You have to decide what is more important to you. Quite a few folks from my class finally pulled the trigger on the last bid to move to 190 Capt, the Bus FOs are all commuters and their main reason was they are simply tired flying with the moron “Captains” we have here, so they are willing to give up their QOL for that, the rest of the guys I know are all local guys, so it was a no brainer for them to upgrade.

From what I hear the 190 capts are getting used every day, constantly getting extended into days off... yes, they are breaking guarantee and getting extra $$ and tons of soft time. That’s all great if $$$ is important to you. Yes, reserve rules will get better, but reserve will also lose EPS pay and you will still be scheduling’s *****.

Each plane has pros and cons. You just have to ask yourself what is more important to you.

 

You can also drop 1/2 days a month via uto/pto

 

Definitely not weekends but weekdays can happen. It’s easier vs being a line holder since you can just do 1 at a time

Rev got better now that they can’t start you early so it’s not “that” bad but you will definitely be flying and they definitely still play games.

 

Did that transition myself. I never realized just how permanently fatigued I was until I got to the 190 and had a semi-normal wake/sleep schedule.

I'd give it a few bids until you could at least be a senior 190 RSV CA, or junior line holder, then you'll at least have options when you make the jump. BOS is the base to chose for 190. Much bigger 190 base than JFK.

 

I’d wait and bid the A220 after 5-10 deliveries. Friend who flies the E190 calls it a “giant BIC razor” with very uncomfortable seats and clunky HUD up front. I actually spoke with a Delta pilot training on the A220 and he said it is the easiest airplane he has ever flown and very comfortable up front.

Unless you simply can’t take the redeyes any more, I’d probably wait for the A220. Obviously commuting on reserve would be a big consideration. It’s all about trade offs....

 

Love all the non JBpilots throwing their input around.

I just made the switch recently. I live in base. I have only had 1 month where I didn’t earn some sort of EPS or EMA pay. Because of that there is no way to make up the pay difference as a bus FO without picking up some major time. However the extra pay only lasts as long as we are understaffed. Also the EPS rules get gutted for RSV pilots in Jan 2020.

The guys I know who upgraded on the bottom of the list in BOS are being abused hard! Routinely breaking guarantee and being called pretty much every day. No way I would commute to rsv. Wait a few bids. The 190CA seat is moving quickly and you will probably be able to hold a line if you wait 6 months.

As much as I hated the red eyes on the bus, the 3-4 leg 12 hours days with a short 10-12 hour overnight for 4 days straight can start to get pretty brutal as well. Especially if they are all 5-6am reports.

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All correct. Especially the last sentence.

 

If you’re a fairly senior bus FO (or maybe you’re not) can’t you avoid redeyes? I mean you may have to make other schedule sacrifices but I absolutely hate them and would bid around them period.

 

That was huge for me. I despise the red eyes. Getting at least 15 days off via uto/pto was a huge difference in wanting to upgrade.

 

If you are above 50% in the FO bus seat you avoid red eyes.


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