Reserve rules
 

Alright here it goes. If you have any questions about reserve feel free to ask it here.

Tips from my many years of flying reserve.

-If you are on a RAP, Ready Reserve, or reserve day without an assignment then you should return all voice mails that reference some sort of assignment. (I know many won't agree and it may not be contractual but the union is pretty inept at reserve issues. )
-play along to get along. (If you get on their naughty list then they will make your life miserable. If you are a commuter and/or junior then CS can make your life miserable. As long as they are appropriately staffed getting out early is pretty easy. All bets are off when staffing levels drop.
-never say you won't do an assignment. Phrase it I don't think that's legal. I don't think that's contractual. "I dont mind doing it but I don't think I legally can do it."
-pick your battles. Sometimes it's just not worth it. But sometimes it is.
-you are never "sticking it to the company" when you get out of an assignment due to a technicality. You are sticking it to the guy senior to you.
-CS that have been there the longest are more likely to let you go early. The new ones don't want to risk it even if there is no conceivable way they are going to use you.
-If you are going to NOT confirm your trip then you better answer your phone when they call at midnight.
-If you are sitting ready reserve and you want to leave early because all the flights are out CALL TO GET RELEASED. They will let you go once all the planes are OFF. Don't just leave because MESA may cancel and they recrew it with and Envoy crew. I have heard it has happen to someone and they got a career decision day(really bad) from it.
-Once you finish IOE then call CS. Ask them what your assignment is and when you start.
-MOST people don't know how reserve works and they will give you bad advice.
-Pilots on probation should fly under the radar and not rock the boat.

Good luck.

Thanks Pedro for volunteering some info. So what’s RAP mean? Is there a limit to how many airport ready reserve they can assign? If i read one of your previous post correctly, there are 5 day stretches of reserve?

Really good guide. I will add:

-Be polite but firm if you think there is a problem with your assignment.
-If you think something is not legal, question it!!
-If you eff up, own up. I have forgotten to confirm S2 on day one - which means RAP1. Not good for a commuter. Found out when I saw the missed call when I woke up. I owned up, kept them in the loop, and commuted in when I could. No MA and no Late Report, either.
-If you're a commuter, try to fly. The more days you're working the less opportunities to get assigned some nonsense.

If these tips all seem somewhat ridiculous, that's because they are. Reserve is not great and is a freaking minefield.

I don’t commute and I sit reserve and I haven’t worked in 6 weeks. It all depends where you live and your seniority whether reserve is great or not.

I think you hit the nail on the head.... Its a minefield. I have stepped on a few and I just don't want the same thing to happen to others going through it.

RAP=Reserve Availability Period. (Short Call Reserve).

There is no limit on how many airport ready reserves you can be assigned. There is kinda limit (that is not followed) on how many ready reserves can be at the airport at one time. Basically each crew member must have a lay flay or recliner chair in a clean quite and comfortable place.

5 days are common. 6 days happen during the transition from one month to the next month. 4,3,2,1, day stretches of reserve happen but are also rare.

Good stuff.. thanks Pedro! I’ll be doing the DFW/ORD commute until I can get back to the Dub. I’ll be hitting this up a bunch in a couple months

So how likely is it to be away from base for the full 5day reserve assignment?

It is entirely dependent on staffing.... Last year if a CA had a 5 days of reserve he would most likely be away from base for 6 days.

If staffing is good then crew scheduling tends not to turn back pilots. You get assigned a turn go home. Assigned a two day trip go home. Three day trip go home....

Staffing is fairly good across the board right now.

It was suggested I move this post here.

Can I call crew scheduling before I go to bed instead of having them wake me at midnight to confirm my assignment?

Also, my IOE captain mentioned that they prefer to keep someone flying and to call CS to additional flying before I time out. Should I call and say "I want to keep flying" or "I want to keep flying and I see X trip in open time." What should I be doing?

Couple follow up questions when y'all have time.

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

You forgot this: you are not required to answer your phone or call them back once you have a flight assignment. Only when you are on RAP, ready reserve, or on a reserve day with no reserve assignment at all do you have to call them back. Mid-sequence reserves do not have to be contactable in any way.

This is a big one too. Self release (HI3/6) VS 15 min after block it. This is an OR situation.

If you check your HI3/6 (screenshot it) after block-in you’re released. No requirement to answer your phone. If you don’t self release then you’re required to answer until 15 min after block in.

I would say mid sequence reserve are subject to the same requirements as a line holder. You do have to be contactable during certain situations. Lost flying during OSO.

YES ^^^^ THIS. They will try sometimes to pull the "15 min" card after you've self released.

NO NO NO. Thats just completely wrong. 15 minutes doesn't matter.

