Man, it's good to see you post that. Normally you shoot stuff down, so if you're posting that there's a good chance it's true.

I gave you an answer. You didn't like it and discounted it.

Oh, don't twist words.

Happy Thanksgiving.

I have a question about reserve. I just finished OE a few days ago. I am supposed to sit reserve tomorrow. I just looked at the reserve list and I am not on it. I don't want to get burned, but I do not want to get put on the list if I do not have to. When I call the VRU at 3pm, do I actually have to talk to a scheduler? What option should I put in to get my call logged yet still remain off the list. No reason to commute in if I'm not on short-call. Would I be better off just checking on the computer? If I do it this way, how do I make sure the system records my log? As someone extremely unfamiliar to the Delta system, what would you guys do in this situation?

Johno29,

There are many of us who have NEVER called in sick, who pick up flying and who don't fight the system (even when the system makes an error). Those of us who can be at the jet 45 minutes after the phone call and willing to push back 15 minutes later if everything is done. Management might not be able to put a dollar value on that, but it certainly exists.

With a forced commute that will change. Statistically, I would think it takes more unhappy pilots to staff an airline than it does happy ones. The example of all the short staffing and junior manning that goes on at United and US Air during furloughs.

Then there are some of us that will simply quit if there is a better opportunity out there. ACL65 said they expected with all this upheaval that some would do just that. Management will do their best to minimize that upheaval, but at the end of the day they have a business to run.

Sometimes (particularly around Holidays) the paperwork does not get entered in the system. In your shoes I'd check my schedule and enjoy your time off

How do I do that? Do I just go to the page where it is all reserve with the X days?

The NYC pilots are being told to expect the 777 category to close with the time moving to Detroit. Thats the bad news. The good news is that they expect half the current ATL 767-400 time to move to NYC also in this bid. Thats a large displacement of flying from ATL. Originally the plan was that this loss of time would be offset with A330 time moving down to ATL. Training constraints however have caused the company to put the A330 move on hold until at least next fall and perhaps longer. I live in the SE and am not expecting this bid to be a happy one for ATL. There could be some offsets to the 400 time leaving with a increase in domestic 767 flying. There is however a possibility of some of the ATL 777 time also going to DTW. One thing I have learned however is that until the bid is posted anything can happen. I once had a CP hand me a preliminary copy of a bid on a Thursday that would be out the next morning on Friday. The Friday bid did not bear even the slightest resemblance to the Thurday advance copy.

Just go to DBMS and check your schedule there. It makes a time hack each time the schedule is checked so you can show that you checked it. If there is nothing showing on your schedule for tomorrow at 3 pm then you are off the hook and go on long call at midnight. Reserve is not as bad as most make it out on this board. The average reserve pilot at Delta in the last year gets 2.8 short calls a month.

You can also call the scheds number and go through the automated system to check for assignments at 3 pm. You have to however check both next rotation or training menu and the short call menu. No need to talk with a scheduler.

Maybe I rode the short bus too long, but I didn't interpret your response as an answer to my question. It's not that I didn't like your answer, its that your reply wasn't an answer to the question. You only pointed out that there was a reduction in DCI block hours, which I agreed. You have yet to tell me how DALPA instigated, requested, forced, or even suggested that DCI shrink. If you feel you have answered the question and I am saying you haven't maybe try a different approach in getting your point across. I just don't feel you are even attempting to answer my very simple question.
Happy Thanksgiving..........

I had heard the 777/765 thing on and off during all of this stuff, but I didn't know Ax was putting anything out these days. Plus.. I have been on vacation since the 4th, so my only source of information has been the knuckleheads on here. I go to work on Sat.. (domestic trip... )

Happy Turkey Day.