Is there a place where they explain "the game" for all us military types? I assume it will happen during indoctrination. But any info would be good. Thanks!

I just rode SWA the other day and happened to sit next to a 1st year FO. Basically he told me 1st year pay is $47/TRIP. I may be off on that a little but it was in that range. And he also said you can easily get paid for 120 Trips/month if not 130 or 140. I figured it out to be $67K/year - and that was just 1st year pay and I assumed more than MMGuarantee. As mentioned, you get paid 2nd year for picked-up trips. This FO told me you can work the system very easily. He mentioned he hasn't made 1st year pay is 3 months. FWIW.

FWIW,

I got my w-2 yesterday. Box 5 medicare wages and tips $302,771.63

About 40K was some option cash outs. 12 year (max) pay scale. I pick up some extra, but not a lot averaging maybe two extra days a month. I try and get about 5 days worth of time and a half a month which has been easy the past year. Probably flew about 825 hard hours.

5th year FO- Whole ball of wax was $147k. I don't work more than 15 days in a month. I usually pick up a 2 day or 2 turns a month. I also commute so I can't play the time and a half system like some in base guys.

How exactly does the time and a half system work? What are the advantages of not cummuting versus commuting. My wife wants to live in Denver, but I'm not sure where I will be based out of...Still trying to figure out "the system."

First year: You get 2nd year pay which is 77 and change per trip for:
1. Monthly open time
2. Daily open time which is open five days forward from the current date. You can bid on other bases, but those in base get first crack.
3. EF or Extra Fly. You tell the computer that you are willing to work a 1 day up to 4 days on your days off and what amount of pay you expect from the trip. When a trip coms up that meet your critieria, scheduling will call you.
4. Reserve line. If you live in base are are willing to sit reserve at home for a day or two or four, this pays second year rates of 6 trips per each day of reserve.

There is also VJA or Volunter Junior Assignment in which you are junior manned, but cannot refuse the trip. If you select EF on a day and they call you with a trip, you can turn it down all day long. VJA however is at 1.5 times your first year rate which is lower then second year rates. Second year and up guys can sign up for VJA on there days off or EF which pay the same, but as a first year FO, never sign up for it, cause it pays less then extra fly or the above mentioned items.

Second year and each year thereafter, you get 1.5 times your current pay rate for the above items.

Other things you can do is trip trade or giveaway. Most first year fo's will throw their entire month into giveaway hoping that someone will pick up atleast one of thier trips. If someone picks it up, you can then pick up daily open time or Extra Fly for second year rates.

There is also ELITT or Electronic Line Improvement Trip Trade. This is trading with the company for diffrent trips. You can trade day for day but they don't have to be the same days. This is a tool that helps you move your trips around and getting specific days off. This is pretty slick. Occasionally, if the Net Zero is up (it measures the groups productivity as a whole) you can sometimes trade a 3 day for a 2 day or a 4 day for a 3 day etc etc.

All this will be covered in class, but just getting on and playing around with it is the best way to learn. I added a coupld of senior FO's to my buddy list and they have helped me along in learning the ropes of the system.

Whew.

Awesome! Just what I was looking for. Still trying to decipher... :eek:

Thanks 328, great stuff. My head will be spinning for a while. How does military reserve obligation fit into the scheduling cycle?

Can 2 guys get together, bid off set Lines, and simply trade with each other every month for second year pay?

I. E. One guy has 4 4 days starting on monday, the other has 4 starting on Friday, They put thier entire lines in giveaway and simply swap lines for 2nd year pay?

Not sure since I am Civilian, but your SWAPA reps can better answer that one. Not sure how that all works.