seasons. Peak seasons likely mean don't even bother, just be there. Slow months with good coverage maybe hang out somewhere in the Cartersville-Kennesaw area.

FangsF15

As a reserve-by-choice bidder (rolling thunder), I will add that in all my Short Calls over the years, the vast, vast majority of rotation assignments came well in advance, and not as a “get here asap” call. And even more often, I never got called at all…

Always be in position to report. Don’t be like the 747 pilots a few years back pulling DTW short call from home in California/Florida. But, no need to super-stress over getting to the airport. If they call, the best answer is “as fast as I safely can”. And like gloopy said, 2-hours is not written anywhere, becaus it’s not a rule. But it’s a good guideline.

DeltaboundRedux

“If mamma ain’t happy, nobody’s happy”

“It’s cheaper to keep her”

“Marriage is a unique democratic arrangement in which you have 49.9% of every vote”

(Seriously. They may say “we can’t move, think of the children!”. What they mean: “we’re not moving, you’re commuting “)