Local reserve and Short Call.
 

If one is local and on reserve, I was told that it is possible to pick up Short Calls and increase your pay. Is this true and if so how does it work and what is a reasonable expectation, and finally am I correct that reserve when not used pays the blended rate if one is in a fleet that has a blended rate.

Thanks a bunch to all the reserve gurus that answer!

Joe

The first two unused SCs are for free then each subsequent unused SC pays one hour of Add Pay. When I bid reserve I can usually get between 6-8 unused SCs as a IAH 777 FO. Your experience may differ depending on base, fleet and seat. And yes, your pay is blended on reserve.

Have flown with some getting near 80 hours most months. It's way better than trying to fly 80 hours a month on reserve since the trips dropped into open time are often less than stellar.

This is for EWR 756 CAP, and I'm trying to outline a budget number. Would 75 hours a month be a conservative estimate for a RSV guy? I'm budgeting at the lowest rate for the 757-200 so any blended pay would be extra.

The CCS Reserve Availabilty screen has a column showing how many SCs each pilot has had. Check different days to see more pilots. These aren't unused but it could give a general idea about how many are getting assigned.

Picking up short calls is a smart gambit, IF you're close enough and they're fat in your seat. The number of SC's published tends to vary a bit, but is much higher than it was in years past. And, the number of times used on SC can vary as well. On my last fleet, I flew (or deadheaded to cover) on a fair amount of SC's. My current fleet, not so much.

As far as a budget, I'd say its a no brainer if you're bidding reserve intentionally. If your BES reserve life goes to crap, you can always bid a line and increase (typically) your pay. But the guy who bids up a seat and plans on steadily receiving 78-79 hours pay on reserve might be disappointed.

And if they're short in your BES, you might end up working like a sled dog just to make guarantee.

Reserve can be a bit of a crapshoot. It can also be pretty decent, depending on your zip code and what's going on with the airline as it shuffles & staffs the metal.

Thanks for the info guys.

IF, and that's a big if, if I make it to EWR 756 I should be a line holder, but since I'm just over an hour drive from EWR and there are very few trips that are pigs, I thought of intentionally bidding reserve. Originally I expected it would be a diet of 70 hour months on reserve until someone told me about SC and how it can pay if you're local. Sounds as if 75 hours is a reasonable number to budget . . . now I just gotta keep my fingers crossed that Man Power puts out a bid sometime before the next "Black Swan" event.

For example, 12 with 3+ SC. Unused unknown.

Also remember that reserve guarantee is 73 hours, not 70, so your add pay begins from there. With aggressive pickup of SC's, I think it's a no brainer to expect at least 75 hours of credit a month.

73 hours min . . . shows how out of touch I am with RSV rules. Shame on me.

Anyways, 12 guys with 3+ and one with 8. Looks like what's a PITA for commuters is actually a plus for local guys.

How exactly does SC work? Are you assigned a specific window? Can they call you anytime?

I guess I should probably read up on RSV rules at some point.