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heading180 03-14-2010 05:45 PM

Eagle Life
 
Can someone elaborate on the life at Eagle? How is reserve? #of days off on reserve, short-call long-call etc... Any contractual days off required? Ex: OH guarantees 4 in a row 3 in a row per bid period.

mwa1 03-14-2010 06:36 PM

once you are out CS adds to your sked rather than call out. very little control for the senior reserves, none for the juniors.

TXav8r13 03-14-2010 06:39 PM


Originally Posted by heading180 (Post 778741)
Can someone elaborate on the life at Eagle? How is reserve? #of days off on reserve, short-call long-call etc... Any contractual days off required? Ex: OH guarantees 4 in a row 3 in a row per bid period.

Reserve is not very fun. 11 days off, 2 hour call out. You can swap your says around to fit your schedule. Not uncommon to have a 5 to 6 day RSV block. Once your called out your at the mercy of the company to the release you.

FLowpayFO 03-14-2010 06:58 PM

Decade upgrade, so plan to be poor for a long time. 11 days off a month on RSV, you either have airport ready which is usually from 0600-1400 or 1400-2200, or you will have a 2 hour call out from home/crashpad. And I believe the answer to your last question is, they do a max of 6 days in a row with a day off between those sequences. It depends on what base or equipment you choose/get that will determine how much flying you do, I'd keep asking different people if you can on their experiences. Overall the crews you fly with are great people that are dedicated in providing good service, sometimes you get unlucky and fly with complete pricks who think they are the 5 stripe commanders and gods gift to flying, all depends on the day I guess..

I'm not trying to be the debbie downer guy, but unless your looking to make Eagle your career airline or if you will be home based, I wouldn't recommend joining Eagle due to the lack of career progression here. I do not know your current situation/age/background so only take my views with a grain of salt and see what fits for you. Just from my experiences and with my career goals in mind(majors if they still exist in the future), I wish I would have gone elsewhere when I had the opportunity just due to the lack of career progression here.

withthatsaid182 03-14-2010 07:28 PM

Reserve is tough no matter how you swing it. I was on reserve for my first year at Eagle before getting furloughed. I plan on being on reserve for at least another year. I was the junior guy in the company so I was the last at each base I went to which made my situation a little more painful.

If you live in base it can be bearable, if you commute, get a crashpad. Flying when I was on reserve was scarce. The most I flew in a month was 55 hours. I average 25 hours with as little as 8 hours one month. Like people said you end up with 5-6 day stints which blow if you're doing ready reserve (sitting at the airport). Ready's do not fly. They are used as a last resort. If you hold a ready line be prepared to sit in the crew room each day. Junior guys on call got more flying b/c CS worked from the bottom up on the list. Senior guys usually did not fly but they preffered that most of the time. The sweet spot I think is the top 25% of the list. These guys can sit at home if they want and not get called unless there is the perfect storm, but they can proffer for open trips and usually get them.

With all the hiring going on and change in flying I think that reserve will play out a little different then I experienced but being on the bottom is being on the bottom. The best advice I can give to guys joining me on reserve is to figure out and adapt quickly. Find a way to use the system to your advantage (what little advantage there may be), learn the ins and outs of the SABRE system so you know when you can expect to fly or expect to sit around and wait. Also find ways to pass the time in the crashpad or at the airport. A lot of flying I got on reserve would be 2-3 deadhead legs to fly 1 leg. It sounds ridiculous but happened to a lot of guys. Patience will be your best virtue.

withthatsaid182 03-14-2010 07:32 PM

The problem I ran into a lot was not that scheduling would use me once I got called it was that they'd use me for a turn and then release me.

After commuting in for a 6 day stint the last thing I'd want to do is sit around so I'd beg to fly and try to build things together. The best scenario is to end up on an overnight each night of reserve. Never happened though.

I'd get called in KLGA to do a KPIT turn every saturday morning which was always my first day there one month. I'd have commuted in the night before on my day off to get there for 0400 RAP or S1. I'd finish the turn by 1100 am and be released. I couldn't exactly commute home b/c I'd then be in the cycle for the 0400 RAP or S1 for the next few days.

I wish they flew me more. Hopefully it'll be a bit busier this year.

CheapFlyer 03-14-2010 08:22 PM


Originally Posted by withthatsaid182 (Post 778783)
I'd get called in KLGA to do a KPIT turn every saturday morning which was always my first day there one month. I'd have commuted in the night before on my day off to get there for 0400 RAP or S1. I'd finish the turn by 1100 am and be released. I couldn't exactly commute home b/c I'd then be in the cycle for the 0400 RAP or S1 for the next few days.

That right there is a commuters worst nightmare. I bet they somehow managed to keep you there 'till 10pm on your last day too. That sounds absolutely horrible.

AirWillie 03-14-2010 10:27 PM


Originally Posted by FLowpayFO (Post 778766)
Decade upgrade, so plan to be poor for a long time. 11 days off a month on RSV,

I don't think many Eagle applicants out there realize the significance of this sentence. I would read it over and over until it starts making sense.

ERJF15 03-15-2010 11:42 AM


Originally Posted by withthatsaid182 (Post 778782)
Reserve is tough no matter how you swing it. I was on reserve for my first year at Eagle before getting furloughed. I plan on being on reserve for at least another year. I was the junior guy in the company so I was the last at each base I went to which made my situation a little more painful.

If you live in base it can be bearable, if you commute, get a crashpad. Flying when I was on reserve was scarce. The most I flew in a month was 55 hours. I average 25 hours with as little as 8 hours one month. Like people said you end up with 5-6 day stints which blow if you're doing ready reserve (sitting at the airport). Ready's do not fly. They are used as a last resort. If you hold a ready line be prepared to sit in the crew room each day. Junior guys on call got more flying b/c CS worked from the bottom up on the list. Senior guys usually did not fly but they preffered that most of the time. The sweet spot I think is the top 25% of the list. These guys can sit at home if they want and not get called unless there is the perfect storm, but they can proffer for open trips and usually get them.

With all the hiring going on and change in flying I think that reserve will play out a little different then I experienced but being on the bottom is being on the bottom. The best advice I can give to guys joining me on reserve is to figure out and adapt quickly. Find a way to use the system to your advantage (what little advantage there may be), learn the ins and outs of the SABRE system so you know when you can expect to fly or expect to sit around and wait. Also find ways to pass the time in the crashpad or at the airport. A lot of flying I got on reserve would be 2-3 deadhead legs to fly 1 leg. It sounds ridiculous but happened to a lot of guys. Patience will be your best virtue.


Everyone flies and we run out of RSV's everyday. At least in DFW.

lckck84 03-15-2010 02:02 PM

Im in the top 20% of RSvs at ORD. I live in base. Shuffle between composite and RSV. Extensions are the worst when it comes to being on RSV. I can proffer to know a little bit, but once you are in the system it is not uncommon for them to extend you for 2 to 3 more days. For example, last weekend I proffered for a 2 day tip I came home 3 days later.


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