As a junior pilot, yes. If you want to spend LOTS of time on flica, staring at the computer or waiting for your flica alerts to go off. I'm fairly senior and I don't get crap in monthly open time. Mostly due to guys with their "super seniority". But good for them for working the system. I've done it and it works well. Some of the pilots must spend half their day looking at the computer. I'll get an alert, and anything worth a crap is gone in 5 seconds. Frankly, I don't know if this pilot group has the fortitude to fly 70 hours if it ever comes to that.

My personal biggest issue is the number of days off as you get more senior. I know that may sound selfish, but with the amount of growth we have coming, we are ALL going to be senior before we know it. It would be nice if there was something to look forward to. I used to get 18 day off lines. Now I get 15-16. Not to mention, I have no clue what days of the week I'll get off. At one time, I could plan on making my kids sporting events every weekend. Not I have no clue which weekend I'll end up having off. Seniority is pretty much dead when it comes to schedules. Those poor turn guys must be really ticked. lol.

Now, I'm not trying to be argumentative with you guys. We're all in the same boat. But let's not put lipstick on that pig. The schedules suck and they are only getting worse. Now we've been told to expect worse schedules by the scheduling committee. So we have that going for us...............

But hey, at least we're the lowest paid Airbus pilots in the country.

Hey someone has to be the anchor.

Y'all came close to being the highest paid regional pilots in the country so all you can do now is keep pushing the rope whenever you get any leverage

Why will schedules get worse?

Current contract, but pre 117.

That is what it said in a recent letter from the scheduling committee.

Missed Apprch, can you point me to this letter? I've scoured my emails and can't find. Was it a internal forum post perhaps?

I tried to find it last night on the new FAPA sight, but it would appear that it's gone. It was in the SSC's last update. The new site seems to have some issues.

Can you drop reserve days at F9 assuming coverage via FLICA?
I know at Spirit you can drop a whole month if you want.
Does the same apply at F9?

In theory. I never had much luck dropping a reserve day. As a line holder, seems I can drop, trade, modify anything I want.

In all cases, you must end the month with at least 70 hours of credit. It's in our contract and I understand they take it seriously.

When we eventually do merge we need to make sure that goes away.

At Spirit I drop the RSV day in the middle of a block of 6 and it gets very difficult for them to use me. Just something to think bout

X100!

It's got to be transperant and independent of screw scheduling. This is one rule that is worth it weight.

FWIW The 4 days off thing isn't all it's cracked up to be. I actually think we get screwed because it forces the 6 day work blocks we get. The only offset is the ability to drop.

Yeah, cause 2-3 on 2 off is awesome, especially for commuters. Giving up the 4 off won't stop 6 on anyway. Efficient pairings are the answer. Where were you that had better schedules?

15-16 days off ala SW will alleviate the need for 4 days off. Yes some lines would have 4-6 on with two off but they would also have one or two huge blocks off and people will bid those.

Agreed. QOL/earnings as a commuter will never be that of those that live in base.

Always has been, always will be.

Swa has 15 days off contractually required, so yes that would work. They also fly more legs a day than us, ala the 15 days off. More efficient pairings equal more days off or contractually required days off with inefficient pairings. So you honestly believe that we can get efficient pairings?

2-3 days off compared to a minimum 4 off is crap no matter where you live. Always has been, always will be. You are giving Crew Planning waaaay too much credit.

Interestingly enough...

No one seemed to state the obvious. All airlines (that's every single one) are doomed to failure sooner or later. Look at the greats of old...Eastern, TWA, etc. the model of seniority and ever increasing wage costs is unsustainable as there's always another startup airline that comes in, undersells and runs the giants out of business. The big three make money on their international flying mostly. In the 70s, Southwest pilots were the laughing stock of the industry taking less wages and only flying narrow bodies domestically. Now, they're paid on par with the the Big three. It will be interesting to see how long that model lasts.

My advice, find an airline that is growing who's contract is up. Pick the one with the best QOL (bases, contract language, etc.) that you can - knowing that it will probably change - and get on a seniority list as soon as possible. Join the negotiating committee of the union and fight like heck.

Chances are, you'll make a good living, be happy and fly some new equipment without being on reserve for 8+ years.

SCOPE SCOPE SCOPE! More than anything. Codesharing will either whipsaw us separately one day in the future or kill us together.