Expect to see more tails waging the dog....I think you may see one soon involving United and Skywest...

The average reserve pilot last year stood 2.8 shortcalls per month.

That may be true, but only because last year they flew a lot. Round 2.8 to 3, add the days off, and you get a month of flying.

The average reserve pilot is either a) flying, or b) on short call.

The SC days are not bad, still I'm grateful for D-ALPA negotiations to reduce their frequency.

There are still some little holes that could be closed. For instance, say they have a trip that duties in 10, or 11, hours from now. As a long call pilot they would have to proffer this trip to you at premium pay. But, they instead convert you to Short Call at the required 10:00, then hold the trip out of "open time" and nail you at exactly the opening of your short call window for a duty in at, well, "NOW, we'll put it into the computer, do the best you can."

Most of us get in the shower, realize that if the jet is late hundreds of people will be effected and possibly their connections too. We drive as fast as our dilapidated 300,000 mile reserve airport beatermobiles will go through rush hour traffic and show with no breakfast, or even a cup of Joe.

At any airline the schedulers must "high five" when they grab an extra hour or two out of a pilot's coverage. Another trick is the short call for 4 hours in the morning, then put to rest for exactly eight and another short call sit that evening. They count these "two" short call periods as "one day."

Again, holes to be closed. I've never been used in the "bifurcated short call days" (my made up term) but I would call in fatigued if assigned a back to back red eye on one of those deals.

Delta management and ALPA defend the arrangement. Recall, both entities have endorsed the deals and the pilots, for our part, voted for it. It isn't like they were not warned. When pilots expressed these concerns the reaction of ALPA and Management both was that these factors had been considered. All objective indications are that ALPA and Delta Management do not see domestic narrow body as a core part of the Delta (mainline) product. Just look where the money is spent on fleet renewal.

So, how long before Delta comes to us and says, "See, look the regionals are flying 100 seaters, in order to compete we have to [we need for you to]...."

As I have said for years; We seem to be playing checkers with guys who are playing chess.... :(

This is usually true - which is why I was shocked at how last month turned out: Ended the month with three consecutive long call days (without being used) even though I had only been on SC four times. This the exception rather then the rule, but I'll take it! I still had about 8 hours before reaching ALV.

So who will RAH be flying these 190's for? Other then Frontier/Midwest that is. Do any of their major contractors allow this size airplane in their scope? So sure a "regional" may be flying 100 seaters - but only on their own branded flying. Is this correct?

Many of us do not. There is a certain order and flow to getting ready for a flight that if rushed inevitably leads to more problems than if one does things in an expeditious, but controlled manner. Schedulers know where you live or stay on Reserve and how long it takes you to get to the airport given a reasonable amount of time to get cleaned up, nourished, and packed. If they give me a flight inside of this window chances are it's going to be late. That is their problem, not mine. I do not like flights to be late, nor do I ever do anything to intentionally drag my feet, but will not rush to the point of compromising anything.