OK, lets do some math looking at the bid packets and the seniority list. There are about 370 pilots (CA and FOs) on the 175 in DFW. Generously, we'll say there were 115 lines at 80 hours per line.

115 lines x 80 hours x 2 pilots = 18,400 hours to bid.

18,400 / 370 pilots = 49.7 hours. <--- the average

That was just one bid I picked at random and was generous rounding up, but I am sure that I could repeat that exercise with similar results at just about every domicile and equipment.

 

Maybe you should look at the bid packet before you do any math.

In April there are 137 hard lines, plus 8 CMP/RLF lines. This also skips all the maintenance/repo flying etc. You also have a bunch of CA/FOs bidding reserve for purpose of not flying.
I'd say lineholders fly 70-80 hours on average, with some picking up OT to 100. And reserves fly 0-70. That's why your "average" isn't really relevant because the outliers are there by own choice.
On average - on reserve don't think you'll break 50 a month. And as a lineholder, you can hit 100 if you really want it.

 

A. OCE reserves fly very little compared to the OCC reserves, and that stuff is dynamic and is based on the current staffing in base/equipment. The later will most likely all be north of 50 hrs/mo - it all boils down to the current staffing levels.
B. Take the number of block hours in the bid packet and subtract wx cancellations and IOE displacements - it adds up. New hire FOs need 25 each, CA upgrades need 50 each.
Grab some emp #s off of the 3xp and run 7v/123456 in decs. I'd say 65 hrs/mo is about the average for a lineholder on a 175 (ORD) and I'd be supersurprised if you found anyone with a monthly block of a 100. Feel free to pm the employee number if you succeed - I'll buy you a beer.

 

I went off the February bid packet, that was 113 lines. Yes, DFW 175 is growing, so you get a few more hard lines now than you did last month, but they are also adding pilots, and will have closer to 420 in June. So it will all come out in the wash.

Scheduled flying is the bulk of our flying. Repo flights aren't enough to meaningfully move the needle when you are talking about 400 or so pilots.

So, congratulations... I ran the numbers at for April and it comes out to about 55 hours on average per pilot on the 175 in Dallas, the biggest growing fleet in the company. Great job proving me wrong.

(Also, reminder, we are talking about what to expect for DECs and new hires. About 1/3 of those CA lines are held by lifers).

Wanna run the numbers on 145s at ORD (where DECs will likely go)?

 

Still depends on the base and equipment. As an FO, might even as a CA, you might get displaced for IOE, or MGT/AETC flying. Trips that get pulled because of misconnect or MX cancel. Add on top of that scarcity of OT, and I would say it is difficult to CONSISTENTLY log more than 80 hours, even as a line holder. May still get payed for slightly more, but our guarantee is only the bid amount of the line for the month. Even if you overblock a few trips, something gets pulled from you and that over block just goes towards covering that flight.

 

I wouldn't say OT is scarce. There are 331 trips open right now in DFL, over 400 in OFL. I have over 50 trips that I'm legal to pick up right now for April in DFW alone. ORD adds another 50 or 60. And that as a RSV guy. I can easily pick up OT to drop down to 8 days off, for lineholders this is even easier.
These comments aren't really relevant for DECs though, so maybe we should continue it somewhere else.

 

Like I said, this is not DEC-relevant so we should maybe continue this somewhere else.
But just a quick 101 on statistics - you can't average two groups (lineholders and reserve guys) and end up with any meaningful data. You have to average hours flown by reserve guys (which is probably around 25 hours a month), and lineholders (which is maybe around 65-70 hours a month). The "55 hours" number means nothing.

 

Maybe the 55 hours means nothing to you, but this seems like it is your first rodeo. Whether it is 50 or 55 really doesn't matter, what matters is that it is well below 72 (min guarantee for lineholders). For people who have been around long enough, it is plenty meaningful. When the average hours flown approach or exceed the min guarantee, reserve time is short, OT is plentiful, and paychecks get bigger. There is a big pie of work shared by few people. In our case, we have a small pie shared by many people.

And this doesn't even begin to factor in the differences between block and credit. Here, they are practically the same. Other places, you might start off with 85 hours of credit on 70 hours of block. Then it only grows as you are protected on your cancellations and can actually pick up OT (or get junior manned). That's why 120 hours at $45 is better than 75 hours at $65.

The whole point of this if for guys like SiouxPilot2012 to know that his take home pay will be limited to min guarantee for the foreseeable future if he comes to Envoy as a DEC.

 

There is nothing worse than an understaffed airline. If the average hours flown exceeds your average line value, it means you're using lineholders as reserves. And that means even lineholders QOL will suck. Hello JM/extensions/other abuse.
For DEC's, I'm not sure if there are any good deals around right now.
Every airline that needs DECs either offers super long reserve, or is understaffed like a mofo. Pick your poison. Want to get shot in the head, or in the chest.

 

Like I said and so many others have said as well, it depends on where you are at, what what plane you are on and whether FO or CA. And it can change quickly. But at least you are right that what OFL and DFL are doing are irrelevant to a DEC thread.