How reserves get "used" more?
#1
Gets Weekends Off
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Joined APC: May 2012
Posts: 192
How reserves get "used" more?
I understand that all new pilots begin as a "reserve," meaning that they are on-call and are "used" at the whim of crew scheduling.
Say a reserve pilot wants to work more (i.e. gain more hours and make more money). How can that be accomplished, or do reserves just have to wait until they're needed? Just wondering...
Say a reserve pilot wants to work more (i.e. gain more hours and make more money). How can that be accomplished, or do reserves just have to wait until they're needed? Just wondering...
#2
I understand that all new pilots begin as a "reserve," meaning that they are on-call and are "used" at the whim of crew scheduling.
Say a reserve pilot wants to work more (i.e. gain more hours and make more money). How can that be accomplished, or do reserves just have to wait until they're needed? Just wondering...
Say a reserve pilot wants to work more (i.e. gain more hours and make more money). How can that be accomplished, or do reserves just have to wait until they're needed? Just wondering...
#3
At my carrier, CommutAir, you break guarantee by the day. Anything worth more than 4 hours placed on a reserve day, you are paid the difference (block or better) above your monthly guarantee or reserve line value, whichever is higher. It's not too hard to credit 80-110hrs/month on reserve here if you are flying.... just depends on how productive each day of flying you are assigned is. I love nothing more than to see 6-8hr days because that's extra money in the bank!
Most airlines have a 'bid to fly' list, you can also pick up trips out of 'open time', but this would usually be on days off. Some carriers have an 'aggressive pickup' system where you can drag and drop trips from open time onto your reserve days, but it isn't finalized until like the night before or something. It really depends on the carrier you are working for.
#4
I understand that all new pilots begin as a "reserve," meaning that they are on-call and are "used" at the whim of crew scheduling.
Say a reserve pilot wants to work more (i.e. gain more hours and make more money). How can that be accomplished, or do reserves just have to wait until they're needed? Just wondering...
Say a reserve pilot wants to work more (i.e. gain more hours and make more money). How can that be accomplished, or do reserves just have to wait until they're needed? Just wondering...
#5
Gets Weekends Off
Thread Starter
Joined APC: May 2012
Posts: 192
There's no rule which says that a junior guy must fly reserve, but that's what he usually gets because all the regular lines are taken by senior guys in the monthly bid. Occasionally, however, some regular lines are so undesirable that nobody wants them, and they "go below" reserve. We used to have one which featured a 3 AM report time. Lines which fly over Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc. also go junior.
I read that if an airline is hiring like crazy at that moment, it's possible to never have to sit reserve because movement is so quick.
#7
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Joined APC: Nov 2008
Position: doggy style
Posts: 1,006
At xjt, I am crediting 135 hours this month and only have 8 days off. Even if a reserve is able to fly his max 100 hours, that would be 50 hours in soft time!
#8
Bidding an early reserve period (4am or 6am)usually gets you used due to sick calls and commuter policy use. Choosing to work weekend and holidays usually helps too as they are typically undesirable work days. Also it never hurts to call and bug scheduling to if you REALLY want to get abused.
#9
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Sep 2007
Position: Piloto
Posts: 172
Unfortunately it doesn't matter how much of your butt you want to fly off. Scheduling will only send you over guarantee if they feel like it. When things are really tight it happens often but you have no control over it. Unless you want to slip something into pilots' drinks who's trips start at the beginning of your reserve day's.
At ASA you can select the call-me-first option but in my experience makes little to no difference. There is language in our current contract that a reserve pilot may be skipped in the bucket list to be called if the assignment would send them over guarantee.
Reserve at a regional is designed to be worked under for a few months but, at ASA, reserve runs about 4.5 years seniority deep on the senior airplane. You will alway's make much less money on reserve than as a line holder. For me, I lose around $1,200 take home each month that I end up on reserve, but that's because I usually fly a lot when I can because I'm alway's trying to make up for reserve months.
At ASA you can select the call-me-first option but in my experience makes little to no difference. There is language in our current contract that a reserve pilot may be skipped in the bucket list to be called if the assignment would send them over guarantee.
Reserve at a regional is designed to be worked under for a few months but, at ASA, reserve runs about 4.5 years seniority deep on the senior airplane. You will alway's make much less money on reserve than as a line holder. For me, I lose around $1,200 take home each month that I end up on reserve, but that's because I usually fly a lot when I can because I'm alway's trying to make up for reserve months.
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