With the ongoing trend of 756 being awarded to the oldest guys at indoc could you please share your experience on the quality of life elements on this fleet in SFO.
Specifically:
1. How long can you expect to be on reserve?
2. How often do those reserve 756 pilots get called out?
3. Are there many red-eye flights? 2 or 3 sector days?
4. No more 'forced' airport reserve with the new contract?
I would not mind spending a year in SFO waiting to grow seniority to be able to bid 787 in ORD (around 12 months these days?)

Thanks

 

I am curious as well.

FYI the most recent class had the 756 go to the most junior people in the class

 

Can't answer all of these, but in general, SFO 756 FO is the most junior category company-wide. I'd be bidding around 15% there after a year and a half on property. Therefore, expect next to zero time on reserve (which is basic, i.e. not global, too). Lots of redeyes for sure, with relatively little variation in the flying (mostly transcons). Correct, no more involuntary FSBs with the new contract, although that's still getting phased in over the next several months. ORD 787 FO plug is currently around #14800, so a year is probably about right.

 

Based on your other posts, you should bid DCA NB, move to Virginia, then take a DCA widebody when you can hold it. Commuting around for seniority is a fool’s errand. You’ll hold a better schedule must more quickly, be on the east coast, drive to see your kid, and figure out how everything else works

 

Thanks Buddy, appreciate your support,
We have a lot of Family in the Bay Area and my wife started to promote the idea that we start in SFO for a year (so she is not all that alone when I am gone flying), then move to Chicago to be closer to our son (2 flights a day to Charleston, WV) and closer to Europe where the rest of our Family are. We have a lot of friends in Chicago, so that would be easier on her, too. We know nobody in Virginia, though....
Frankly speaking I am looking for the fleet offering the easiest quality of life and 756 looks like it may be just that, easy to geet, 1-2 sectors a day, easy transcons, quick line, better hourly rate starting year 2.
Then, whenever the opportunity arises by year 2 I could find the 787 spot to move up to the more modern plane and just stay there till I retire.
I must admit, these days we are spoilt for choices.
Thanks again

 

The rate isnt all that better for SFO 756 considering you have to fly the 400 to enjoy the higher rate that’s in DCA or EWR…:

You will not even see the 767 at all in SFO….

 

Best kept secret in the company.

Instant seniority. Productive trips with nice layovers. Great airplane. And no, you won't see the -400 unless one is coming out of maintenance and you're taking it back to EWR. You'll occasionally fly the 763 domestically.

It sounds like the jet dovetails nicely with your family concerns. Come get the type rating while you still can. You'll be happy you flew it.

I could be wrong, but I never once saw FSB on the 756.

 

Thank you, seems they do not offer it to the new hire class anymore (as of this class drop)

 

That changes class to class. New hire slots are a combination of what is left over after the last bid and where they have open sim time a month after class starts.

 

The category is not what it used to be. Years ago, when I was a copilot on it there, I did gentlemanly 2-day BOS on the Pratts and went to Maui every month.. those days are over. When the categories in LAX and SFO started to crumble, we got a lot of PDRs and complaints, but such is life.

Just understand what they categories look like today and the amount of awful domestic flying you will do. Just my .02