Didn't see this posted anywhere....looks like DAL is changing up the indoc jet assignment process slightly. Friend today in the Jan 5th class got an e-mail with the drop and was told to e-mail in his choices in order. I'm guessing they'll have the assignment done before you show up on day 1.

It still goes by highest SSN last 4, but now there's no sitting through the entire class while it happens. I guess it just got too painful with class sizes of 60+ for the near future?

I'll let someone else in that class post the drop.

We did this in June but there were hiccups. A few folks didn't get the email and never sent in their priorities. The company couldn't redo the whole process and had to work with them on the side to resolve the error.

It was nice to have time to review the list and go over different options.

They did this last year also. It was because 20 compass flow pilots got the a/c assignment with the rest of the class but didn't start Indoc until their hold back was over

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and the drop is?????

Thanks for the info on the time to train for OE. That's real helpful.

Anyone happe to know how long it would roughly take to bid LA for 737NG and how long you would have to sit reserve to hold the line there ?

I'd guess you'd get it during your first year, assuming you were able to get a 737 slot during your class drop. While the 73N does "go junior" all the way to new hire classes, not all new hire classes offer it. It just depends on the exact class you're in. You may have the class before and after yours get it while yours doesn't or vice versa. If you don't get it, then I'd guess exactly one year.

As for getting off reserve, that's a harder guess but I'd lean towards thinking of it in terms of years. Even if you hear a story of someone getting a line almost right away, that could be a one off. I'd think 1-3 years on average, but obviously it could change a lot either way. Its a small base with not much room to grow and senior over all, despite the junior portion of it going to newer pilots.

YMMV.

Buddy had a 73N line in LAX his second month out of training (AE'd there while in training). I'm told reserve there goes senior.

Exactly. You will see new pilots getting lines in everything everywhere. But that doesn't mean future new hires will. Categories like that (small and senior over all, with junior at the bottom, and no growth coming to it) tend to be all over the map with isolated examples of what you described.

But its not a sure thing. If you live there and want to drive to work, then its a no brainer. But if you're basing your decision to bid it on commuting/long driving based on having a line or not being on reserve, be very careful bidding it as a new hire based on the experiences of other new pilots hired before you. Even if "reserve goes senior" that doesn't mean the bottom bracket of reserve will always go senior. In fact its quite common to see the bottom reserves be junior, especially if they are actually flying. It doesn't take senior pilots long to change their bidding tactics in those cases.

Small senior categories like that tend to really highlight the old adage "Past Performance is Not Necessarily Indicative of Future Results".