jetBlue Hiring
06-22-2015, 04:47 AM
#4903
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Sep 2014
Position: fifi whisperer
Posts: 1,255
06-22-2015, 07:29 AM
#4904
The REAL Bluedriver
Joined APC: Sep 2011
Position: Airbus Capt
Posts: 6,920
I guess everyone gets different results... but I hit 100 hrs the last day of May, and each block of rsv since then, they have honored my pm request on day 1 and am request for last day. I try to catch a 2:30pm commute home and have had no problems getting released early every time.
Actually 2 weeks ago, they didn't use me at all on a block of 4 days. On day 3, I refreshed my sched and they had auto released me from day 4 altogether. Woke up super early and caught a 2 leg commute and was home by noon.
I've also had pretty good luck the last couple months moving days around to chunk up my schedule and get some time off or spread out as needed. Just have to be realistic... either way its lightyears above the last 3 yrs of reserve at the regionals.
Again, not saying they're lying or anything... just saying that hasn't been my experience in my short time here.
Actually 2 weeks ago, they didn't use me at all on a block of 4 days. On day 3, I refreshed my sched and they had auto released me from day 4 altogether. Woke up super early and caught a 2 leg commute and was home by noon.
I've also had pretty good luck the last couple months moving days around to chunk up my schedule and get some time off or spread out as needed. Just have to be realistic... either way its lightyears above the last 3 yrs of reserve at the regionals.
Again, not saying they're lying or anything... just saying that hasn't been my experience in my short time here.
We should never make excuses for JB reserve rules. I had a good run for the most part as an FO. But I won't upgrade into reserve as a CA because I know how bad it is.
06-22-2015, 07:33 AM
#4905
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2009
Posts: 633
Hired October, Been shooting for that for a while and still can't get it or even one weekend off. When I usually think I'm going to pull it off because I got long call, I get a phone call at 0001 to tell me that I'm on short call at 1400 and then not fly for 5 days.
06-22-2015, 09:11 AM
#4907
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Dec 2009
Position: 1Durrty5
Posts: 291
For those of you posting about your reserve schedules, can you mention your base and aircraft? I ask because reserve varies so much depending on what aircraft you're on and where you're based. Last fall I had 2, maybe 3 days of long call total while on reserve for the 320 in JFK. A friend of mine 2 months senior to me in BOS on the 190 routinely had that many days of long call each week. Throw in last day releases and he spent more time at home than at a crashpad. Heck, 190 guys I hear were being sent back to MCO to keep current in the sim sometimes.
Our reserve system works great if you're staffed well in your base, on your aircraft, and in your seat. If not, you'll be enjoying plenty of short call.
The reserve system needs to be fixed. The ability to bid PM and AM shifts is a good start, but we need to do better than that. No one should have to sit 18 days of short call a month unless you want to. So keep some short call pilots, but any flying above minimum daily credit should be extra on top of the monthly minimum. Add the ability to bid for a purely long call reserve schedule, with our 14 hour call out and you'll be able to live many more places than our bases while enjoying the ability to sit reserve at home. Not all of us want to or are able to afford the cost of living within the 2 hour call radius.
Upgrade times would probably increase, but if reserve were better, more senior pilots would hopefully bid it, meaning better trips for line holders and more reliable reserve coverage so we can drop and swap trips more reliably.
I know we all want Delta rates plus a dollar. I'm more concerned with scope and work rules. There are many other areas that need improvement as well, I just hope we don't fixate on pay rates and earning a quick buck, while neglecting our QOL.
Our reserve system works great if you're staffed well in your base, on your aircraft, and in your seat. If not, you'll be enjoying plenty of short call.
The reserve system needs to be fixed. The ability to bid PM and AM shifts is a good start, but we need to do better than that. No one should have to sit 18 days of short call a month unless you want to. So keep some short call pilots, but any flying above minimum daily credit should be extra on top of the monthly minimum. Add the ability to bid for a purely long call reserve schedule, with our 14 hour call out and you'll be able to live many more places than our bases while enjoying the ability to sit reserve at home. Not all of us want to or are able to afford the cost of living within the 2 hour call radius.
Upgrade times would probably increase, but if reserve were better, more senior pilots would hopefully bid it, meaning better trips for line holders and more reliable reserve coverage so we can drop and swap trips more reliably.
I know we all want Delta rates plus a dollar. I'm more concerned with scope and work rules. There are many other areas that need improvement as well, I just hope we don't fixate on pay rates and earning a quick buck, while neglecting our QOL.
06-22-2015, 09:44 AM
#4908
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,091
For those of you posting about your reserve schedules, can you mention your base and aircraft? I ask because reserve varies so much depending on what aircraft you're on and where you're based. Last fall I had 2, maybe 3 days of long call total while on reserve for the 320 in JFK. A friend of mine 2 months senior to me in BOS on the 190 routinely had that many days of long call each week. Throw in last day releases and he spent more time at home than at a crashpad. Heck, 190 guys I hear were being sent back to MCO to keep current in the sim sometimes.
