Yeah I wasnt sure why I never asked why you were on these boards as a scheduler.... because your a PILOT!!! Yeah reserves hell but I'd like to thank you guys for never calling me, I sit at the gym all day and today recorded a personal best of running 10 miles.... Thanks Comair....I guess Im training for a marathon now, since ehhh.. I dont fly! hahah! Things look good for October if Im not mistaking I move up 2 spots and 1600 of flying being added, hopefully that means flying and if I am lucky maybe a long call or two...... living 1.45 from JFK is not fun on 2 hour call outs...but then again, there is LA Fitness to sit at for 12 hours :)

Also, are you going to be ATC up in the tower or what? Ramp? Yeah thats smart of you to get the finances in order before jumping into flying...congrats on everything btw

CVG's block hours decreased from September which decreased from August...more sitting around I guess. And there are more people coming back to CVG in October. I think I might need to bid to fly just so I dont get taken off my long call as much.

Ramp tower

I would love to work for ATC

The reason i came on this board was to find out more about how me being a scheduler can get along with you the crew better. I wanted to let you guys see that we all arent bad and arent out to get you. Im a person i make mistakes im no better or worst than anybody else that works there.

Over the cousre of a few months ive been posting ive learned alot about what pilots feel management is doing to them, how ALPA is a neccesary evil, about how fatigue is a bigger factor than what thought it was. I just enjoy talking to you guys about what its like out there. Unfortunatly from my desk in CVG I cant see what goes on out there and you cant see what goes on behind my desk. I wish we could someday role play and then mayby we can get an idea where each out comes from. I mean by that Like i jumpseat on a 4 day and you sit at my desk when hell opens its gates up. All i ever ask is to remember this there 40 of us and 1600 of you. you out number us what 55 to 1. Odds are`we will make a mistake somewhere. Yes sometimes we get are ass handed to us. not enough of us to handle it. When in Irops you better believe there only 5-6 schedulers on the desk. On a normal day theres 4 schedulers. Why cause we have the be Junior manned to come in and my line is ive been drinking. same line 90% of you give me when i try and JM. Funny how that works.

NEGATIVE GHOST RYDER

FLY LOW & FLY HARD

All i ever ask is to remember this there 40 of us and 1600 of you.

One phrase, UPDATE the outdated scheduling Software Comair is using, I know that Scheduling at just about every airline is doing their best but you could use technology to make the job more efficient.

I wish there were more Schedulers like you...not that you can make everything peachy for all of us by lurking around these forums, but because you have a fantastic attitude, and a strong will to learn...You are a great asset to Comair!

hey man how r u?? have to say thanks for the post. it really does help to get an understanding on both sides of the fence.talk to u soon. Randy

there is no benefit to pick up flying on soft days is there? Flyin on hard days off is the only way to get time on top of my guarantee correct?

you r correct only on hard days sucks but thats the rule

Maybe schedulers should do what we get to do. It would be something like this.

Commute to JFK to work scheduling. You need to be there for a 5am show but since obviously there are no flights that get in at that time you commute the day before which is actually your day off of which you only had two of. Then you need to stay in your crash pad (you have to get a crashpad since an apartment in NYC is about 1500$ to 2500$ in the bad section of town, and that is double what you make in a month) over night but since there are 12 of you sharing the crashpad you get there and share a room with four other people. You try to get to sleep at a reasonable hour but since there are so many people coming in and out you don't and now you have to get up at 3am to make the bus to get to JFK on time for your 5 am report.

Next you show up at work and clock in at 5am and start working getting ready for your shift (after 5 hours sleep which really feels like two hours) but you don't actually get paid for it until 6am even though you had to punch in at 5am. Now you work for two hours maybe three or even as little as one. Then you just have to stop working and sit there for 3 hours or even 4 hours without getting paid. You still have work to do but you can't do it because someone else needs to use your computer. But you have to wait there again without getting paid until your computer becomes free. By this time you have been at work for 8 plus hours but you still have 6 hours to go.

Finally you can complete your work but you were requested to complete scheduling in another city. So you get there and the van doesn't show up to pick you up but while you are waiting to get to the hotel you still are not getting paid. See while you are actually waiting there you are getting rest so you can get back to work in 8 hours. You by law do not need sleep only rest. So you go to the hotel which you find out has nothing close by to get something to eat at so you just do with out. The hotel is crappy but it really doesn't matter once in awhile since you only have to stay in hotels 260+ nights a year. You write a CCL about the crappy hotel which travels at the speed of light to nowhere.

