What is it like to be on reserve for a long period of time? How much flying do you do?
I can answer this question from personal experience!! :buck:
And that answer is: Depends.
Depends on where you are based.
Depends on what airframe you are flying.
Depends on whether or not you are commuting or living in base.
Depends on staffing.
Now, from my personal experience, I was on reserve for 21 months on the CRJ in DFW. For the first year, I flew an average of 30 hours a month. I moved my family here when I got hired, so I wouldn't have to commute. Life wasn't bad. There were days that I was on call, but didn't get called = I got paid (albeit not much) to be with my family.
(NOTE: a fellow user who is a captain at another airline gave me a rash of sh** about this. Guess my priorities = my family - are far different from his....but, I digress..).
Pilots that were hired onto the EMB in DFW around the same time flew their butts off (the EMB in DFW wasn't available in my class). If they were on reserve for a six day stretch, they packed for six days and were generally gone all six days.
The pilots who bid the EMB in BOS and LGA held lines fairly quickly. Same for the pilots who bid the Saab in DFW and LAX.
The two guys that got hired onto the CRJ in DFW with me were trying to commute and hated it. They literally would spend days either sitting in the crash pad waiting on the phone to ring, or sitting standby at the airport - and not get called.
They both quit shortly after our first year anniversary.
In short: It's a QOL thing and that varies from person to person (see the above "NOTE"). What some people hate, others can tolerate and visa versa.
Right now, pilots hired a year-plus after me had different expereinces. Some of them only sat reserve for 3-4 months and are now holding lines.
Things change.
Reserve is what you make of it.
I HIGHLY recommend, however, bidding the Saab. You'll hold a line very shortly after IOE, you'll gain invaluable experience - and a ton of it - QUICKLY and
generally can transition over to the EMB or CRJ after your seat lock is up.
Best of luck! Let me know if you have any further questions.
Stan