It's typically 2 hours, sometimes 3 hours in major metro areas, or with co-domiciles.

Some majors specify "as quickly as reasonably possible" which gives some leeway for traffic.

 

DEC questions.
A few websites say 135 pic time qualifies for DEC....but an * is listed next to the statement. Anyone know the specifics or the reg to reference if 135 time can be counted towards 1000 121 hrs.....? Specifically envoy, but I have seen it on a few others also....

 

Read 121.436 it spells out what does and doesn’t count. You will have to determine whether your time meets the requirements listed.

 

Some have long call (12 hours), and short call (2-3 hours depending on where you are based). A few such as Envoy have airport reserve.

 

I live in NE PA, so in reasonable traffic, it's a 2-hour drive for me to PHL and EWR and 2.5 to JFK and LGA. Being able to stay close to home and office while on reserve would be a big factor in the decision to make the career change, that's why I was curious about the time to report. Thanks hawk and rick.

 

In NYC base, Envoy is 3 hours short call. 2 hours at other bases.
Airport reserve doesn't happen often, thankfully.

 

Except for the DEC or junior FO reserve graveyard where standby/airport reserve is almost a guarantee

 

DEC's, yeah your QOL will suck.

175 FO's, not even a month of constant airport reserve. Past 6 months, most new hires have been given 175.

145, go to ORD if you don't want airport reserve. DFW list has no movement so avoid that.
Airport reserve can be a good choice for commuters.

So, for most new hires over the past 6 months, airport reserve is a very short experience.

 

You, sir, are a gentleman and a scholar...

 

Remember that the callout time means the time by which you must be at the gate. If you are a two hour drive to the airport, that's not going to work since you still need to catch a bus to the terminal from the employee lot (at EWR that's 10-15 min, depending on whether you catch it at the right time), get through security (2 min KCM, potentially 10+ if you're randomed), and walk to the gate (10+ minutes if you're stuck at the far end of the terminal and have to take yet another bus to get to an aircraft on a stand as opposed to a jetbridge.

Airport reserve gets a lot of cr@p on this board, but I found it easier than short call. To me airport reserve is a lot like a regular trip on the line or long call. You're given 12+ hours notice so you can plan to leave home as early as the current traffic conditions require (3+ hours if needed in other words). The other perks of airport reserve, at least at my company:

• I'm paid per diem even in base. It's not much but it does pay for tolls and a lunch...though I tend to bring my own.
• FDP begins when I show up at the airport. If doing airport reserve that means that first 8 hours gets you 8 hours into your FDP. On short call, If the call comes late into your RAP and you've been up 10+ hours already, that could result in flying late and sets you up for a fatigue event.
• Our airport reserves are used pretty much every day. I noticed that when I was on short call I never flew because the company pulled from airport reserves first. Since most people on reserve are new and need flight time to consolidate it's better to fly than not, since it avoids another jeopardy event (a checkride).