"We need more reserves!!!.....


...anyways, let me show you how to make yourself completely unusable on reserve"

 

Shortcomings? I think training is pretty good and we have more sims and modules than prior footprints of yore. What’s (thankfully) missing is the 3-5 hour “build me an airplane” oral nonsense which has nothing whatsoever to do with “stuck and rudder skills” anyway.

Was there a skillful art form in “stepping off the perch” in a 727 with engines at idle from the beginning of the base turn until touchdown? You bet there was! But it was still stupid and also meaningless to today’s safety forward way everyone flies.

While one may see some green or some rust here or there with some things, I think we as an industry are collectively much safer than in the days of the (for the sake of argument) “better sticks” that could recite every system on a chalkboard and do an idle descent from cruise to landing because skill.

I do agree with the eye rolls on the philosophical “no S-turns” shift as that seems a bit too broad brushed. But on the other hand, it’s rarely ever needed and when it is it makes almost no difference. Some carriers around the world frown on visuals in any context. Overall I think we’re pretty competent as an industry.

Especially considering when one studies the accidents of yesteryear. Every one of them had a high time systems building stick and rudder legend in the left seat and frequently in the right (and panel) too. Yet they made mistakes. Some of them so dumb we’d chastise a 15 hour student pilot for making them.

As for the 787 being more “real airplane” than the 350/330…lol yeah ok. I’d put the over/under on the eye rolls across the seniority list at 16,750 or more.

 

Speaking as one of those reserves that flew very little for most of 2025, it came to a screeching halt come December for me. The past few months have me contemplating a line again.

The first ones with a target on their back when the 23M7 button is pushed are short call reserve pilots. Only when the reserve well runs dry does it go to IA. I haven't sat an unused SC for months now, whereas I used to go unused all the time.

 

It’s as if RG still doesn’t understand how M7 works. Stacking every category with reserves, his current plan, will still require paying an M7 pilot (in most cases) each time a reserve is used on short notice.

We’re going to be sitting on a mountain of leverage in section 6.

 

You sure it wasn’t 1000 pilots and 600 new schedulers?😀

 

Seriously, does anybody actually know if scheduling will get boosted hiring numbers like pilots?

That is a significant need and we’re only hearing about pilot numbers.

 

The other problem with reserve right now is pre-assigned rest. It's inconsistent and there are numerous examples of trips being awarded out of seniority due to pre-assigned rest SNAFUs. I'd bet this has more to do with any increase sick than the no look back.



Ya, I don't believe the $201M/month figure. I'd be shocked if it was 10% of that.

 

I’ve deleted that number from my post, as it was from an unverified source and the SC chair has since refuted it. The rest of my point stands though.

 

The company has hired over 50 people for the Pods in the past few months.

 

Ive had a random pre posted rest that was certainly not required (day 3/4 of the 30 in 7), that took me out of a trip that they subsequently used a gs for. Scheduling never caught it manually i guess