To all you Effo’s
07-01-2024, 04:19 PM
#81
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2007
Position: 756 left
Posts: 766
The cap is useless and you know it. That’s why they convert you day one of your reserve block to force commuters in base. Sucks to suck. They play games just to bend their reserve pilots over all the time at UA. Every UA pilot we’ve had in the jump grieves when reserve life is brought up. It’s a “flex” to brag about being a line holder at UA. Add the horrible commuter policy with reserve abuse by schedulers and it’s like being at a regional all over again for newbies. It’s also why your CA upgrade is so junior, to avoid reserve life.
There's a reason why United is well known for having reserve go more junior compared to Delta and AA.
There's a reason why United is well known for having reserve go more junior compared to Delta and AA.
We'll have a better idea how it all works out soon enough.
07-01-2024, 04:32 PM
#83
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: May 2009
Posts: 1,860
IMO, FO's job is hard enough... I text my FO's about 30 min prior to show and tell them I'm stopping by Starbucks and ask if I can get them anything on the way to the jet. Unless there is a reason why I need to fly the first leg, I always ask them if they want the first leg. I believe it helps the right tone, I want the FO to feel comfortable speaking up when something inevitiably does not go right. It's a team effort, and does not have to be hard...
07-01-2024, 04:36 PM
#84
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2017
Posts: 1,360
The cap doesn't go into effect until the start of the August bid month. Unless a resreve bids, and is awarded, a VEC/VSC reserve line, scheduling can't take you over the short call cap withut your concurrence. All used, and unused, short calls count towards the cap. Starting in August, most short calls will be covered by VSC and traditional resreve pilots.
We'll have a better idea how it all works out soon enough.
We'll have a better idea how it all works out soon enough.
07-01-2024, 05:03 PM
#85
On Reserve
Joined APC: Dec 2022
Posts: 24
Every UA pilot we’ve had in the jump grieves when reserve life is brought up. It’s a “flex” to brag about being a line holder at UA. Add the horrible commuter policy with reserve abuse by schedulers and it’s like being at a regional all over again for newbies. It’s also why your CA upgrade is so junior, to avoid reserve life.
There's a reason why United is well known for having reserve go more junior compared to Delta and AA.
There's a reason why United is well known for having reserve go more junior compared to Delta and AA.
I’ve flown with a few CAs that intentionally bid reserve. They joke that they don’t want word spreading that it’s actually a good deal, if your seniority is hovering around 80%. I’m sure their calculus will change as their seniority progresses. They’d rather choose their days off and potentially fly less vs flying 3-4 day trips every weekend.
Last edited by Joeschmo; 07-01-2024 at 05:29 PM.
07-01-2024, 05:25 PM
#86
On Reserve
Joined APC: Jul 2023
Posts: 21
Not wanting to start a legacy this or that debate, but meeting in ops was the norm at UA prior to the merger. The norm at CAL was to meet at the plane. Culturally there are still a few holdover traditions at various bases. More people in LUAL bases still meet in ops than at LCAL bases. Being that both groups of pilots are either moving up to the WB's or retiring, I think that it is a practice that will fade away as the old is replaced with the new. I personally have never had a FO ask why I don't meet in ops, but I've had many thank me for the text and for meeting at the plane.
07-01-2024, 05:56 PM
#88
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Sep 2021
Posts: 367
Micro-managers are the worst; I welcome input (especially when it's prefaced with, "this is just technique, but I find doing this helps...") , but those that tell you what to do for no reason are exasperating.
On long flights, there is no need to fill up 7 hours with non-stop talk. Dead-air is fine.
Honestly as an FO, the biggest thing that drives me nuts is when I'm doing the radios, and they feel the need to tell me what to tell ATC as I'm starting to tell them what I already know to say.
ATC: "flight 123 cross runway 31, taxi via A, do you know your entry point?
Me: "Ok cross runway.....". (CAPT: "TELL HIM WE'RE GOING TO ENTRY POINT 3. AND CONFIRM WE'RE CLEAR TO CROSS 31????" As he's barreling full steam ahead to the cross the runway regardless)
Me: .. loses train of thought , " uhhh, ok clear to cross 31, left on .. Papa?? .. it's entry point 3."
ATC: "flight 123, negative Sir, clear to cross 31, then RIght, RIGHT on ALPHA, to spot 3."
Me.. annoyed and screws up after-landing flows...
Biggest pet-peeve for sure.. most others are just annoyances, sometimes even amusing ones especially when they screw something up and try to cover it up..
Of course, that's really 1% of the people at any airline - most are great although I do notice that CA telling the FO what to say as he's transmitting is bad at many places.
On long flights, there is no need to fill up 7 hours with non-stop talk. Dead-air is fine.
Honestly as an FO, the biggest thing that drives me nuts is when I'm doing the radios, and they feel the need to tell me what to tell ATC as I'm starting to tell them what I already know to say.
ATC: "flight 123 cross runway 31, taxi via A, do you know your entry point?
Me: "Ok cross runway.....". (CAPT: "TELL HIM WE'RE GOING TO ENTRY POINT 3. AND CONFIRM WE'RE CLEAR TO CROSS 31????" As he's barreling full steam ahead to the cross the runway regardless)
Me: .. loses train of thought , " uhhh, ok clear to cross 31, left on .. Papa?? .. it's entry point 3."
ATC: "flight 123, negative Sir, clear to cross 31, then RIght, RIGHT on ALPHA, to spot 3."
Me.. annoyed and screws up after-landing flows...
Biggest pet-peeve for sure.. most others are just annoyances, sometimes even amusing ones especially when they screw something up and try to cover it up..
Of course, that's really 1% of the people at any airline - most are great although I do notice that CA telling the FO what to say as he's transmitting is bad at many places.
Me: “eh center, we need right deviations for wx ahead.”
center: “right deviations approved, when able proceed direct ABC.”
me: “alright right deviations approved, and when able….(captain cuts in as I’m transmitting “hey ask him for any ride reports ahead”)
me: (already having lost my train of thought) “ugh, direct to, ugh…. say again where you want us to go direct.”
center: (now sounding slightly impatient with me)“direct ABC, that’s ABC, direct ABC when able”
Captain: “we did do the cruise checklist right?”
me: “yes, yes we did.” As I’m looking out the side window rolling my eyes, after he already asked me twice earlier.
Micromanagers are like energy vampires on the flight deck. They drain me completely. By the end of a 4 day with these types, I am usually wiped out and need 2-3 days to recover from a trip like that.
07-01-2024, 06:06 PM
#89
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Aug 2015
Position: Guppy Gear Slinger
Posts: 1,988
IMO, FO's job is hard enough... I text my FO's about 30 min prior to show and tell them I'm stopping by Starbucks and ask if I can get them anything on the way to the jet. Unless there is a reason why I need to fly the first leg, I always ask them if they want the first leg. I believe it helps the right tone, I want the FO to feel comfortable speaking up when something inevitiably does not go right. It's a team effort, and does not have to be hard...
