Ticon

If there are any current Guard/Reserve guys on here who work for PDT, how do you make it work with the 4/2 schedule?

chrisreedrules

Don't forget PSA. We've been increasing our PHL flying month over month. CPs just said that most of our growth in DCA is done and that the remaining growth will be "elsewhere". And in the same stroke they said we are going to continue to increase our PHL flying.

MKUltra

Trips are dropped for guard duty.. not sure about pay for those guys.

Otterbox

Drop mil leave...

There are procedures in the FOM about the timeline to submit known drill schedules and AT.

PDTFlyer

Healthcare kicks in in 60 days.

Otterbox

Makes sense... Kirby was so obsessed with getting the bottom dollar out of his WO labor contracts that AA started Piedmonts transition to jets at the last minute before the Dashes started timing out. Unilaterally this wouldn’t have been an issue except that AA also cut the AWAC lift and was hoping a Piedmont expansion could cover it...

Unfortunately they started the jet transition about 2 years too late for that so the lift has to come from somewhere which is why we’ve seen the Envoy LGA base open (again?) and PSAs DCA base as well as the increased PHL presence.

We’re at 30 jets now and allegedly start taking 3/month in 2018. It will be interesting to see where AAs Network planning folks put that expansion capacity to use, and more importantly (for the crews) where our next base is going to be.

Ticon

Makes sense, I am curious about the QOL at that point as in where there would be drill or a trip but candles would be burning at both ends. Sort of the nature but with only 11 days off things seem tight.

MKUltra

If you decide on a different airline be sure to call a recruiter and let them know the 11 days off seems like Bill Sh!t.

DashDude

Current Guard and PDT dude here. PDT has quite a few fixed wing and rotary wing Guard pilots on the seniority list. It is tough to get semi-annual events knocked out if you dont live in your Guard base so consider that. Commuting to both Guard base and Domicile is almost impossible unless you have a MWS with very few events to do each semi-annual period (like KC-135 CP or something). Taking mil leave consists of faxing/emailing an MFR or Letter of Intent to the company unlike, say, FDX which has a web portal to place mil leave on your schedule remotely and in real time. Two days off between trips means planning is key because they're short on pilots, particularly on Captains so expect a phone call from a Chief Pilot when you have to take mil leave on short notice (day or two) b/c your unit, say, threw a night AR on the schedule and you need all 6 night contacts. PDT just hasn't had to deal with the challenges we face on being deployable in our MWS and also being able to fly the line since most mil pilots go straight to the majors. Also, they count UTA's as days off, so they will gladly take you down to 9 days off on your schedule since mil leave means your days off are now prorated. Thanks for raising your right hand. 'Merica!

Ticon

Ha - well see what the landscape looks like when I'm there. With the Guard it's always a crux anyhow but a better schedule might help alleviate that.