Freebreakfast11

There really isn't much QOL on reserve. We have very few reserve rules, so expect reserve blocks to be uncommutable and be happy if they end up being commutable on one end. Its almost all 8-hour ready reserve at the airport, very little short call. If you're commuting from the midwest, there are plenty of better choices than C5. Since you value QOL my guess is you'd be searching for a different job after a few months on reserve.

njd1

I spoke to a recruiter this morning and asked about reserve. I told her that I heard they basically have no short call and most reserve is ready reserve. She countered by saying that they do short call and gave the pilot the option of a 12 hour RAP with short call or an 8 hour ready reserve shift. She said "many" pilots choose the ready reserve shift particularly if they have an arduous commute, and added that scheduling will "usually" give reserve pilots several hours notice if the plan is to have you take a trip.

She also said that current reserve time in EWR (my desired base) is less than 1 month. If that's remotely true it's a pretty short time. Of course if they are playing games and treating line holders like reserve guys and extending them, etc. that would suck.

Other info: she said there are now 370 pilots on property, up from the ~300 on the APC profile.

JediCheese

You can 'choose' whatever you want as a request but they assign you what they need regardless of what your choice is.

They do assign pilots short call when they're on a trip because the pilot has already been assigned their flying for the day. So it might be technically true they have most reserve pilots on short call. I've done a ton of reserve (live in base and pick up like reserve shifts at 200/300% like crazy) and have gotten short call exactly twice. I've not been used three times on reserve here.

EWR FOs are for the most part staffed (I wouldn't expect many extensions). Our whole FO situation has resolved but we might be slightly low on IAD FOs. EWR CAs are short staffed and reserve is as fast as you can get off CQF. Once there are ~10 captains below you and you are no longer CQF eligable, you're off reserve. IAD CA is extremely overstaffed, to the point where it's a 2+ years to get there.

EWR is a great place to be. Don't sit on reserve long, quick to get a line, fly a ton, upgrade in base, build that TPIC time, and get out. IAD is a little rougher as a FO and is a bad place to be as a junior CA.

I'll believe the 370 pilots on property when it's on the seniority list at the end of the month. Of course, I do have a company issued iPad so anything is possible.

HercDiver

UAL is currently at 55% of new hires coming from the CPP. There is zero chance of going to UAL via the CPP prior to completing ALL of the CPP requirements. We have had 3 pilots in the CPP hires “off the streets” over the past 2 years. All of those pilots were former military pilots.

TURF17

Much lower than I expected. I'm not military but mostly regional airline experience with a few PIC type ratings. Many senior people where I'm at now and their not going anywhere. Upgrade where I'm at is looking like two years but you'll be on reserve right now for at least four years. Just not interested in doing a lot more reserve though it's nothing compared to the regional reserve lifestyle.

njd1

Where are you getting this data? The other thread points out there are several (3) pilots a month leaving via CPP. Or am I interpreting that incorrectly?

c402fr8er

He is saying that we have had 3 pilots in the last two years leave for United OUTSIDE of the CPP.

As in, they didn't have to wait for their number in the CPP, but managed to get hired on their own.

njd1

Ah, ok. Got it.

United hasn't exactly been setting the world on fire in terms of hiring in general the last couple of years, so there's that. But I hear that's about to change. Maybe they'll start ramping up over the next few years and give both OTS and CPP hires a greater probability of being picked up.

TURF17

So, back to this question above. Has the company started or have they ever hired DECs?



If on reserve, I was reading you can build your own schedule as long as it is within the confines of FAR117? How many days off between each tour of duty? Could one build a 5 on 3 off schedule or am I off on this with reserve life?


Are reserve guys flying most days, so at least with commuters it wouldn't drain the paycheck to much i.e. overnights out of base?


Do you start getting your 4 hotel nights for commuters even while on reserve status?


What's are some gripes about being based out of EWR other than density of traffic and GDP? GDPs remind me of my days working in and out of ORD - just part of the whole animal in the NE corridor.


Thanks guys for the insight :-)

v1valarob

Filler, lots of filler.