Ying and yang of reserve.
12-10-2018 | 04:59 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 5,738
Likes: 5
From: Sleeping in the black swan’s nest.
Ying and yang of reserve.
With all these posts asking about QOL as a reserve captain in ___________ domicile Lets break it down to its most basic elements.
1. Narrow body reserve sucks.
2. Commuting to reserve on a narrow body is a massive turbo, magnum suck.
3. Wide body reserve can either suck or not so much if you live in base.
4. Commuting wide body reserve is slightly better than commuting narrow body reserve. But it still isn’t ideal. (756 not included in this statement in most domiciles)
5. Flying narrow body captain is a great job. Is it worth commuting to reserve on? Like anything it depends on how bad you want it and what you are willing to sacrifice. I did it during the lost decade for several years with a wife, young kids at home and a life. I wouldn’t recommend that unless you have a really good reason to do it.
Just want to have that fourth stripe? The thrill will wear off pretty dang fast if you’re commuting to reserve to do it.
6. Commuting wide body captain? I’ve never tried it but commuting reserve is commuting reserve. If you can’t always APU you will be buying hotel rooms/ crash padding to cover short calls at some point.
Good luck with your new equipment bids folks. I hope you get what you want and want what you get.
1. Narrow body reserve sucks.
2. Commuting to reserve on a narrow body is a massive turbo, magnum suck.
3. Wide body reserve can either suck or not so much if you live in base.
4. Commuting wide body reserve is slightly better than commuting narrow body reserve. But it still isn’t ideal. (756 not included in this statement in most domiciles)
5. Flying narrow body captain is a great job. Is it worth commuting to reserve on? Like anything it depends on how bad you want it and what you are willing to sacrifice. I did it during the lost decade for several years with a wife, young kids at home and a life. I wouldn’t recommend that unless you have a really good reason to do it.
Just want to have that fourth stripe? The thrill will wear off pretty dang fast if you’re commuting to reserve to do it.
6. Commuting wide body captain? I’ve never tried it but commuting reserve is commuting reserve. If you can’t always APU you will be buying hotel rooms/ crash padding to cover short calls at some point.
Good luck with your new equipment bids folks. I hope you get what you want and want what you get.
Last edited by Airhoss; 12-10-2018 at 05:10 AM.
12-10-2018 | 05:22 AM
#3
Banned
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 149
Likes: 0
From: FO
With all these posts asking about QOL as a reserve captain in ___________ domicile Lets break it down to its most basic elements.
1. Narrow body reserve sucks.
2. Commuting to reserve on a narrow body is a massive turbo, magnum suck.
3. Wide body reserve can either suck or not so much if you live in base.
4. Commuting wide body reserve is slightly better than commuting narrow body reserve. But it still isn’t ideal. (756 not included in this statement in most domiciles)
5. Flying narrow body captain is a great job. Is it worth commuting to reserve on? Like anything it depends on how bad you want it and what you are willing to sacrifice. I did it during the lost decade for several years with a wife, young kids at home and a life. I wouldn’t recommend that unless you have a really good reason to do it.
Just want to have that fourth stripe? The thrill will wear off pretty dang fast if you’re commuting to reserve to do it.
6. Commuting wide body captain? I’ve never tried it but commuting reserve is commuting reserve. If you can’t always APU you will be buying hotel rooms/ crash padding to cover short calls at some point.
Good luck with your new equipment bids folks. I hope you get what you want and want what you get.
1. Narrow body reserve sucks.
2. Commuting to reserve on a narrow body is a massive turbo, magnum suck.
3. Wide body reserve can either suck or not so much if you live in base.
4. Commuting wide body reserve is slightly better than commuting narrow body reserve. But it still isn’t ideal. (756 not included in this statement in most domiciles)
5. Flying narrow body captain is a great job. Is it worth commuting to reserve on? Like anything it depends on how bad you want it and what you are willing to sacrifice. I did it during the lost decade for several years with a wife, young kids at home and a life. I wouldn’t recommend that unless you have a really good reason to do it.
Just want to have that fourth stripe? The thrill will wear off pretty dang fast if you’re commuting to reserve to do it.
