Class Drops
 

I’m unfamiliar with how class drops at UPS work. Just curious what recent classes have been dropping regarding aircraft and domiciles?

Also, which domiciles are more junior vs senior?

Generally speaking:

A "heavy" class and a "light twin" class, one day apart. Heavies are 747 and MD11 with the occasional SDFZ 767 thrown in, light twins are 757 and A300. Specific drops change with each class, and classes bid for the drop vacancies by seniority (age).

747 vacancies going forward are all in ANC, MD11 is SDF, A300 is SDF, 757 in SDF, MIA and ONT.

ANC 747 is junior for heavies, ONT 757 is junior for light twins, A300 typically goes junior to SDF 757.

Recent heavy classes are a majority ANC 747, light twins tend to be a majority of SDF 757 with some ONT 757, SDF A300 and a sprinkling of SDFZ.

I understand reserve at UPS is not quite the same as most pax airlines and doesn’t usually go junior.

How does UPS reserve work and if a junior pilot doesn’t get reserve, what should one expect?

90min min callout in SDF, 2:00 min callout in ANC/MIA/ONT. Trips are assigned in what we call RADAR order, basically in order of least TAFB to most TAFB. For SDF/MIA, Reserve A is midnight to noon local duty, Reserve B noon to midnight local duty, Reserve C 4pm-4am local duty, Reserve D 4a-4p local duty...ANC and ONT reserve times are different.

Junior pilots could get Reserve, they could get a VTO (vacation/training/opentime, some airlines call these 'build-ups') or VTOR (vacation/training/opentime/reserve) line, or they could get a Base Trip Line (BTL). BTLs are lines with multiple shorter trips <110hr TAFB and have different day off pattern rules. BTLs are generally disliked by commuters, but shorter trips can be traded for longer trips.

Really no different than the airlines.

International Routes?
 

Dope, thanks for the insight!

What does SDFZ stand for? I’m assuming international flying?

And do any of the other bases (specifically KONT and KMIA) fly international, domestic, or a bit of both?

SDFZ is international (Asia and Europe)
KONT purely domestic (unless you count Canada and Mexico)
KMIA is South America and lots of domestic

Oh wow, I thought ONT would have at least some pacific flying. I’m guessing that ANC handles a lot of the pacific?

SDFZ also has a lot of domestic if I’m not mistaken.

More than they want, but even junior guys on Z can hold international lines. There is value in having as many different niches in a bidpack as possible. Z also covers Hawaii, not ONT I believe. However, I’m an MD pilot, so not an expert on light twin bid packages.