You finish a trip and you check your HI3. EVERY TIME. How else will you know they have a trip for you?? (And don't say ACARS) If I block in and my phone is going crazy by CS I do not answer. I check my
HI3/HI6 and if nothing is there then I'm gone.

If you were doing a turn off a RAP you also have check your HI6.
If you were on airport standby and fly a turn and there is still time left over for the shift. Check the N3 to see if someone came in to replace you and then call CS and ask them if you can be released because they brought someone else in. 95%of the time they say yes.
Ending a ready reserve sequence you are required to call to get released EVERY time. However everyone doesn't do this and just leaves once their shift is up.

Also, Personal CYA type of move is I use MobileFOS or a station computer. I have been told by several other pilots using CCI isn't a valid method. Again CYA. And yes screen shots are always required for CYA.

Where is that in the contract? Sounds like they are making stuff up with that 15 min call.

Maybe Im not understanding this 15 minute card.

Are saying after you check your HI3 and before 15 minutes CS "THINKS" they can still use you.

I THINK the 15 minutes is coming from 117. Since we don't go into rest for 15 minutes we can't be released from further obligations.

I'm saying they try to get over on guys sometimes after they've self cleared via HI3/6. CS has claimed they are still in the 15 minute window so they have to fly it. I've flown with a couple new guys who have fallen for it.

Long story short - check HI3/6 via mobile FOS after block in and don't answer your phone afterwards.

I think it used to be in the contract that we had to call them within 15 minutes after block in to be released. That was a long time ago though so my memory may be off.

And also I'm with you on mobile FOS for a CYA. What I've heard is that they can only see you logged into CCI, not what you actually looked at. So just in case I use the old system.

For my years of reserve I religiously checked and screenshotted my HI3 within seconds of blocking in. Quite a few times my phone would blow up minutes later, but I was already released. From those voicemails I could tell Scheduling wanted me to think I had to call them back, but they never threw the PG at me for that (considering how often they PG'ed me for other inane reasons, that means they knew I checked the HI3 and that I was free).

My understanding is that CCI sends a Sabre request. I've used my HI3/HI6 checks in CCI as CYA many times, and they've backed me up.

You are correct about our pre-bankruptcy contract. Also I believe the 15 minute rule still applies to FAs.

I could be wrong, but I thought in the contract the only extra obligations regarding OSO was end of sequence, not mid-sequence.

Of course Scheduling once told me that OSO meant they could call in as many RAPs to sit ready reserves as they want, quiet room space or not. I asked them for a contract quote and they hung up on me. They already lie and make up rules all the time, they probably think that OSO means there is no contract.

Where does it say that?

The contract reads, "...may be scheduled to complete the remainder of his ready reserve assignment upon completion of the the flight assignment."

Where does it say I must call EVERY time to get released from my RR shift?

I’m saying HI3/6 (screenshot) then SEE YA! And do it as the door is opening.

They’re tricking the new guys into the 15 min rule.

Section 12 F. Ready Reserve 3. Paraphrase... Sit 8 hours and not used to fly then you will be released upon contacting crew scheduling.

Your original post indicated that if you waited 15 minutes after blocking in and CS doesn't call you then you are released. This was the only thing I was disagreeing with.

YES, good point. Checking HI3/6 has to come after the airplane is in.

You can call CS to get your assignment before your RAP starts. However, they could give you something you don't want. But, yes I never like going to bed knowing they are going to call me for an airport 6am stand by shift.

Yes you can contact CS to add flying onto your sequence. And yes you can volunteer for the turn back list. Just be nice and tell them you are a commuter and you want to get some over nights and ask if anything is available or could be coming up.

Also, for commuters- Call when you are on your way to the airport. Tell them "I am commuting in from XXX and looking to see if you have any open trips I could pick up since I'm on reserve. I should be here by this time and if something is open I would like to pick it up." They may say check back when you land to see if we have anything for you.

Is there a way to figure out how long you will be on reserve? I am LGA FO

People, How about you all read the reserve section of the contract. This thread so far is embarrassing.

We can’t all be a big pimp pilot.

Well don’t be surprised when crew scheduling ***** slaps you like a hoe because you don’t know how to play the game

Straight big pimping on CS! Herd dat!

Lol, I was just about to say reading this thread brought back memories of sitting airport standby in the crew room.

Yes, read the contract. Ask captains around you for clarification of the contract if you find a passage that’s confusing, ask here for clarification of the contract if you find a passage that’s confusing. But read the contract.

I LOL'd....

All those who claim to read the contract and know so much mind sharing some of that info on here?

Nope.......

https://youtu.be/4Ygs3IHJ2bMDo you have a specific question or situation? https://youtu.be/4Ygs3IHJ2bM