dino87

2 part question: I know there is a delay in getting into training, so after going through training, which base would have the least time on reserve? ( and yes I know, 3 months from now that can change, so maybe the question should be which bases are known for short reserve times). After making a line, if a FO is wanting to fly as much as possible, how many hours can they realistically expect to fly each month at Republic?

starkutt1

Refer to the thread that says mosthly base drop

greendotplus10

Junior Lines and Base Assignments is a very relevant thread for your questions. See page 7, there's some good data for you there.

I'd be using that information to get some idea of what would be good choices to get off reserve as soon as possible if that is a priority. Generally that means, you need to choose a large base, and a base where guys will be coming in behind you. IND, CMH, and LGA are and have historically been good at providing quick lines. EWR is large, but has been known for more reserve. The data shows that. MIA and IAH are small and senior, so much more reserve there. Okay if you live there, not so much if you don't. Lately though, more FOs are on reserve company wide than in recent times. That's the case because this year's hiring surpassed growth. So, reserve times may increase, but the quickest to a line bases will probably stay the same because new hires are going to the same bases.

Flight times: 25-50 hours reserve, 80-90 line, plus anything you choose to pick up or volunteer for on days off, subject to FAR 117.

planesense

A somewhat-related question... I hear this a lot, but isn’t it more important what’s happening in front of you, vs. behind you? I’m on a training delay right now, so there isn’t anyone coming in behind me; however, people in front of me are upgrading and moving to other bases, so I’m still moving up the list while I sit at home.

DiamondDriver

While that is true, and good that people are upgrading / moving bases. No matter how much seniority you gain it won’t mean much if there’s no one behind you. You’re unfortunately still at the bottom.

**Hypothetically** Come time to upgrade, the seniority you’re gaining will be good because the people below you...potentially will be a few months below you in terms of flight time so the chances of a delay in upgrading are smaller. **Hypothetically**

planesense

I still don't get this... If Republic decided to never hire another FO, I would still move up the seniority list just as fast as if they hired 1,000,000 FO's tomorrow. On the other hand, if the rate at which Republic captains moved on to the majors suddenly doubled, then I would start moving up the list faster. Or, let's pretend those 100 new jets were going to all be placed in service in the next 6 months (wouldn't that be nice), but for some reason no new FO's were hired during that time... I promise you I would move up the list VERY quickly. I just don't see how it matters how many people are below you in seniority. I'm much more interested in what's happening with the people above me.

ninerdriver

There will always be a set number of pilots on the bottom on reserve. If YX never hired another FO again, you'd be on reserve forever.

Seniority doesn't matter when you have no one to exercise it over.

planesense

So all the captains would eventually move on to the majors or retire, then all the line-holding FO's would upgrade to captain, and all the FO's on reserve would just stay there, simply because there's no one behind them? Sorry, this is just highly illogical. The pipeline has to keep moving regardless of how many FO's get hired behind you.

Longhornmaniac8

I think y'all are arguing past one another because of an impossible hypothetical that makes the whole thought exercise irrelevant.

In an event where YX didn't hire another FO, the airline would only allow upgrades to the point where the ratio of CAs to FOs was where the airline wanted it. At the bottom of the totem pole, you would stay there.

Now, more to the point in the real world, the training delay is not really that big a deal as it pertains to your seniority. I'm also on the delay, and they've continued hiring and there are close to 100 people below me on the seniority list now as of the December 2018 list posted on Comply. From February to April (or whenever they're resuming classes), I will progress toward an upgrade due to upgrades and retirements of those ahead of me, but my ability to hold a line as an FO will not improve until they start hiring people in behind me to backfill those reserve slots.

The reason they're doing this delay to begin with is to right-size what is an oversized FO group. By putting the pause on the flow of new hires into the FO side, they allow that group to right-size itself through upgrades and attrition. The CA side of things will continue unabated due to attrition and retirements, creating the movement to right-size the FO group.

TL;DR: You will move up the list as a function of total pilots, but not as a percentage, progressing toward upgrade but not lineholder.

planesense

I understand it’s all hypothetical, but it’s certainly not irrelevant... Follow me on this:

1. Captains retire/leave, which leaves vacancies
2. FOs upgrade to fill those vacancies
3. Remaining FO line-holders move up the list leaving vacancies at the bottom.
4. Reserve FOs start holding a line to fill those vacancies.

#4 is where we have our problem. And honestly, maybe I’m wrong... but why would anyone block #4 from happening just because there aren’t enough FO’s to remain on reserve?

I’m happy to wave the white flag here, not trying to be difficult... I’m sure I’ll understand this a whole lot better in 6 months.