Two hour call outs only happen about 5% of the time. It’s quite common for guys to call in saying they are stuck in traffic. There is still an hour from report to push so as long as you aren’t consistently delaying flights I’d say you have nothing to worry about.

 

When during class do you find out what bases can you bid for and when they are awarded?

 

Depends on when your class starts. You’ll get a base for ioe, for consolidation and then you’re true base. I didn’t find out my real base till ioe about 2 1/2 months in but I knew my ioe base and consolidation base about a month or so in

 

You'll be in the base of your choice within your first year even if it's ATL. October vacancy shows ATL plug is a Nov 2017 hire. Next seniormost bases for newhires are DEN with the plug being a Feb 2018 hire and MCO with the plug there being a June 2018 hire.

Bear in mind, you'll spend the first 2 months in training, and you should be able to do IOE and finish out that month in the base of your choice.

 

System bidding is actually pretty simple since there is only one aircraft type and base assignment is based on seniority.

Initial base and IOE preferences are submitted on paper about 1/3 to 1/2 through training, if I recall correctly. You can bid for any base and it was before simulator training. You'll find out your IOE base when they assign your IOE training schedule a couple of weeks before you're done. We also updated our electronic schedule preferences and system bid at the same time we submitted our paper IOE preference worksheet. The exact date in training might depend on where in the system bid timeline they are, to ensure your system bid is processed before your first line schedule bidding occurs.

IOE base is determined by a combination of your stated preferences (desired base and where you are commuting from) and check airman availability. If you have special considerations (weddings, graduations, baptism, etc) you can ask training scheduling to help out but they may not be able to accommodate your requests. If you get an IOE trip during an event that is *really* important, you can ask the training manager for intervention but it's going to have to be a really good reason. Good news, SWA actually cares enough to let its managers and chief pilots make these decisions as long as there isn't a contract issue. My class had a couple of these special circumstances and to my knowledge they were sorted out ok.

Consolidation month base is a normal bid based on pure seniority, but you get a regular line the first month to ensure you get your 100 hours quickly. Right now new hires inevitably get OAK their first month after IOE, but the most senior people in a class might only have to spend one month there depending on where everyone else is moving. After LAX grows and settles down, LAX might end up the junior base depending on if it sucks more or less than OAK for commuting to reserves there. You'll find out your base a little while before bidding opens for the next month, so your graduation date and IOE schedule will determine how quickly you get your base assignment and when you'll be able to bid for your first month's line.

It's possible that the first month's real schedule bid will occur before finishing the type rating checkride, so pay attention to the bidding timeline.

 

To add a bit. They will assign you 26-27 hours of IOE in the base you designate. (Usually). About 5 days of flying. Whichever month you finish IOE in you will be assigned trips in that same base to finish out the month. They have routinely put out a vacancy domocile bid once a month. So as stated above, somewhere in the latter part of training you will be eligible to bid for your true seniority base. Oakland has been the most junior historically but the vacancies have been varied recently. Houston has been pretty junior. 3-4 of my class got HOU right out of training. One got MDW. One new hire got HOU on this last bid IIRC.

 

I don’t think that is safe advice to give to a potential probationary pilot. The two hour callout is to get you to the lounge (check-in) an hour before push. To check/update pubs [now EFB], and take care of any other business before your acft show 30 min before push.

In the modern EFB age, does everyone show at the lounge 60 prior to push? No, especially with telephone check-in. But if you telephone check-in, the scheduler will often ask “Are you on property?” You put your career here at great risk if you do not answer truthfully. One flat tire or a stop-sign runner tagging you not yet on property will cost you dearly.

Now, yes, people can and do call in, stating ‘stuck in traffic, will not make report, but will make push’. Scheduling will say thanks for the call, call back when on property, and have a nice day. The next thing that scheduler will probably do is generate a pull sheet report for your chief pilot. The CP will drop it in the desk. If the CP finds several pull sheets with your name on it within, say 24 months, you get a call and possibly a letter in YOUR file. That is the first step in the chain.

If you are a probationary pilot, you’re getting quarterly reviews-I think-with your chief. Any of those pull sheets with your name will generate a conversation you would prefer not to have.

 

I don't think Ive gotten a full two hour report yet. Last two were 0330 phone call for 0500ish report. In one case 0330 phone call for 0530 departure. I told them with my drive, etc, I can't make that. I was told do your best and SWMP was put on my board.

 

Remember, the answer is "I'll do my best" while on probation, but that under NO circumstances obligates you, nor are you responsible in any way, shape or form if that flight pushes back late.

These types of flights would normally get assigned to premium bidders until some yahoo in Scheduling decided to play the game with new guys and count on their ignorance of our contract to effectively kill premium flying.

In a nutshell... you are under no obligation to answer the Scheduling's call the day prior, nor are you under any obligation to self-acknowledge the day prior. In fact, by doing any of the above, you are grossly undercutting yourself and your fellow pilots and contributing to the erosion of our contract. Looking at the trip in CrewBuddy doesn't constitute acknowledgment, or looking at it in CWA just as long as you don't actually acknowledge it.

THE ONE AND ONLY requirement is that you answer the phone once your RAP starts. From that point, you have 2 hours to the lounge and the protocol is that we report 1 hour prior to push in our domicile. Effectively, that's 3 hours from notification to push.

Here's how I've done it on probation and even now when I pick up an AM reserve block:

I NEVER answer on my day off. They are gonna have to call me at 0330, but now I'm ready.

If they want me to cover a trip that departs at 0530, it goes something like this...

Scheds: "We have a trip on your board departing at 0530. We appreciate if you can make it."

Me: "I need two hours, but I'll do my best."

Scheds: "We'll put SWMP and close-in parking authorized on your board. Thank you for your help."

Me: "Sure thing...." Their choice...

Now... I don't show up at the lounge (not gate) until 0530 at which point, I update my EFB, read and acknowledge my RBF's and check my box. At this point, I show up at the gate at 0545 and say hello to Ops Agent. The flight is already 15 minutes late pushing back, but remember, that was Scheduling's choice. I'll do my walkaround and get my preflight duties completed. Remember, they aren't allowed to board on the originators unless both pilots are present. If you show up and the flight is boarded, someone broke the rules and you may want to fill out an ASAP.

So now, assuming everything has gone perfect and the boarding went expeditiously, you are pushing back 45 minutes late from the scheduled time, but 15 minutes early based on your contractual requirements. You smell like roses.

The best part? It's all Scheduling's fault. If they wanted this flight to push on time, they should have assigned it to a premium bidder who would be under normal obligation to show up 1 hour prior to push and thereby ensuring an on-time departure. Nobody can say anything to you, nor will you ever be blamed for late push regardless if you're on probation or not. And again, don't feel bad... remember, there are usually premium bidders for that trip that Scheduling chose to ignore to assign it to you in hopes you either don't know your contract, or that being a new guy, you will willfully disregard it to be a 'team player.'

Someone from higher up will see these originators pushing late and they'll start asking why Scheduling would choose to not award them at premium to ensure that the rest of the day isn't delayed because it's literally peanuts in the grand scheme of things, but to the pilot group, it means a lot.

 

That’s good info. Thanks for sharing!!