domino

I researched a lot before applying. Did they cold call you and offer the job.

DiatomaceousJon

Of course not! The answers to these questions will not affect my acceptance of the job. I'm just curious to know sooner than later and such things which might influence my choice of base or aircraft type. Thank you.

Turbosina

Yes, but RSV at SKW is a special kind of torture. Expect to be used heavily, and sent to sit OBR (Out of Base Reserve) if you're not flying. Management hates to have reserves sitting around "unused", so if your idea of a good time is a 5-day sit in a crappy hotel in MSP without actually touching an airplane, reserve is for you!

Bid period is 10th-15th, results of bids usually published on the 18th.

12, as of next year. Currently it's 11.

Long and short-call reserve. Long call is 12 hours, short call is a 2 hr callout.

Yes. Super senior guys (top 5% in base, it will take you 20-30 years to get there as a CA) are able to bid down to a min of 59 credit hours, which can be achieved by working 10 days a month. Realistically -- you will be working 18 days/month.

We have LAX-SBA, SFO-SMF, and we had SFO-STS until UA pulled out of STS. About 20 minutes' air time.

I've done West Coast to OKC, ORD to YVR...think the longest single flight I've done was over 4:00 block.

Typically 5 legs, that's often about a 14 hr duty day.

Yes. Most of the CA guys are covering DEN flying though, so you'll see A LOT of DEN and the Midwest. You won't often make it out East if you have a line, unless that's where you want to go and you can hold those trips.

But on reserve, you'll be sent to sit wherever they need you, even if that's in a hotel room in DTW or ATL for 5 straight days. I did a month of reserve in IAH and flew once, yes once. Rest of the time was Airport Appreciation (Ready reserve, which is still a thing -- you have to be within 20 minutes of the gate), or sitting around the hotel surfing the Internet.

DiatomaceousJon

Thanks, Turbosina. Enlightening.

My question about the trip lengths was not about the leg lengths. What do you call them, rotations? I meant, how many days of work are typical between days off? 1-day trips, 2-day trips, 3-day trips? Are there any 1-day trips? Any 5-day trips?

I'm guessing with the current turnover, I ought to soon be able to hold a line or pick up as much flying as I want in order to not be subject to assignment to ready reserve...

DJ

Turbosina

Oh gotcha. We have trips of all sizes...standups (very short overnights), locals (that's what we call 1-days), 2-days, 3-days, and 4-days. No 5-day trips (the company would love to build 5-day trips but so far has heeded the very clear pilot feedback against 5-days.) That said, you can work 6 days in a row if you want -- two 3-days, or a 4 day followed by a 2 day. You just won't get a hotel in between the two trips.
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If you're on reserve, don't plan on being able to pick up much flying, unless this CA understaffing continues. After the 600 forced upgrades that they're currently imposing on unwilling senior FOs, we'll be heavy on captains, so your odds of picking up anything on reserve are slow.

You can pick stuff up on your days off, as a reserve, but then you're working almost all the time. Our reserve rules are opaque, terrible, and always interpreted in the company's favor. Standalone ready reserve is finally going away, but they can (and do) put plenty of ready reserve if you're on a long sit during a trip. No way around that, unfortunately.

Whatever you do, do not commute to reserve. Reserve if you live in base is painful, but commuting to reserve is a special kind of torture. For example if you're on a 4 day AM reserve block, you will have to commute to base the day before. A hotel or crashpad are your responsibility. If they don't use you, you'll sit in that hotel for the next four days and nights. Then on Day 4 (Day 5 since you left), you'll have to hope that there's a commute flight allowing you to make it home that night.. If not, you'll get home on Day 6, which is your day off. Enjoy a day at home because the next day you're going right back out again. It's enough to crush any love of flying you may have.

So, bottom line:

1. Do not commute to reserve
2. Do not expect to break guarantee (75 hrs pay) while on reserve
3. Do expect to be sent to sit a lot of OBR (Out of Base Reserve). At least on OBR, you get your hotel room paid.
4. With the hundreds of upgrades happening literally as I write this, expect to be on reserve for a long time.
5. The CRJ is a dying fleet. Make sure you're on the 175.
6. On Day 1 of indoc, make sure to let everyone know you're here to "Win The Day." It's a Skywest saying and everyone will appreciate you being so up on company procedures.

Good luck!

Turboprop

this is bible ! So far…..

DiatomaceousJon

Turbosina, thanks for all that. Good explanation and good advice. Fortunately, I will not be commuting as I live "in base." If I had to commute, I'd stay at home, permanently. :-)

Thanks for the good luck wishes!

mcole1987

New(ish) FO. I live 15 mins from LAX yet I can't hold it on the CRJ. Why did I pick it? Because I didn't have this bible when I needed it. Commuting LAX to FAT to fly maybe 1-3 legs a month is honestly not that fun.

greaser

Former, long-gone Skywest pilot here.

The DEC idea for a retired pilot is intriguing. I can identify with the motivation to keep active and get paid a decent salary to do some enjoyable flying.

I'd like to offer a bit or a curve-ball to this discussion: Assuming the retired pilot was financially secure, in the current labor market, why worry about reserve or scheduling rules? Assuming you are DEC living in base: If you want to fly, fly. If its too much, bang out sick/fatigue/office space. Bang out with gusto. Couldn't hold the day off you want? Call in. Assigned too much on reserve? Call fatigued. What are they going to do, fire you? They NEED you more than you NEED them. Does Skywest still do that awful ready reserve after a reserve assignment? Fly the turn, and go home.

I'm not being flippant here: Its one thing when you're building your career and are actively trying to be a good productive employee to build the resume. Its quite another when in the original poster's circumstances. Maybe they do fire you, maybe not. This is a unique time, go get after it, be safe, share some of that wisdom with the next generation of pilots, and have fun.

rickair7777

That's what I would do if I was retired pre-65.