I'm about to leave active duty (C-130 pilot, T-37 IP, and currently T-6 IP)and am somewhat ignorant of how the start of an airline job works. I'd like to fly for CAL and fly with the reserves in San Antonio. I'd probably work a good deal at the Reserve unit to supplement the first - third year pay. I've got family in Houston that I could stay with instead of getting a crashpad. I've read on the forum that it takes such and such amount of time to get a line and that until then you sit reserve.
Does that mean you have scheduled periods of reserve in the same way that other guys have scheduled periods of flying?
How is reserve prior to holding a line different than bidding for a schedule that has reserve blocks in it?
Does having a line mean that you definitely get to bid for a flying schedule or will you still be sitting reserve?

Thanks,

AggiePilot

Reserve....periods of certain days when you are on call to crew scheduling. Call out times vary...but are usually 90 minutes to 2 hours. Some companies have LONG call... 12 hours or so. Holding a line means your senoirity is enough to bid for scheduled flying...ie..not reserve.

As for houston...... thats probably a pipe dream at least for a year or two....maybe longer.... newhires generally going to Newark I would suspect.

LOL Just kidding!!

Any difference between holding a line and bidding for reserve and not holding a line a being on reserve?

Anyone that works for CAL care to provide an answer for the Houston question?

Thanks,

AggiePilot

Most newhires go to Newark. You can bid Houston anytime and you'll get it when you can hold it with your seniority. Since they just changed the age to 65 for retirements, everything will move a little slower than before.

You will start on reserve and can bid which days off you want. Again, bidding is in seniority order. If you're junior, you get what is left over. Your schedule will tell you which days you are on reserve and which you are off. You can then bid for reserve periods. You bid what works for you. Do you wan to be on call early in the day or late? When you bid your reserve line, you must state A or B reserve. A is long call = 9 hours to go time. B is short call = 3 hours to go time. B pays 4 hours more per month. 76 hours vs. 72. You won't see a mixture of reserve and line flying. You'll be one or the other.

You bid for reserve lines or regular lines (with flying on it). The main difference is on reserve you don't know what you're doing ahead of time and get min days off. Lineholders can bid for when and where they want to go (in seniority order!). Reserves are for covering when lineholders call in sick, don't like flying they got on their line, don't like driving in snow, etc. So reserve can suck. Just remember that when you are on reserve; you are on reserve and they can call you and send you any where, anytime. I hate when pilots get upset on reserve when the company makes them do their job. If you have the attitude that you're on reserve and they are going to use you, then you will cope better. It's not as bad as some people make it to be.

CAL has some issues with it's bidding system right now. I hope it gets better soon.

Good luck.

Can anyone shed some light on how often you are used ( i.e. out of #XX days on reserve, called to fly #XX days) per month while on reserve at EWR ... broken down by long vs short and 73 vs 75/76 ... I know why one is used while on reserve varies greatly (very much tied to Wx??) ... thanks.

Otto,

Thanks for the good info.

AggiePilot

This varies greatly. Summer and holidays you get used. I've flown 3 hours one month and 50 the next. Some have said they've flown over their 72/76 hour min. I never have. I couldn't tell you what others are doing, as that data is not available to me.

I spent 3 mo's on reserve and was actually not used very much. Seeing as I wanted to fly to the max extent, I was very aggressive with the "aggressive" pick up window - so to speak! I would try and get as many trips as possible...just to get comfortable with the airplane and working at CAL as I knew I was going on mil leave in the near future. But if you don't aggresively pick up trips, I'd imagine (especially during the winter timeframe) you won't be used all that often.

Aggie - if you have any questions about mil leave, ANG/reserves, or flying for CAL as a military guy - feel free to PM me anytime.