Itsajob

I’m not senior enough to hold the 777 with the seniority that I want before putting in my bid, but playing the landings game sounds like a great gig to me. This is a dollars per day job for many of us. I’d much rather be the IRO on a 3 day NRT trip that pays 26:45 than a flying seat on a 3 day to FRA that only pays 16:45. The main benefit of a flying seat to me would be hoping that training would buy my trip and I wouldn’t have to go. That’s the beauty of this job. You have the freedom to bid what you want within your seniority.

worstpilotever

Really? That is my dream schedule....getting paid 200k a year to not fly? I could go fly my own plane, or be with my kids at their events, or spend time with my wife, or work on my house.

To each their own I suppose.

Winston

The only thing better than getting paid to fly airplanes for a living is getting paid to NOT fly airplanes for a living.

mrmak2

Most of us have families.

We also have a responsibility to show up to work and not be a liability to the rest of the crew. If someone hasn’t flown in 3 months (or more) they are a liability in my opinion. I have seen it first hand. I am not implying these people are bad pilots by the way, they just aren’t engaged in the job enough to be an asset. And no, landings class is not a substitute for line flying.

On a side note, by hiding out at home on back-to-back-to-back short calls you are leaving the rest of the reserve list to cover the trips. So while you’d get to fly your plane, go to your kids’ events, be with your wife or work on your house, someone else is out there flying. Pilot unity you say?

I’m not meaning to seem overly critical so I apologize if this came across as abrasive. I enjoy the job and the people I work with.

awax

A pilot that goes back to fly the sim every 90 days is doing more V1 cuts, more single engine ILS, more engine fail checklists, and most likely, more review of FH changes than you are.

mrmak2

I know what’s involved in a landings class. As I said, it’s not a substitute for line flying

pilotgolfer

I’m assuming you are on the NB side of the airline and have not flown a fleet that uses the bunkie. United operates two completely different airlines. Completely different mentality, completely different set of rules. Short calls are a necessary evil...someone has to do them. If a local guy picks them up, it saves a commuter a trip to the airport.

I just did a landings class last week. I did not feel rusty at all. Im sure the PI would have pointed out any deficiency if he observed them. My next landings expiration is 12/20...perfectly aligned with Christmas. And I won’t feel the tiniest bit of guilt if I’m off for the holidays.

mrmak2

Your assumption is incorrect. As I wrote before, I have seen the result of chronic SC volunteers who show up and have trouble with flows, FMC programming and FM/FOM procedural changes. It is not a knock against their pilot skills. This is a difference to the bunkie bidders who do get exposure to line ops but just don’t get landings.

The concept that local pilots somehow absorb short calls as magnanimity is also erroneous. I flew 3 trips in September AND was assigned 5 unused SCs (which accounted for basically every one of my reserve days). There are not a finite number each day, and some that are posted may not even be assigned at all. Conversely, if all the posted SCs are picked up during APU, scheduling frequently adds more.

I am sure those posting here are well above the power curve with regard to talent so perhaps that accounts for some of the discrepancies with my personal observations in the 3+ years on the 777.

Itsajob

You’re right. Sitting there reading a book or sleeping in the bunk can be better trained relaxing in your recliner at home. Let’s not make this sound harder than it is. The vast majority of any international flight is spent at cruise with the autopilot on reading, solving the world problems with the other guy, trying to stay awake, or sleeping in the bunk. Going to class every 90 days while bidding reserve or IRO is plenty to be safe. I’d argue that landing class can be better than kicking the autopilot off at 200 feet a couple of times a month flying the line.

C-17 Driver

So, what’s your fix to the contract? Is it the junior FO’s fault that all the open time gets picked up by line holders in leaner months?

Should landings class be more often? Your exposure to those you see lacking skills is a microcosm. In the 756 Landings class, the jet si set up holding short with engines running. There is no opppetunity for flows and very little FMC work.

Yes, your post was abrasive. I’m proud ro be a “chronic short call volunteer.” If you have that much of a burr in your saddle over reserve pilots’ checklist/FMC operation, then I kindly suggest you contact the training department and make your suggestions there.