if your coming off days off and don't acknowledge (phone) until 2359L then the earliest they can schedule you is 1200SC... so if your on your last day don't answer the phone or call them back until midnight.

RSV Gouge 5.5 Excerpt: 10 hours notice for SC assignment 0000-1759 - 12hr notice from 1800-2359 (20-K-6-d)

 

Spot on. APC225, I've read that before from you and that's exactly why schedulers use SC so liberally. You nailed it.

Back on topic ... complaining about SC. I'm very junior in my seat so I flip between line and reserve on a regular basis. I've been junior pond scum most of my career - not by choice until now (double furloughee). I could complain about our current reserve system but it's not that bad and I live out of base.

We get 1 hour pay for every SC >2 that we aren't used. I can make it in 14 hrs but 2 1/2 hrs doesn't work. I can pay for a hotel room with the 1 hr pay when I'm on SC so I'm not sure where the beef is here for those of us who commute to SC. And unless you're on first year pay, you shouldn't have much problem affording a hotel room for 1 hr pay. For those that can't afford a night in a hotel, there's always the crew lounge (ugh!).

Reserve - not optimal but there's no reserve system that will satisfy everyone. What we currently have is one of the better compromises.

 

I recently filed a PDR regarding forced into RDO flying because the Crew Desk Scheduled so many SC's that the only person who could have been forced into the RDO was me. No prior consideration on the part of the Crew Desk, on the ramifications of so many SC's leaves one pilot to fly EVEN in to his RDO. I was contacted by the ALpa PDR person who explained to me the my fleet has a lot of mechanicals and thus the need for SC's AND ALpa closely monitors SC production by the crew desk and does not see anything arbitrary or capricious about SC assignments. Hmm, I just want to point out " I have NEVER been called out for a 2.5 hour show....NEVER. I have however been assigned trips that departed in 14 hours from SC or called at 0130 to let me know "I am released from SC and am being assigned ANOTHER 1400 SC.

 

My experience exact opposite... always activated from SC within 2.5 hrs and never reassigned to later SC from a SC (10 hr)

 

My grumbling to add to the thread:
B756 DCA. On short call from 1300-0300. There are 7 of us available right now. 3 C13's and 4 C20's. Last flight was boarding and leaving on time. Called at 2200 to try and get released to catch the last flight home. Crew Desk won't release me because "they might want to release me to 10 hours to show vs. letting me go back on long call for a 13 hours to departure". Seriously? Because it's snowing somewhere? Is that two hours extra really necessary in the middle of the night? I'm already not legal for the morning LHR departure. Grrr....

 

Fleet/Seat/Base?


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Ten hours is less than twelve. Gives them more flexibility. No matter how a contract is written by people on expense accounts sitting around desks in Willis Tower, the loopholes and soft spots are not seen until it's "beta tested" in the years from implementation through the next section 6 opening. We can only hope they hear us and make some changes. "Grr" is right. I've stopped calling for anything except to acknowledge an assignment.

 

I can think of at least twice that I've been nailed at 2.5 hrs. That's really going to depend on the pilot who was scheduled to fly the trip. If someone calls in sick 3 hrs or so before the flight, scheduling's going to do everything they can to fill the trip.

And FWIW, I monitor open time so I have a pretty good idea if someone calls in sick at the last minute.

Crap happens. SC is the company's way of covering it. I'm not happy about getting tapped for SC but I've yet to read of a viable alternative. It sure beats FS. I've done both and while SC puts me on a short leash, at least I don't have to be at the airport.

I don't want to sound like a company suckup (I'm sure I'll get some incoming for this), but look at this from the company's point of view. How would you plan for last minute sick calls? I'd love to read a workable alternative.

 

My last trip was a 2:45 call out. Close enough to minimum. Have had one other at 2:30 and two others less than 2:30 requested. I said unable, they moved on to the next reserve.

 

I've been called out plenty of times with 2.5 hours, or less, as the giddy up go time.

In DC they have figured out that they can call a SC who is nearing the end of his duty day and DH him up to EWR (or ORD) where he can then play step and fetch it the next morning.