IRO is not deadheading. It is Full Pay. 100%. No difference. And as of July 1, 2007 even a deadheader gets 100% full pay again.

most IRO trips start out with a deadhead though, right?

Not necessarily. And if it had I would not have bid it. The 756 might. But on the 737 if an IRO is required it is because it is a turn. Not an overnight then the return leg against the winds exceeds 8 hours. See OTTO obviously never gained enough seniority on the 737 to know what he is talking about. An IRO actually flys more than the FO on the 73 if the CA takes the first break. But again flying an autopilot isn't flying. Before I bid CA, I either bid the 10:50 FO turns or the IRO turns to Cabo and PVR. Working 80 days per year is what it is about at full pay. I did that until I was at 50% on the CA side.

So while Otto flys 180-200 days per year and made the same pay, I on the other hand was home with my family. But I'm glad that being on the road an extra 100 days per year is worth it so he can hand fly a 756 20 minutes per day.

But nothing wrong with that. That is seniority and gives us choice but I'd still bet that he doesn't tell the IRO to come up and babysit for him when the CA takes the break.

Not to get off topic about the IRO thing, but has anyone been assigned the 777 as a new hire to date? Anymore class drops available? I'm going to class in November and am trying to gauge where I am going to go. I can't wait! No matter what equipment. Thanks!

someone walk my resume in!!!!!

Most of Europe you deadhead there and IRO back. The longer routes you IRO both ways. The 777 has more IRO than DH, but there is DH because sometimes you only need one IRO to the destination and two IRO's coming back. One IRO gets to DH. I would prefer not to sit in coach for 11 hours straight. First Class is not so bad, but there has to be an empty seat.

Not sure, I know on the last bid there were about 90 FO vacancies on the 777 in EWR. They were not filled, so there is still 30-40 positions available that they have to fill. Why didn't the some of the 2500 FO's already at CAL bid it? I think we've covered that. CAL is getting two more 777's next year, so someone will have to fly them. Good luck to everyone getting on with CAL, it really is a great place to be- despite what pilotcaltoo says.

Yes, we have. And the same for the 756 FO position. I think there was well over 150 non bid vacabncies on that aircraft as well.

So good luck to anyone wanting to work at CAL. I like it here. And to be a new hire on the 757-767 or the 777 ain't bad. But if you want to fly I would recommend Cape Air.

What does that mean?????

Where did I say I didn't like flying for CAL? You are the one going around calling fellow crew members babysitters. You go from calling fellow crew members babysitters to making outright false statement about what I did or did not say. I'm done here.