H60 DUSTOFF

If you're on short call you're fair game for hot reserve. If you're on long call you're fair game to be converted to short call, then hot reserve.

Thedude86

Keep in mind these reserve times are based on present day. Saying someone is just going to spend a few months on reserve is the same thing as saying you’ll flow in 5 years because that’s what pilots are doing currently. You have to look at the trends and what the seniority list looked like when these guys were hired.

When the current junior line holders were hired... reserve time was half of what it is now. The pilot group was about 1500 compared to 1900 now. Reserves made up about 20-30% of the pilot group compared to 50% now. During this time we’ve also been growing non stop. We will be done growing soon which will most likely cause reserve time to increase even more.

I’d be very surprised if someone hired today will be on reserve less than a year in any base. Not trying to be negative, just doing math. While we’re still not THE top place I can finally say with the recent pay increase combined with our QOL as a line holder that I would recommend PSA. At the same time I wouldn’t want to get someone’s hopes up thinking reserve will be a breeze and over with in just a few months. Trends have been increasing for more than a year, and my math says that will continue for quite some time.

Thedude86

...By growing I mean taking on airplanes...

Jma313

TYS has a 1 hr call out and no hot reserve so that won’t work.

Rotor2prop

Thanks for the replies everyone! I know about the call out time at TYS but I still think driving the two hours everyday that I’m on short call duty would still be less painful than two legging it from CHA to CLT then to another base. Sorry if it sounded like I was assuming I could sit at home while on reserve, I know I’m not that fortunate until long call seniority.

irrelevant

That's going to be tough driving at least an hour each way (minimum), so you can sit around for 11 hours or so...up to 19 days a month. This could well last a year or more, given how fat we are on pilots at present.

In any event, best wishes with whatever you choose to do.

Apejackson

This was my plan since I’m about 2 1/2 hours out of TYS. Luckily I never had to do it since I was able to hold LCR as soon as my bid to TYS went through because driving all that way to hang out in a Starbucks for 13 hours then driving back home sounded really exhausting. However, I think the ability to be home almost every night would be worth it with only getting a hotel maybe once or twice during a reserve block.

While I was on SCR in CVG, I was at a crash pad and would Uber during the day to keep my sanity and make a little side-cash. Could do the same thing with your plan.

Also, your going to put an insane amount of miles on your car driving 250ish miles a day for 20 days a month. Might be cheaper to get a crash pad but you may value being at home more (I do, that’s why I planned on doing that).

I know it’s been mentioned before but aside from your logistics of being in base, our reserve times are climbing. Right now we’re looking at 9 months from date of hire to get off SCR. That’s a long time to be driving 4 hours a day, 20 days a month to sit for 13 hours.

jrav8r

What seems to be the current timeline from interview to class?

ctown91

anyone know how long approximately it would take to get CLT as a crew base after hire?

Rotor2prop

I know it will suck and I'm keeping my options open for sure!

I definitely value home time but also know if I get stuck for a while on reserve I'd rather drive to a crash pad than have to commute two legs to an out station base. Luckily I have a little more time to make a decision and have some other options.