6. Commuting wide body captain? I’ve never tried it but commuting reserve is commuting reserve. If you can’t always APU you will be buying hotel rooms/ crash padding to cover short calls at some point.
Good luck with your new equipment bids folks. I hope you get what you want and want what you get.
Exactly....
12-10-2018 | 07:44 AM
#4
On Reserve
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
Not exactly. I'm EWR reserve just below the gline. Narrow body capt reserve works if:
1. Kids are in college. Wife works and is pursuing another degree. No pressure to be at home.
2. You APU. Lots of trips in open time. Almost all other reserves don't APU. 3 Field standbys all year, used on one. Cam't remember last SC, but rarer because I APU.
3. Have a crashpad. Don't have to chase hotels.
4. You can commute in on morning day 1, because they can't use you until noon. The one month I waived everything and got a line, I was commuting in night prior. Time away from home was almost same.
Lots of trips I fly end in DHs from other domiciles. Usually positive space dev. home. I wouldn't recommend this for everyone, but it works for me. If these snapshots hold up, I won't need to waive to be a LH. my 2 cents...
1. Kids are in college. Wife works and is pursuing another degree. No pressure to be at home.
2. You APU. Lots of trips in open time. Almost all other reserves don't APU. 3 Field standbys all year, used on one. Cam't remember last SC, but rarer because I APU.
3. Have a crashpad. Don't have to chase hotels.
4. You can commute in on morning day 1, because they can't use you until noon. The one month I waived everything and got a line, I was commuting in night prior. Time away from home was almost same.
Lots of trips I fly end in DHs from other domiciles. Usually positive space dev. home. I wouldn't recommend this for everyone, but it works for me. If these snapshots hold up, I won't need to waive to be a LH. my 2 cents...
12-10-2018 | 08:07 AM
#5
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 5,213
Likes: 14
From: guppy CA
Sooo…. the bottom line is that reserve is reserve, whether NB CA or NB FO. Same applies to WB CA reserve vs WB FO reserve.
I've spent most of my career as a commuting reserve. It's not nirvana but I don't consider it as bad as many here make it out to be.
I've spent most of my career as a commuting reserve. It's not nirvana but I don't consider it as bad as many here make it out to be.
12-10-2018 | 09:04 AM
#6
Pura Vida
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 198
Likes: 0
From: Jorge Alfa
Not exactly. I'm EWR reserve just below the gline. Narrow body capt reserve works if:
1. Kids are in college. Wife works and is pursuing another degree. No pressure to be at home.
2. You APU. Lots of trips in open time. Almost all other reserves don't APU. 3 Field standbys all year, used on one. Cam't remember last SC, but rarer because I APU.
3. Have a crashpad. Don't have to chase hotels.
4. You can commute in on morning day 1, because they can't use you until noon. The one month I waived everything and got a line, I was commuting in night prior. Time away from home was almost same.
Lots of trips I fly end in DHs from other domiciles. Usually positive space dev. home. I wouldn't recommend this for everyone, but it works for me. If these snapshots hold up, I won't need to waive to be a LH. my 2 cents...
1. Kids are in college. Wife works and is pursuing another degree. No pressure to be at home.
2. You APU. Lots of trips in open time. Almost all other reserves don't APU. 3 Field standbys all year, used on one. Cam't remember last SC, but rarer because I APU.
3. Have a crashpad. Don't have to chase hotels.
4. You can commute in on morning day 1, because they can't use you until noon. The one month I waived everything and got a line, I was commuting in night prior. Time away from home was almost same.
Lots of trips I fly end in DHs from other domiciles. Usually positive space dev. home. I wouldn't recommend this for everyone, but it works for me. If these snapshots hold up, I won't need to waive to be a LH. my 2 cents...
Last edited by HercAC; 12-10-2018 at 09:40 AM.
12-10-2018 | 01:26 PM
#8
Line Holder
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 46
Likes: 0
From: A-10
12-10-2018 | 02:21 PM
#10
Line Holder
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 671
Likes: 11
From: B767 Captain
Wrong. I bid three months of reserve earlier this year and had difficulty getting 5 shortcalls each month to get 76 hours of pay. Different fleets, seats, and bases have different situations. I flew three trips in three months, two of which I picked up to maintain landing currency.
