Flamer

d. be required to check his schedule via DBMS or VRU: 1) after block-in of the last flight segment of his rotation prior to his release (see Section 12 G. 13. - 14.), and 2) no later than 0200 base time on his first on-call day following a non-fly day, so as to be able to acknowledge: a) any assignment no later than three hours before a scheduled report of the rotation or start of a short call period, or

I thought when you called the vru it stamped the time on your Sched?

capncrunch

I thought so too but the scheduler said no it doesn't. They only know when you check the computer. Does this sound right?

I'm starting to get the feeling they put it on my schedule late and bs'd when they put it on.

iaflyer

Call ALPA - 1-800-USA-ALPA, talk to the scheduling people - they'll sort this out. But as I understand, checking via the VRU covers you. Did you also check your Call Status via the VRU (for SC)?

capncrunch

Yes that's how I check. I call the VRU call status and it said nothing to acknowledge.

iaflyer

I just checked my schedule via the VRU, and it didn't stamp my schedule with the time. That's being said, the contract certainly says you can check it via the VRU.

Not the first time that's happened to someone. DALPA scheduling people are top notch - if you're in a bind about the trip, call them and they'll sort it out.

LeineLodge

Go to iCrew and check OpenTime. Then click Daily Trip Coverage and type in yesterday's date for your category. That should tell you really quickly what date/time they awarded the trip to you. They might be able to fake that, but I don't think so. All the way to the right of that screen it stamps the "Time Covered" on the trip.

LeineLodge

Further, I don't think I've ever had them not call and tell me about a trip the following day. If they awarded it to you yesterday at 10:30am, then why no call until this morning? I realize that they are not required to courtesy call you, but I've never had them wait until the last minute, ESPECIALLY if you haven't acknowledged the trip or a short call the night before.

I've gotten multiple annoyed messages to acknowledge something on my line, when I wasn't obligated to answer the phone yet - for a trip the following day (and didn't even have my phone on me.) Something is a litle strange about the way this one went down. I'll second the suggestion to call 1800-USA-ALPA. They've got ex-schedulers in there who have access to all the computer stuff to see who/what/where/when/why this one fell through the cracks.

If you don't mind, post the result, or PM me when you find out about the VRU time stamp issue. I'd gotten a little less paranoid since moving to base, but I guess it's back to saving a .pdf screenshot of my schedule at 1501 on my last X-day

slowplay

Coming off no fly days you have to check 2 things on the VRU, and I believe it does give you a time stamp on your schedule. One is short call status. The next is "next rotation or training activity". A lot of guys have been burned by only checking one and assuming or skipping the other. If you do it via computer then you'll see it with your schedule check.

Check Essential

Been on reserve my whole life.

Slow is correct except the VRU does not time stamp the "Pilot Last Viewed" block on your schedule. It will add the period "." in front of a rotation or a short call assignment if you acknowledge.
The VRU definitely is a legal method of checking your schedule. If the scheduler told you they can't tell if you called then they are ... well, let's just say they provided you with incorrect information.
One other thing to be careful of ---> there are a couple ways to check call status. The one that follows "Next rotation or training activity" and asks if you are a reserve pilot can be deceiving. If you have already acknowledged a short call some time earlier then it will say "there are no call statuses which need acknowledgement" but it will not remind you that you in fact have a short call. To hear your short call assignment you have to hit the button for "more options" (#6 I think) and then it will give you an option to check call status.

I'll second the recommendation to call ALPA. They can pull the computer record to verify if you checked your schedule via VRU and they can see what time that trip was assigned. You (and probably 1 other guy) might be due some extra pay.

tsquare

No... I can't prove it, but I know that they know when you look at your schedule...