That's about it.

Another thing is you are not required to answer your phone after check-in, including your hotel room phone. They like to add turns when overnighting in another base, "reflows", exc.... some captains are so far removed from the reserve game CS will call them and ask to speak to you and they'll hand you the phone. Theres a bunch of grey area regarding ops agents on the in range call, ACARS, exc. I pretty much held the stand unless my chief pilot was waiting to personally tell me to call CS in the jetbridge I wasn't going to do it.

Another thing to consider with self notifying online the night before is that you are now bound by normal lineholder rest, not the 16 hour from the start of your RAP (non-extendable) which is often more restricting especially for an AM RSV.

You don't have to accept a release into rest, they'll argue with you about it... but don't do it.

 

Once again, listen up, the reserve rules are more of a guideline for SS, for you they are mandatory, the advantage is theirs. SKYW is 2 airlines, no, its not SKYW and ASA but reserve and the line. With a few exceptions reserve will have you regretting getting your Private Pilot Certificate, the line is actually not too bad, until the reflow nonsense starts. You will, indeed learn as you go, talk to the senior guys on reserve, as well as the senior line holders, SS has tricks that go back to the 1990s. SS has called from their personal cell phones to lure you into answering, if you don't recognize the number, let it go to voicemail. Do them favors at your own peril, if you get something that you prefer, great, but do not expect anything downstream. You can curry favor for years only to lose it on one negative transaction with them(SS).

 

Never answer your phone ... Ever. It doesn't matter if you're in your required reserve period or on ready or anywhere. Don't answer your phone. No where in our manual does it say you must answer the phone. You just have to call back or acknowledge within 10 minutes. Not answering your phone means they don't have the option to say "will you accept this assignment?" and protects you from saying yes and accepting something they otherwise couldn't assign without your approval.

Don't ever answer the phone. If what you see on the acknowledge on sked+ is legal acknowledge it. If it's not a legal assignment call them back and complain. At no point does it benefit you to let them do the talking.

 

As a side not to this, every keystroke you enter into the keyboard while on Skywestonline is recorded for posterity. So when you check that trip that requires an acknowledgement, but don't acknowledge it, they know exactly how many times you have viewed it. There also a few more creepy things they have available to them.

 

The old call them at 0355 for the 0400 reserve to get you to acknowledge a trip that starts at 1400 and goes way past your normal reserve period trick is the most common.
Beware!

 

I THINK if you fall into the delusion that if you "help" the company out of a jam, they will return the "favor" in the future you're in for a rude awakening. My philosophy is that if taking a trip (when I have an option) is beneficial to me and the company, great. If I take a trip or pick up the phone I am not expecting some type of favoritism in the future. Take the "personal" out of it. It's business. CS's business is to utilize an asset, YOU are the asset, and to make sure flights are properly staffed. Your business, dependent on your desires, is to rack up as much credit as possible in the fewest days possible while achieving the most time off. However, the deck is stacked against you. If you don't take this personally you're life will be better.

 

What's an "acknowledgment"? (I'm clueless as to how all this 121 stuff works, as you can see.)

This is what I think I understand so far:

1.) If you are on your off day, never answer your phone. Period. Unless you want to fly, that is.

2.) If you are within your RAP...aren't you pretty much obligated to accept anything they give you, as long as it won't violate 117? What's the advantage of not answering the phone and calling back within 10 minutes?

3) If you are on a trip, again, same question applies. You're on duty, so...don't you have to accept whatever they give you, as long as it's legal?

4) If you answer the phone, and you're within your RAP or on a trip, and the assignment is legal...you have no basis for refusing the assignment. Right?

I get that you have to protect yourself against a request that would cause you to bust 117. I also get that you should never say 'Yeah, I can be there in less than 2 hours' while on short-call reserve. But I guess I don't understand the advantage of ignoring the phone call from CS while you're either inside your RAP or on a trip...?

 

Can you clarify those? I'm afraid I'm clueless as to what 'self-notification' means and what 'release into rest' means...

Oh, and another thing. One crew I recently jumpseated with told me that if you're commuting to reserve, and you're home on your day off, try calling CS the morning of your day off to see if they have any reserve trips out of the domicile nearest your home. If they do, and they put you on a trip, then now you've gotten out of the need to commute halfway across the country to sit reserve. Or, ask them if they need anyone for TDY in the base nearest your home, since you'll be sitting at home and not incurring hotel costs.

Do either of those tactics ever work?

 

Again, I think it provides you an opportunity to look at the legality of the assignment w/o relying on CS interpretation.

 

3.,4. On a RAP or trip they can do with you whatever they want provided it doesn't exceed 117 or PPM. Know 117 like the back of your hand that'll keep you out of trouble.