Airline Pilot Central Forums - Advice for a potential PHX commuter

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Quote:

Originally Posted by prwest (Post 2973511)

How long before you can hold a reserve line in CLT?

I’ve been here about two years. Quick upgrade due to prior 121.

Currently ~ 150numbers away from most junior captain in Charlotte. My class is just hitting upgrade now. I figure sometime in the next year I’ll get Charlotte.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CJPilot1 (Post 2972455)

Among other things, it comes down to money and work rules. I’m also short a college degree at the moment. I’ll have it done within the next year, but I’d like a flow to have in my back pocket just in case. I’m mainly set on PSA for those reasons. Jumpseat priority is another biggie, for PSA anyways. Not to mention the fact that if I really get tired of commuting there’s nothing *major * stopping me from moving back home to Charlotte. I’d just really prefer not to at the moment.

Keep in mind, you'll likely take 5-6 months from hire to be awarded CLT. So you'll have to possibly commute 2-3 legs in the beginning. You'll get SCR until you are senior enough to hold LCR simply due to the fact that almost everyone senior to you on reserve is sick of being on SCR.

I've been at PSA for 10 months. It took me 7 months to hold CLT, and I'm still on SCR. I start LCR next month, and I'm still 3-5 months away from holding a round 1 line.

As far as the work rules you're looking forward to, PSA operates heavily on reserve...like, 40% of its pilots are on reserve. Being on reserve here vs holding a line is almost like working for 2 different airlines. Reserve rules could be improved imho. For example, we only get 50% DH pay, and it's normal to get 2-3 DHs to work a single leg out of base while on reserve. You won't break 75 hr guarantee unless you pick up flying on your days off. The reserve grid is often in the red (YMMV), preventing you from swapping your reserve days. And lately scheduling has regularly taken 20-60+ minutes to answer your call, which you are required to do after every reserve assignment or every day you're not used or every time they adjust your flying, which is daily for me.

This isn't me just complaining to you. I just want you to get a realistic everyday view of what year one of being on reserve is like from someone at CLT.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greybush (Post 2983512)

I have to agree with this. I haven’t been on reserve since the new system started but that’s what I’ve heard from everybody I’ve talked to on reserve. I’m going to be upgrading soon and have been trying to get a feel for what reserve is like now. It does seem that those on reserve in a hub are experiencing a fate more similar to this. I’ve heard mixed stories from outstation reserves.

The deal is that now that scheduling is using the bucket system, they’re finding a way to put every reserve in their own bucket so when I trip comes up you’re the only one in the eligible bucket. So you get used for that double deadhead to work one leg and double deadhead back. Regardless of first-out/last-out preference or seniority. That all went out the window with the buckets.