I could go on and on but Writing a book on this just doesn't explain how crappy life as a regional pilot is.

Lol... people think we exaggerate about life as a pilot... but the truth is, it is exactly like you say it is.... There are obviously great things about the job, but you are tired at the end of the day and severely underpaid.... Not many schedulers/dispatchers understand what it is like on this side of the job, good summary Pantera.

I could not have summarize it any better

Crew Lounge
 

You forgot to add the endless entertainment of watching rodents run across the floor at JFK. I may have to bring a cat or a dog just to do a little cleaning....:D


The Chow

This was written by a Captain that I often saw sleeping on the couch across from me in operation at JFK. I got a kick out of it, and have been waiting for him to post it on here but have not seen it yet...If He wants credit I will post his name but for now I won't:

JFK Delay Benefits


During those long delays, we try to keep our passengers cool and warm indeed, but happy...? Can you imagine what the press would say if we treated " Club Gitmo" detainees as we treat paying airline passengers? On the plus side; those passengers do get free alcoholic drinks, water, juices and soft drinks as well as all the cheese and crackers, peanuts and cookies they can handle as well as the opportunity to meet new and exciting people. A point the newscasters fail to mention is that these passengers don't have to pay a cover charge for these social "mixers." Surely, there has been more than a few couples united as a result of these "mixers", not to mention the chance business deals initiated. Just as Christmas is a vehicle that drives international commerce, these airlines help employ thousands of lawyers across the country every year in law suits against domestic carriers. Extra fuel burned during these delays increases profits to oil companies, reducing the "pay at the pump" burden on the average American. Increased national exposure benefits name brands of cracker, water, coffee, peanuts, cookies, toilet paper (while it lasts), hotels for stranded passengers as well as restaurants for the same. Don't forget the extra cell phone airtime that boosts the cell phone industry. Doctors around the country benefit from all those extra "deep vein thrombosis" cases seen from extended seating in these delayed airliners. Even Lou Dobbs should be able to see the remarkable and extraordinary boost to the American economy and social structure these "unfortunate" delays bring to this great country. It's like having an American fundraiser every day at this little third world country known the JFK International Airport. We in the airline industry are very proud of the crucial role we play in the re-vitalization of this great country as a result of these "unfortunate” delays. Thank you America; you've been a great audience. Please be sure to tip your congressman before you leave...Goodnight and be careful on your drive to the airport!

Anyone know where I can get a flight bag sticker that says "I will only make $19,900.00 this year, spend most of that money on eating out on the road, spend 2/3 of my time away from home, but its ok you can complain about being 10 minutes late!"

I seriously do love my job, but its enjoyable to poke fun at it.

If you do want a sticker, I met a guy who was selling those oval city code stickers. Only instead of saying "JFK" his were "JF'nK" Wish I knew where to find him. :):)

haha if you ever find out where that is..please let us all know

that's fabulous :D

I dont care what everyone says..... scheduling/planning hates me! Ftrpilot.... in calling reserves ! goes first right? and in senority order, meaning I am a !, and have a pretty high number for being a !, yet I never get called and people on my SAME window, with the SAME days on as me, with LESS senority and MORE hours than me get the trips........ so is that how it works? !, then senority order? How do people with #'s less than me fly more than me, AND take my trips? Ive been off of IOE since July and have about 55 hours in the plane? I just dont understand, I wish I asked more questions during the scheduling training class but this hadnt happened to me yet.....

PAOK has 5 days on A6, so does someone a class behind me.... except he only has 4 days on A6, I have 5...... I get a pretty good trip, next day its GONE, and I have A6 again, and it appears on the guy 7 numbers behind me in senority...........someone please explain! What do I do? I am blocked to fly TWO hours this month, and have 55 hours in the plane.... and the classes behind me are flying their butts off......someone explain!!!!

Let me stress TWO HOURS IN A MONTH...last month was around EIGHT HOURS THAT I FLEW. but dont worry all the people from the june and july classes are on 4 days.....umm cough....my 120 days is comming up soon, NOT THEIRS!!!!! and I have 55 hours..

