Thanks for all the info guys! It really does help out.

Also, I found out CDW stands for Company Duty Window. I think it acts as a counter for scheduling to remind them that you haven't acknowledged an assignment yet or something to that effect.

 

Here's another question. I don't normally commute but this came up for me over the holidays. What do you guys do while on LSR while on an airplane. Either commuting in anticipating an assignment or after an assignment and right back on LSR.

Do you change your voicemail stating you are flying and will be there for the trip?

 

I've heard people have had good luck with calling scheduling and letting them know you're on a plane, ETA, and you'll check in when you land.

 

I commuted to Houston for about three months. I would fly in for SC assignments and as soon as they ran out I would hop on a plane and go home. Once I got a seat I'd call the crew desk and let them know what flight I was on and when I'd be back on the ground. I think the key was (politely) telling, not asking.

 

I had this exact question for the Asst. Chief in DCA just last week. The answer is, it's a grey area. There is nowhere in the contract that says you can be out of phone contact while on long-call. It does say you are to be phone contactable 24 hours a day. That being said, the Asst. Chief said many people call scheduling just before getting on a commute and ask "Hi, this is so-and-so. I was wondering if you could make a note on my schedule that I'm going to catch a commute on UAxxxx and will have my phone off for about 2 hours? If you have an assignment please leave a message and I will call you back when I land." I have done this several times and they always say something like, "sure, just be sure you can report in the required 12 hours."

One caveat though. The Asst. Chief also said that from a managers standpoint, he would have to abide by what the contract says if scheduling didn't want to play ball. In other words, you have to be phone contactable 24 hours a day while on long-call. Clear as mud?

 

Buyer beware when you answer your phone. Nothing wrong with letting it go to voicemail, looking at trip, verifying legality, and then returning phone call. Some at the crew desk might say you have 15 minutes or they will place a missed trip on your schedule. They're flat out wrong. Past practice is what's in play and that is closer to 30 min.

Verifying a sc/fsb assignment on last day off is up to you. First make sure you screen shot at 1801 lcl. If you choose to call back to verify a non flying assignment let the scheduler answer then clearly state your name, employee number and that your are verifying your assignment. Then say goodbye and hang up. Don't leave them time to respond with anything else. You fulfilled your obligation.

Or...20-K-7-e interim measure states " reserves will be considered to have been notified at 2400 for FAR117 unless pilot verifies or is successfully contacted prior to 2400."

Regarding telling crew desk you're out of phone range on long call I've had fairly good luck with this. However, this is scheduler specific. If they did try to ding you I would think reasonable actions could be easily defended in the chief pilots office.

 

I was sitting long call on TDY in Denver this summer. I went to the Natural History Museum they have there. Turns out there is no cell reception in the building. So when I leave my phone chimes a voice mail. I call scheduling and said that I see I just got an assignment. She says, oh yeah! I called you four hours ago. I'll show you notified, have a nice day!

Point is I guess, they didn't really seem to care. Wouldn't recommend doing it on purpose, and YMMV, but you know, that's that.

 

As Duke also described it's scheduler specific. Hang up and call back in 15. Hopefully a more amiable scheduler will answer. If not, ask to speak to the crew desk supervisor.

 

Another reason to acknowledge an assignment at 1800 is that you're now released to the assignment. If not acknowledged then not released, so throughout the evening something worse could pop up they can change your assignment and call you at 0001 when your LSR starts. If you acknowledged the prior assignment they can't call or, at least, you don't have to answer, since you've been released.

OTOH, if a better assignment pops up, you can call them and ask to switch assignments. If they see an advantage to them, they'll do it.

 

How difficult is it to place a sc/fsb verification in CCS for reserves? When it benefits the company, merging is hard.