What's the Latest at ASA/Expressjet?
07-01-2014, 05:58 PM
#6561
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: May 2014
Posts: 339
Yeah man, I know what you mean. I will admit though, it is SO tempting to go over there, especially as you gain seniority. The ATL 200 is so boring, I don't even bid for overnights anymore simply because all the overnights are so boring/low quality...some will argue there are a few good ones, which there are, but for the most part they are sub par. The quality of 700/900 flying is much better and much more productive, not to mention a higher pay scale, there is something to be said for that. But, in the end, I'm 53% on the 200, I would be 76% on the 700 in ATL...math doesn't lie.
07-01-2014, 06:01 PM
#6562
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2012
Position: PNF
Posts: 622
90-110 hours... EVERY month. Most people are getting sick of the 90 hours minimum since January. If you want to fly.. you can fly. You will not go above 110 until you are senior enough to hold 6+ hours per day trips. Which is at about 4-5 years right now.
07-01-2014, 06:02 PM
#6563
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: May 2014
Posts: 339
Depends on what you bid. The TLV for CRJ FO ATL/IAD has been at 100 (at least 95) for a LONG time now. Assuming you fly 4 four day trips Friday-Monday at 23 hours each that is 92 hours of credit. I believe that most FO's have been getting lines well into the 90s and some topping 100 (typically, the pilots with 100 hour lines have some carry over credit from the previous month that pushes them into the 100 hour regime), but in the FAR 117 world, the low to mid 90s are what most FO's are crediting.
07-01-2014, 06:24 PM
#6565
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2011
Posts: 144
Also, how commutable are trips in ATL for a junior guy?
07-01-2014, 06:41 PM
#6566
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: May 2014
Posts: 339
TLV is I believe "Threshold Line Value." Again, that might not be exactly correct, but I believe that is what TLV stands for. No matter what it is, TLV is the number of hours that the company would like you to fly. When we bid on the PBS system via Flica, the company sets a hour number that tells the system when to stop building a pilot's schedule, this is the TLV. If the TLV is 100 (which it is in many cases) the system will continue to build a pilot a line as close to 100 hours as it possibly can. Basically, every pilot is flying a lot when the TLV is this high. In Summer months, seeing a TLV in the upper 90s to 100 is common, in the Fall and some Winter months, the TLV drops into the upper 70s and mid 80s. However, our staffing model is bare bones, so regardless of the month or time of year the TLV for most FO's, regardless of base has been hovering very close to 100.
FYI-When the TLV is around 75-85, if you do want to fly more and bid for 90-100 hours, the system will respect your bid and build you a schedule to your requested number, however, if you just want to fly 75 hours and the TLV is set that low, the system will build you a 75 hour line and stop.
FYI-When the TLV is around 75-85, if you do want to fly more and bid for 90-100 hours, the system will respect your bid and build you a schedule to your requested number, however, if you just want to fly 75 hours and the TLV is set that low, the system will build you a 75 hour line and stop.
07-01-2014, 06:44 PM
#6567
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: May 2014
Posts: 339
I commute FYI and have found that there are a lot of commutable trips out there on both ends. If you have a 0600 first flight to ATL and a post 2200 flight back to your home from ATL, you shouldn't have an issue at all. Guys run into problems when they do not have a 0600 hour flight to ATL or if the last flight home leaves ATL around 1900/2000.
07-01-2014, 07:03 PM
#6568
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2011
Posts: 144
Thanks for the info. Much appreciated. I could make the 6am flight, but the last flight home is around 2100
07-01-2014, 07:59 PM
#6569
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: May 2014
Posts: 339
2100 is fine, that is late enough as the majority of trips end in ATL at or before 2000. Where most people have issues is when their last flight is at 1945 for example and their day four is delayed due to weather/mx etc and they don't have that 2100-2300 late departure back home as a fail safe. Worst case scenario, sleep in the lounge on day 4 if you're done very late and fly out of ATL at 0730 the next morning to wherever you live. Sucks, but inevitably it will happen at least once. Welcome aboard, did you just get hired?
07-02-2014, 04:45 AM
#6570
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,951
I've never understood why pilots, especially new ones are so enamored with the 700/900...ok, I do understand it...but it still blows my mind the amount of pilots who chase that airplane over and over again knowing what the end result will be. It all depends on what you want your QoL to be in the end. The 700/900, at least in ATL, is never ending reserve, and regardless of how good the trips are, you're still on reserve. Reserve might mean weekends off if you're senior enough to hold them (assuming that is what you want), but reserve means working the equivalent of a 105 hour line for 75-85 (maybe more) hours of pay (a line holder with 11 days off is typically in that low 100 hour mark). Working 6 days on with 1-2 off in-between being jerked around by scheduling...nope...not my cup of tea...but hey, you're a 700/900 pilot! Oh yeah, one more thing a lot of people don't realize is that if seat locks are enforced, you are stuck on that thing for much longer than you would like as senior pilots always come over to it in the position notices...aka you keep getting pushed down. (Yes, I know the company waives most seat locks, but not always).
The 200 will ALWAYS be the junior aircraft, and holding a line will come much quicker, which while you will be working every weekend (again, if that is important) the opportunity to make more money as a line holder is there. Of course though, 200 ATL trips and overnights are the same 12-18 cities...over and over and over again. Either airplane has it's benefits and drawbacks, however, I always suggest being on the airplane where you can control your schedule and maximize your income...that will ALWAYS be on the 200.
The 200 will ALWAYS be the junior aircraft, and holding a line will come much quicker, which while you will be working every weekend (again, if that is important) the opportunity to make more money as a line holder is there. Of course though, 200 ATL trips and overnights are the same 12-18 cities...over and over and over again. Either airplane has it's benefits and drawbacks, however, I always suggest being on the airplane where you can control your schedule and maximize your income...that will ALWAYS be on the 200.
The 700/900 is like mainline. Long flights, big cities, good overnights. Low legs per day. It's no 757, but it has the performance you expect from a jet. FL370 at .82, looking down at the storms is typical, not picking your way through at FL290. The systems on the plane mostly take care of themselves, all you have to do is fly. And on the CA scale the 700/900 pays about $5/hr more (yes I know the FOs is less). But you're getting paid more for less work.
I will stay on the 700 until I can't hold it anymore, even if I'm the plug. It's totally worth it.
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