PAOK, if I understand it correctly, if both you and another reserve are !, and he has less seniority than you, he'll get the trip. Or if you are given a trip and a lineholder is displaced, then lineholder will get it. But if you're #, then I think you'll get it over the non-# reserve. I've been with the company for over 4 years, been flyinhg since March, and I admit I'm far from understanding the rules. FTR, help me out here. (and FTR, I'm still waiting on that card game you promised....except I have no more readys this month)

Cessna...... I swore they just said they fly the LESS THAN 100 HOUR people in SENORITY order, since obviously my 120 days is comming up before thiers, wouldnt that make sense? my checkride was like in june, and theirs was in august and these people are flying their butts off..... I ALSO am (JM #).... maybe it is the other way around because today my sim partner (who is younger than me) are both on an A6 window. He has an out and back, and I have nothing..... and then he has a 3 day, and I still have nothing...

Ha, you've got me. You could always call scheduling and talk them into giving you a trip as soon as something opens up. I'm told there's a couple F/Os that do that daily.
Are you JFK or CVG based? In July when I was JFK, I flew 32 hours. In August at CVG I flew almost 80 hours (granted, some of that was extra fly)

Oh I call them all the time and beg! Even tell them im in uniform in Ops and to call me first!!!! JFK based...... i flew 8 in august, none in sept, scheduled for 2

Wow I really feel for you guys, that would really suck. I am on reserve at SkyWest right now and have already flown 52 hours this month.

Paok dont sweat it you will get all the flying you can stand when it picks back up and we have several delays, and you get JM to Fly, you will appreciate all the time off you are getting, remember when poo poo hits the fan in the north east most companies are usually short on pilot, ref jetblue feb 14...

Well said Blkflyer. There will be times where all you want to do is get away from the airplane. Like sitting in line for an hour at Pad November at CVG on a bad day, only to return to the gate for more fuel. So hopefully everyone knows that while there may be slow days like these, there will be days just the opposite. Almost every job has its bad days. In my previous position at Comair, I once walked into work at 3pm on a wednesday and didn't get off till 9pm Thursday.

BLK I wouldnt mind the time off but what I do mind is 20 days between flights because I am brand new and only have 50ish hours in the plane..... I just want to get comfortable in it ya know?

Dang that is a big gap.. I know after 2 weeks off I always tell my captain to keep an eye on me because its been a few weeks, if you want you should talk to the Chief pilot about your concerns, If I were you I would try to Jump seat and observe a few flights again in between the gaps. Its hard to stay proficient being that new with such big gaps..

I did jumpseat on my last 20 day gap......guess I should do it on this 20 day gap..... yeah imagine being brand new and having gaps that big lol.... HOLD ON!!!

In all fairness once you get a few hundred hours in the jet your comfort level comes way UP, once you start flying alot and I hope its soon, try to Hand Fly as much as you can I usually turn off the FD after TO and Hand fly as much as I can reason is the Autopilot can be Defer you dont want to gain that experience when you loose the AP Trust me on that one.

Cessna? Darn I wanted to play oh well always next month I guess. Im suppose to go out with another F.O. in next weekend to mainstrauss if you want your more then welcome to come.

Paok P.M. Me and let me know what base your in.

also check epic. the flt ops pilot section. theres a scheduling video

! is senior to jr

My second day of IOE we got a plane with a deferred autopilot. Captain thought he'd be a wise guy and let me fly every leg that day. (We kept the plane all day...funny how the time something is broken on a plane is when you keep it.)

ftr, check your pm's

So they have been scheduling some shady things with the JFK FO's....... stalk SBS and you can see how people are being flown out of senority.... I guess they think JFK people are noobies, and dont check to see when their trips are given away to junior people... whats that called again? filing a grievance???

Phok I dont know how much help it would do, if you are still on first year and on probation..

I wouldnt file a grievance, I just think its wrong to fly pilots out of senority....they fessed up to it.... I dont mind being jerked around, its part of the game, but at least make it fair

paok check ur pm

Oh man these freaking rat chasing sound boxes in the Crew room (JFK) is driving me nuts, not to mention the PA system going off like an alarm all hours of the morning. I think they are trying to drive us crazyor something. I have been sitting ready for six days two days at a time and going nuts for sure.

yea they keep having us check are phones and its some bad wiring in jfk thats making that noise

The JF'nk stickers are one for 3$, two for 5$ or 5 for 10$. PM me if you want some. Better hurry I'm running out and Jet Blue guys are buying the hell out of them.