If one were to hustle..
 

To those in the know - If a new RSV NB EWR Capt were to do exactly one year starting Jan 1st of doing everything contractually possible to maximize earnings. What is a realistic number. I realize RSV has restrictions. Also the post is not designed to elicit judgment. Personal situation is unique.

Thanks folks.

if you picked up trips at straight credit that spanned over every reserve day, you could likely credit 85 each month. That may ebb and flow, but it’s probably a ballpark amount. If you came pick up a three day over three reserve days, and have to do a two day instead, it’ll be lower obviously.

if I had to budget off it, I’d say you can bet between 75-85 each month.

multiply by pay rate

This is pretty accurate if you aggressive pickup trips. Now that FSBs and Short calls can pay out as well as other yet to be implemented items, there are other avenues to increase pay. The months I made the most money were when I got reassigned extending say a 3 day trip to 6 days. Everything outside of the original pairing is paid at 150%. Obviously this is more of being in the right/wrong place (depending how you want to look at it) when the company needs you. If we continue to be short staffed in the left seat and things line up, you could see 1100-1200+ hours of credit for the year.

The short version answer is to try and fly the highest value you stuff you can covering as many reserve days as possible. Unfortunately that’s going to be luck of the draw. Days you don’t fly you want to grab any SC/FSB you can. Also if you can fly the first day of the block you want to APU an early show event for the add pay (pretty sure that’s gone into effect now). Also keep track of and grab late build SC/FSB for the add pay. Even if those get used you get the add pay for it being built late. I would conservatively budget for 75 hours per month and plan on anything over that being gravy. Vacation in a reserve month can also be a gold mine.

I would say an average of 76 hours of credit wach month will have you ball park.... Figures slower months and busy summer months...

You can also tag your last day off before reserve days, or your first day off after reserve days as VDO. The company can call you on that day if they need you, but you’re under no obligation to accept a trip. If you don’t like the trip they have, or have changed your mind, you can say “no”.

If you VDO your last day off before, say, a 3 day block of reserve days and scheduling calls you on your VDO for a 4 day trip, that entire trip will pay out at 150%. Even over your original reserve days.

As others have said, a short call (picked up or assigned) will pay an extra hour of add pay over guarantee as long as you’re not used. If you get used though, you don’t get the add pay. Field standby, however, will pay 3 hours over guarantee whether you get used or not. So, if you live in base those are the easiest ways to make some extra money. At the captain rates, 3-4 unused short calls each month can add up to some real money without having to do anything except report to the airport faster if needed.

for VDO on last day off what you said was accurate.. for VDO on your first day off after block of rsv days is not.

Dangers of VDO on your first day off is that you CANT say no if assigned a trip over that VDO while currently on reserve AND the 150% only applies to the VDO days.


5-E-8-a VDO - A Reserve may convert his days off to VDO. When a Reserve is contactable (i.e., he is required to be phone available), he may not withdraw the conversion at the time of assignment or between 1100 and 1400. If the Company actually disrupts a VDO(s), the Reserve shall receive fifty percent (50%) Add Pay for all scheduled Flight Time and Deadhead Time on and after the VDOs through and including the day the Trip ends (including reserve days), with a minimum Add Pay of two hours and thirty minutes (2:30) per disrupted VDO, averaged across all disrupted VDOs in the trip on an ‘hours’ basis. If the disruption was allowable without the conversion to VDO, the Pilot shall not receive such Add Pay for that day or days.

Correct. I should have clarified about the first day off only paying 150% for the VDO.

However, I was actually unaware that you couldn’t say no to a trip spanning into that day. Really, there’s zero benefit to putting a VDO on your first day off.

edited my post above with the contract ref.

On NB reserve as an FO I've averaged 100 hrs per month credit since hitting the line. Lowest credit has been min guarantee and highest 130. I occasionally VDO and I always try to aggressive pickup. As soon as I see I can't break guarantee, which is normally the first week of the month. I go straight to short call and FSB pickup to get the add pay. This month I saw I couldn't break guarantee so will work 10 days and credit 85-90 hours.