They're pretty good at managing this (to their advantage). Keep in mind for 5 days you're in the prime 4 day availability bucket. You're probably going to fly. After 3-5 days of flying, they will most likely assign you the 30 hours unless a 30 hour overnight trip comes up. Unless your category has a lot, which most really don't despite the rage about them, you will most likely get the 30 somewhere in the middle to late middle part of your 8 day stint in most cases.

Depending on the time it starts, that could mean 2 relaxing nights at home for a commuter or just one hectic mad dash to change out your purdy neat laundry bag.

That scenario is not very likely to occur IMO.

They will most likely give you a 30 well prior to day 7 or 8, one way or another. Keep in mind it could be 10PM Monday through 4AM Wednesday .or something similar, etc. IOW no commute home for you unless you want to make a same day double commute lunch run or something. :o

Also keep in mind, they cover white slips (line holder who is picking up more time) prior to using a reserve. Line holders can usually pick up a 1 or 2 day trip and fit it on their schedule a lot easier than they can pick up a 4 day trip. Crew Scheds would rather use a reserve for the 4 day, and cover the 1-2 day with white slips.

I spoke with scheduling supervisor when 117 came out and i was told that they will assign you rest and you have to acknowledge the rest. After 30 hour rest you will go on long call. You can't start short call after 30 hour rest since you have to have 10 hour notice and the 30 hour rest can not be interrupted.

I've also had them give me extra rest at the start of a reserve stretch (when coming off days off), so that I'm legal the entire 8 days. ie, I didn't go on call until 6am the first day or so (for example, I can't remember specifically) so then I was legal for trips for all 7-8 days.

Thanks qball. I called them and it's what I was looking for.

I think you've got the idea. Just be careful about the terminology and legalities.

You're not on "rest" unless it was assigned. They are not likely to assign rest that just bumps into a golden day. That doesn't help them. They will probably give you rest on day 3 or 4 of your 7 days.
If they don't assign rest then you are still on call. You can be on call for 10 or 20 days without rest. You just can't fly a plane until you've had rest.

Even after you've gone "illegal" a couple things could happen: They could call and give you 30 hours rest followed immediately by a trip. OR =>
They could call and deadhead you to a 30 hour layover followed by flying.

In your scenario I would feel safe going home on the 7th day if day 8 was golden. If its not golden then I would probably just call them and ask for a release or rest. Unless there's a bad IROP underway or something then they will probably let you go. They know you are unusable inside 30 hours.

Too many great answers to quote them all. I appreciate all the advice, never had to deal with anything more complicated than 12 hours bottle to throttle, 12 hours rest, and 12 hour duty day to be legal to fly :). Bottom line is unless I see assigned rest on my schedule on the day prior to my golden day I will just stay at the crash pad since I'm too old to travel for 10 hours for a single booty call with the wifey. Maybe I would for that OSU cheerleader pictured earlier...

One exception:
You can be assigned a trip or short call that starts immediately after the 30 hours IF they inform you of that assignment before the 30 hours begins.

Otherwise you are correct. The 30 hours can't be interrupted, no schedule checking is required, and you start regular long call when it ends.

No no no.
I'm saying you would be OK to go home on day 7 if day 8 is golden.
They can't get you.


23.S.

2. A reserve pilot will not be:

a. assigned a rotation that:

3) is scheduled to interrupt a golden day(s).