Has everyone done the LOSA survey on the flight ops page?

Not quite Nosmo. Those models were actually 747-300's. They had the extended upper decks, three man crews and the big giveaway was no winglets. Those A/C replaced JALs 747-100SRs which were used for the domestic Japanese market.

I'm beginning to really hate the DOT

Look up 747-400D in Wikipedia.

The 747-400D (Domestic) is a high density seating model developed for short-haul domestic Japanese flights. The aircraft is capable of seating a maximum of 568 passengers in a 2-class configuration or 660 passengers in a single-class configuration. The -400D lacks the wing tip extensions and winglets included on other variants. The benefits of winglets would be minimal on short routes. The -400D may be converted to the long range version when needed. The 747-400D is also unusual in having more windows on both sides of the upper deck than the basic -400 series. This allows for additional seating all the way down the upper deck, where a galley is situated on most international models. The 747-400 Domestic first flew on March 18, 1991 and entered service with Japan Airlines on October 22, 1991.

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Beginning?

If you were a business owner, you would realize the sole purpose of the government (in regard to business) is to make everything you try to do more difficult...for this honor, they charge you taxes on everything.

In the government, "no" is a no risk answer.

They say yes to Lufthansa and Jet Blue, but no to this?

When I got hired, I asked an ATL chief pilot type if it was ok to commute from long call. His answer was "of course, that's what its there for." I then asked about that uncomfortable period in the later afternoon/early evening, where pretty much no commuter could make a 12 hour call out. His answer was that "scheduling knows about it, just explain that you've missed the last flight out, and if they give you any grief let us know."

The CVG cheif pilot office gave a different view in one of their "Pireps" articles recently about "reserve roullette."

Seems most commuters sit long call from home, and take their chances. After all, sitting long call from a hotel or crash pad kinda defeats the purpose of long call. (Although, if you live in base, particulary CVG, long call is like a day off...) Seems like its an issue that could use some clarification.

While it may have applied to long call, I got the feeling they were talking about guys sitting short call at home knowing they couldn't make it. I think guys were doing this just betting they wouldn't get called. My experience thus far has been the schedulers are good at providing closer to 16 yours of notice. I recommend sitting long call at home. If you get in a tight situation be honest with the schedulers, they will work with you. I couldn't make a short call one day and the scheduler gave me two options...a later short call or a personal drop(cost about 4 hours of pay & coverage must be above min required). I thought it was very nice of them. The key if you get in a pickle is to BE HONEST! Lying will get you in bigger trouble then not being able to make it to work.

I really think the Reserve system is one of the key areas we must clean up in the next contract, and that we need a true LC option, and a SC option that rewards people with more pay or more days off for being more available. I also believe we should bid for these.

But until it is fixed, I'm pretty sure nothing needs to be "clarified". People that set themselves up to where it's their turn to fly, but cannot meet their obligations (LC or SC) are screwing the person that will be called out to cover them. This isn't a "commuting is a choice" debate. This is about rules that are explicit, and about pilots that gamble on their ability to meet obligations.

I don't really care if you play roulette. I cover when you **** it up. But don't expect your gambling habits to be ignored by Delta, or your fellow pilots. A company would be pretty stupid to allow for "unuseable" Reserves.

So I think that ATL CP told you what you wanted to hear, or you heard what you wnated to hear. When I got hired, there were was any "wink-wink-nod-nod-you're-on-Reserve-but-we're-OK-if-don't-show" kind of a thing. And I bet there isn't now.

...and the Australians already approved it in December.

Stupid pencil-wipping Aussies! I guess they just don't do their homework as thoroughly as LaHood and the Boys. I hope you're all thankful too, for having such a crack-team over at DOT... (deep sigh).