It probably (maybe) is because they had extra captains and gave them relief lines with the trips on them. In DTW it is steady, but the trips get soaked up quickly because of the FO's that upgraded to somewhere else trading to pick up DTW trips. Open time doesn't last long in DTW.

 

Ok, since there are no 6 day trips you are bidding reserve. There are a few opportunities to get a line that ends in 6 and the subsequent line starts with 6. Rare, but a couple of guys could get lucky and get it. The down side is you are locked into 72 hrs of pay unless you are doing those special deals I keep hearing about. Nice work!

 

No certaintly on on rsv.

There are a few lines that work 6 days (4 day plus 2 day etc) Remember, 5 redeyes mean 6 days!

 

I think you just made lemon aides point. "A few lines". Truth is, it's almost impossible for the average guy to score big like you just scored. I get a couple of days dropped every other month and I'm top 30%.

The wannabes reading this string need to recognize that the ability to get paid six days per month for NOT working is the great exception, not the rule.

Our contract was written for guys who desire to make the most money possible while only working an average bid line. Anything outside this, requires either lots of time in base and the willingness to work 27 days per month, or high seniority, or the desire to fly the backside of the clock for months on end.

I'm personally happy that guys are finding ways to game the system. More power to ya! But I'm not happy that the contract fails to protect my sleep cycle when flying the trips most of us fly under the concept that "everybody makes the same". Flying the 17 days it takes for all but the most senior to bank 75 hours a month gets old as well. IOW, trip averaging SUx and it reduces our hourly wage by a significant amount when compared to other carriers.

 

You are right Skybolt. We are all so damn tired here. Every flight is late, every pairing has a redeye embedded in daytime flying. Only a few guys get transition drops. Min days off. I'm just too tired to pick up OT. I just hope it pays off one day.

 

I am just below 50 percent in base. I certainly dont "***** out" (as some may put it), but i do watch d.o.t. like a hawk for potential soft time.

As skybolt said, getting a big score like i did is a rarity. This is only my third or fourth time ever having a transition conflict and i played my cards right and benefited to the max exent the contract allows.

To each their own. The beauty of this job is that it caters to all lifestyles. Personally, i have no prob working weekends and changing my schedule at the last minute to get extra paid time off.

Fly safe everyone and lets grow this place!

 

Not so quick with the "it caters to all lifestyles".

It does nothing for: the commuter that wants to limit hotels, the average pilot who wants to fly eight hours a day for ten days a month, for the guy who wants to fly only the front side of the clock, and finally for the guy who wants to make a few hours of premium pay without having to game the system.

 

"You can't please all the people, all the time... And last night, all those people were at my show." - Mitch Hedberg

 

First you say it caters to ALL lifestyles, to which I pointed out exceptions, then you come back with this?

 

Both have great points, but I think the catering to us or for us it's the least of our concerns. I think the livelihood of our airline is exposing its true colors.