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Quote:

Originally Posted by Regularguy (Post 1481273)

Okay I have a question for some expert out there.

I have been at UAL for over 35 years and during that time seniority meant everything. Bidding monthly, vacations, equipment, the type of trips, pass travel and more. When I bid for my monthly schedule I know I am x out of x pilots and there are a fixed number of flying lines and reserve lines. PBS has changed some of how we bid compared the old days when they published the actual lines of monthly flying (trips and reserve), but basically what number one is amongst their peers is what counts.

Now my question: I read from the ex-CAL pilots they talk over and over again about percentages, "I'm 65% on the Captain list in EWR," and similar. Why all this talk about percentages instead of real actual numbers? If I am number 50 out of 100 and there are 60 lines of flying, guess what? I get a flying line if I want one instead of reserve. And if I am number 100 out of 100, well I don't have any choice in piloting life at all. Seems a lot simpler than saying, "I'm 50% of the bid in EWR" which doesn't tell me much about the chances of what type of flying I might get.

So why the percentages? It seems a bit strange to me. BTW I'm not talking here about the ISL and the finale results, just all this percentage talk over the past couple of years of this merger process.

There are two percentage numbers when it comes to monthly bidding in PBS. There is a base % which tells you your position in CAT for that month (i.e. 85 out of 150 total or 57%). Then there is a G-line % which tells you your position relative to the G-line for that month. For example, if the G-line is 120 with 150 pilots in CAT and you are 85, then the % shown is 71% (85 out of 120). It's good to see black numbers (above the G-line). If the G-line % shows in red then a pilot is below the G-line for that month and will most likely be reserve.

These numbers are shown in the pilot's personal information screen along with carry-in credit, training credit, vacation credit, YTD flying, and system seniority.

I think most people reference their base percentage if asked. Personally, I don't know mine from one month to the next and couldn't tell you my G-line % either. Just not something I pay attention to as some do. As long as I see black numbers on the first screen I'm happy. I do check out other CAT awards to see where I would fall if I were in a different CAT.

Quote:

Originally Posted by APC225 (Post 1481299)

Why do United pilots say "six seven" instead of "seven six"? Probably just the way it got started and it stayed that way. Saying "I'm at 50%" has more comparable meaning across equipment than "I'm two hundred and fifty nine out of four hundred and seventy seven."

It's cultural. I'm based in San Francisco. We refer to the base by it's proper name - San Francisco not "Frisco" . One rare occasions we will refer to the base as "SanFran" but not always. We also refer to the Boeing 737 as a "Guppy"...Why? I have no clue, but some will say it resembles a pregnant guppy fish but the term has endured since UAL received it's first "Guppy" or so I am told

I thought this was settled long ago......Whale......Guppy.....

I think almost everyone calls it SanFran.

I've never heard James use that moniker.

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldmako (Post 1482478)

I've never heard James use that moniker.

James is cool....

I dunno, "SanFran" sounds a tad effeminate to me. And "Frisco" is even worse. God forbid if the speaker had a speech impediment, say a lisssthp or something. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Now, if you're talking about Frisco, North Carolina....that's another story. When in Frisco, James would recommend Frisco Bait and Tackle (if he fished, swilled beer in the surf and drove a four wheel drive pickup).

I always understood that locals referred to SFO as "The City". As far as I'm concerned, if James was still with us he could call it anything he wanted.

The only thing I know about the place is that its a great city with TONS of decent watering holes and a fairly decent woman to man ratio given the preference of some of the locals.

http://images.wolfgangsvault.com/jam...R960516-PO.jpg

James been figuring mathematical ratios out in his spare time. A solid application of statistical science IMO.

From one who grew up here, James is correct. It's "The City." If you have to mention it by name, mostly for guests and out-of-towners, it is, San Francisco.

Naming it, "The City," naturally presumes that it is the only city of note in N. CA. Take that Oakland!