Well, we at SKW bid a little different than most airlines. Mgmnt Forced this system called PBS (Preferential Bidding System) on us that allows us to create our entire month where at most airlines they create the monthly line and you bid on the line you want. PBS is a great system because it's very efficient when it comes to utilizing pilots and equipment. BUT, if you don’t negotiate rules for PBS to operate by you will end up flying open time for straight pay. PBS will take all the open time (flying time that is left over after everyone gets their lines) and spread it out over everyone’s schedule (junior pilots schedule) until it’s all being flown, and you end up flying it at straight pay. Otherwise you can pick up open time for time and a half or if you’re at Mess-a it gets junior manned to you. SKW doesn't force junior man flights, you have the option of turning them down unless you're the last man on the totem pole. Because we are non-union at SKW, Mgmnt forced us to start using PBS and we were unable to negotiate any changes, like time and a half for a line over 85 hours block, no less than 12 days off and no forced flying over your line. When I say forced flying I means there's a period between when you awarded you line and when your lines is finalized that they can force flying on you. In other words, you get your line and you start planning your month around it, then 5 days later your line is finalized and you end up with forced flying that you never bid for.

With PBS it’s a lot easier to get days off. I bid in the top 15 in KFAT (Fresno, CA) and I was able to get a total of 16 days off and the last 9 days of November off. Also my line was for 97 hours of credit pay on 84 hours of block. With my schedule in December I bid so I don’t have to go back until the 5th which ended up giving me 13 days off. I also got 7 days off for X-Mas and New Years off as well. Now, PBS is a very complicated system and will take most quite a while to figure out. If you’re SKW I will be glad to go much deeper but I think you get the picture. My average months are 15-16 days off , 95+ hours of credit pay with about 85 hours of block and I haven’t worked a weekend since June.

Now bidding with your monthly lines already created is much easier because if you have 30 pilots then you have 30 lines. So, if you bid 15th you just have to bid on 15 lines. With PBS if you have 30 pilots then you have 92 pairings (1, 2, 3, 4 day trips) that you bid on to create your monthly line. Like I said let me know if you’re SKW or if you are using PBS and I’ll gladly go much deeper.

It probably takes the average SKW pilot an hour and a half to bid but it takes me close to 5 hours. I love numbers and I enjoy picking throught the pairings with a fine tooth comb to create my bid layers. Because I am so detailed I have yet to get a month I didn't ask for (meaning days off and trip values).

Hope this helped, good luck.

Most airlines have PBS or will get it soon. It is mostly for management benefit, but if implemented correctly it can be good for many pilots

Well there you have it. I know SWA Pilots voted it down, MAG tried it out but hasn't implemented and ASA has yet to use it.

But most others? I can't say I know all the airlines using PBS.

But don't vote in ALPA thinking everything will get better. Skywest may not be perfect but we are better than 80% of other alpa regionals

Right on, but I think 80% is being modest. I'd go as far as saying 95%.

Hey guys thanks a lot. I'm not Skywest (yet!!) but give me two more months and I'm be back for interview number two.
I think I've got the general gist of PBS. It'll take me at least 5 more times reading Jetjocks post to have it nailed. I'm kinda like that. Details. Should be interesting. Course I'm gonna be junior so I"ll get stuck with the last. Course I'm not against flyin 99.9 hours a month. only for a little while though.
And I'll back you guys all the way. Keep Skywest non-union!! See you all on the line

I'm not an anti-union person. I came from a Union carrier that was bought by skywest and I have seen both sides. Skywest is RUN much better and the people really are happier here.

The threat of a union at skywest is far more powerful than alpa could ever be. Skywest does not really need a union at this point in time. Just remember once you have a union you can't get rid of it so my advice is wait until things really do get bad and trust me (and this is to all the skywest pilots who have ONLY been at skywest and no other airlines) Skywest is a Very Very good airlines to be at. Just ask the 80% of former 121 pilots in all the newhires classes.

Jerry Cares about this company he's not out to make himself super rich. He's been here for what 20 years now? If that were his goal he wouldn't still be here. It shows that he does care about how happy his employees are and that he tries to get as much flying as possible. Jerry is to regionals what Herb Keller was to southwest and Gordon Bethune was to continental.

PBS is great IMO you get to choose what you want and not get stuck with stuff you don't. Some people have other things to say about it, but if you know how to use the system you can get a very nice line. Just for the record I was hired a few months ago and I never sat 1 day on reserve I got a line out for training worth 92 hours with 30 hour overnights in San Fran and YVV

I do agree with you. My father was a pilot for Braniff and AA. My uncle flies for SWA and I have friends all around the industry. Before I came to SKW I was targeting regionals back east but my uncle was adamant I waited for SKW and now I now why.

Also just to correct you, Jerry was hired in 9-1-74, that's 32+ years ago and he single handedly made SKW. If there was an Airline Hall of Fame he'd be there.

Jet Jock,
I am new at SkyWest and just used PBS for the first time last month. I read through the whole PBS manual and it still was a little over my head. How do I figure this thing out, do you have any pointers? Also, how are you able to get so many days off, and all that credit over block time? I am still new to all this obviously. Any info is greatly appreciated.