Some brief answers
 

Most pairings mix and match but some, especially turns, are dedicated -800 and -900 birds paying mid body pay. Those go senior obviously. I get a good mix myself. I can assure you that the summer flying will be chaotic. Lots of flying - You will not have a sitting around problem I assure you. PBS test bid number one was this month with the first real one in August. Change is difficult for most and I hear lots of groans and see lots of bewildered looks in the crew room as the PBS instructors are trying to explain to pilots how this is such a good deal - I don't think they are buying it, but it's coming soon so they better get prepared. I have heard about replacing the older birds but it seems that until they get more capacity to replace them with they won't get rid of them. I think if they could find some deals in the marketplace for newer more efficient aircraft they would jump, but I get the impression talking to insiders that the good planes at the right prices are hard to find. Perhaps we will fly together someday. Good luck in training and congrats on joining a fine team.

Thanks CALCapt, I plan on being EWR based for my entire career as the wife and I plan on moving up north to South Jersey near family. So I am sure we'll fly together.

As far as the staffing is concerned, that is what I wanted to hear. Making $29.97/hour and sitting in a crash pad sucks, but $29.97/hour and flying your arse off is what I need (got a little one on the way!). I guess this leads to another question:

Can you fly up to the FAR max (30/7, 100/30, etc.) or are there contractual maxes? I ask because at my company we can only pickup or be scheduled for 27.5/7.

Also, how does long call work? Could I sit down here in ATL on long call?

Answers
 

Wanting to be based in EWR is a good thing because frankly that is where the best flying is. It's just because of Newark itself that most guys stay away. On reserve, scheduling will, and often does take you right up to the limits you asked about. When you have a line you are only able to schedule up to 28 hrs in 30 for summer and 28.5 hrs in 30 for winter - I think those numbers are right. If you go over those numbers in the course of the trip no big deal unless you actually go illegal 30/7 domestic or 32/7 intl. Long call is a 9 hour call out. I don't know exact details but I think it would work fine for sitting within 3 or 4 hours of work but I know that longer commutes carries some risk. In bad weather scenarios, I would think youwould want to be in base or be able to make your call out by driving if necessary. You would have to solicit the advise of those who actually do it to get the inside scoop. EWR also offers much quicker equipment upgrades as well as seat upgrades. Just think, in a short time you will be the expert and will be passing on advice (hopefully better then mine) to the new guys... Good Luck

So CO is going to PBS? Good luck!:) We have had it for quite a while and yes, the learning curve is steep but it will be well worth it unless you are understaffed. Then, look out! PBS does this little thing called cramming where the program takes trips away from more senior pilot to build out max credit lines to the junior pilots in order to allocate all the required flying. If you are senior but your trip will fit better on a more junior pilots line then presto! Trip no longer yours, Kemosabe. You will never know that it was taken from you because this is all done during the PBS run but it will be evident once the lines are published.

PBS does work well if you do have adequate staffing. Also, if the pairings are productive then your lines will be good. Another advantage is the ability to bid for or against certain pairings or even cities. When I was on the Airbus I always had 1000 points (the max) against EWR, PHL, CLE or MEX. Never flew there. I could bid for YVR, SEA, PDX and any other cool overnight I wanted. Now I just shuffle between which island I want to fly to. Also, if you need certain days off during the month PBS is more effective than paper line bidding. You do spend a lot of anxious time waiting the day or so between when the bid closes and you get your line.

Pbs
 

Thanks for the encouragement. Did you find it gave the bottom lineholders any better trips? Were lines built deeper? Right now our lines are built to about the 75 to 80 percent staffing point then the bottom 20 to 25 percent get reserve. I think I was told that scheduled flying could be built down to mid 80 percent to almost 90 percent. Did you find that at AWA? We somewhat more junior guys think things will go well for a while until the old timers get things figured out.

CALCapt,

I had heard that with the PBS that 90% would have lines since it is so efficient you won't need as many reserves. That is what a friend on the 756 told me was the story.

Anyway, just found out I got the 737 and the training scheduler already sent me my schedule. I guess all new hires in the May 2nd class got the 737.

Cheers

awesome
 

A bid day indeed. The training dept on the 73 is top notch. You will sail through and be flying the line before you know it. Congratulations - see ya on the front lines!

Just found out about a fourth. No PIC time.

exceptions
 

As you pointed out there are obvious exceptions. As a young up and comer I would be cautious thinking these were the norms.

Are they sending any new guys to GUM? If so, how bad is that commute?