Our reserve system works great if you're staffed well in your base, on your aircraft, and in your seat. If not, you'll be enjoying plenty of short call.
The reserve system needs to be fixed. The ability to bid PM and AM shifts is a good start, but we need to do better than that. No one should have to sit 18 days of short call a month unless you want to. So keep some short call pilots, but any flying above minimum daily credit should be extra on top of the monthly minimum. Add the ability to bid for a purely long call reserve schedule, with our 14 hour call out and you'll be able to live many more places than our bases while enjoying the ability to sit reserve at home. Not all of us want to or are able to afford the cost of living within the 2 hour call radius.
Upgrade times would probably increase, but if reserve were better, more senior pilots would hopefully bid it, meaning better trips for line holders and more reliable reserve coverage so we can drop and swap trips more reliably.
I know we all want Delta rates plus a dollar. I'm more concerned with scope and work rules. There are many other areas that need improvement as well, I just hope we don't fixate on pay rates and earning a quick buck, while neglecting our QOL.
Our reserve system works great if you're staffed well in your base, on your aircraft, and in your seat. If not, you'll be enjoying plenty of short call.
The reserve system needs to be fixed. The ability to bid PM and AM shifts is a good start, but we need to do better than that. No one should have to sit 18 days of short call a month unless you want to. So keep some short call pilots, but any flying above minimum daily credit should be extra on top of the monthly minimum. Add the ability to bid for a purely long call reserve schedule, with our 14 hour call out and you'll be able to live many more places than our bases while enjoying the ability to sit reserve at home. Not all of us want to or are able to afford the cost of living within the 2 hour call radius.
Upgrade times would probably increase, but if reserve were better, more senior pilots would hopefully bid it, meaning better trips for line holders and more reliable reserve coverage so we can drop and swap trips more reliably.
I know we all want Delta rates plus a dollar. I'm more concerned with scope and work rules. There are many other areas that need improvement as well, I just hope we don't fixate on pay rates and earning a quick buck, while neglecting our QOL.
06-22-2015, 11:00 AM
#4909
Guest
Posts: n/a
Was this for 320 JFK? If and when I get through training, I'd probably be commuting one leg to rsv from a Blue city, and the closest base for me would be JFK. Would 190 JFK be easier on my family than 320 JFK?
06-22-2015, 11:18 AM
#4910
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: May 2010
Position: A320 FO
Posts: 900
I was on reserve on the 190 down in MCO as an FO all of last year. I flew less than 100 hours the whole year. Got the "you're gonna dequal" e-mail three times, but I never had to go to the sim. Got close, though. Month of October, I flew FIFTY MINUTES. The limo to TPA was longer than the TPA-MCO ferry flight.
Now, I'm on reserve on the 320 in MCO as an FO. I'd probably still be under 60 hours at this point if it weren't for needing 100 hours after training. Take away red eyes, and I would have flown maybe 4 times this year. I did a red eye last weekend because I needed the day on Saturday free, so I bid for it and got it. Other than that, I haven't touched a plane this month. I'm on day 3 of RSV today, and I'm already toast. Released for tomorrow. I'd say it's about equal in both fleets in MCO for FOs with the greater likelihood of being called on the 320 by just a bit. Nice thing is we have a lot of FLiCA stalkers here. There was a trip on Sat I KNEW I was gonna get, but someone else apparently picked it up as it wasn't assigned to me or any other reserve.
Although, a quick PSA for everyone. DON'T forget to bid. I did that for July and thought "Eh, I'm junior and don't need specific days off that month. I'll wind up with reserve anyway." WRONG. 71 hour line with 13 days off. WAY worse than reserve. Gone half the month (I count 4 red eyes as being "gone" even though I'll be sleeping in my own bed during the day), and it credits less with fewer days off since I would have gotten PRL days on reserve. Worse, I had to pick up a red eye just to hit reserve credit. Lesson learned.....
Now, I'm on reserve on the 320 in MCO as an FO. I'd probably still be under 60 hours at this point if it weren't for needing 100 hours after training. Take away red eyes, and I would have flown maybe 4 times this year. I did a red eye last weekend because I needed the day on Saturday free, so I bid for it and got it. Other than that, I haven't touched a plane this month. I'm on day 3 of RSV today, and I'm already toast. Released for tomorrow. I'd say it's about equal in both fleets in MCO for FOs with the greater likelihood of being called on the 320 by just a bit. Nice thing is we have a lot of FLiCA stalkers here. There was a trip on Sat I KNEW I was gonna get, but someone else apparently picked it up as it wasn't assigned to me or any other reserve.
Although, a quick PSA for everyone. DON'T forget to bid. I did that for July and thought "Eh, I'm junior and don't need specific days off that month. I'll wind up with reserve anyway." WRONG. 71 hour line with 13 days off. WAY worse than reserve. Gone half the month (I count 4 red eyes as being "gone" even though I'll be sleeping in my own bed during the day), and it credits less with fewer days off since I would have gotten PRL days on reserve. Worse, I had to pick up a red eye just to hit reserve credit. Lesson learned.....
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