Reserve life

gromm44

Well-Known Member
I know there is no one answer. But can anyone tell me how often you are home when you fly reserve at the regionals? Do you do mostly day trips or are you out for four days when you get called?
 
I'd plan on never, or close to it. Living in base helps but with staffing an issue at just about every regional you're going to work. The trips range from multiple deadheads to fly one leg to ferry flights to full blown four day revenue trips.
 
I'd plan on never, or close to it. Living in base helps but with staffing an issue at just about every regional you're going to work. The trips range from multiple deadheads to fly one leg to ferry flights to full blown four day revenue trips.
Wow, I thought it was the other way for some reason. Trying to be home often, maybe I should try freight
 
If you commute, plan on 5-6 uninterrupted days at home, if you live in base probably min days off (10-12 depending upon the regional). Regional staffing is pretty weak these days.
 
Depends on the company, base, and seat.

Over the summer I was flying about 50 hours a month, but was on min days off. I did almost no overnights.

This last month, I flew 5 hours and haven't heard a word from the company since around the 13th.

The month before that I flew 10 hours but sat ready reserve every, single, day I was available.

It all depends, and can change from month to month.
 
Where I am I sit on reserve at home. I have 9 days off next month. But I can still do errands anywhere in Anchorage and be within an hour of the airport. My QOL on reserve is awesome. If I do early reserve I generally get decent length flights, and if I sit on later reserve they generally only call me for an evening out and back. That has me done by 9pm
 
I've had all 6 days of reserve away from home, and then I've also not had the phone ring for 2 weeks straight.
 
At TSA we usually do 5 on 2 off then 4 on 3 off. Sits are 10 hours with 5 hours of pay. Usually it's either 5am to 3pm or 1pm till 11pm. When I was on reserve before part 117 I was flying almost 80 plus hours a month. After 117 maybe around 60 hours. Luckily I saw only three months of reserve, so I was able to get a pretty good line. With the upcoming airplanes reserve guys can expect to fly a lot in the summer months.
 
Where I am I sit on reserve at home. I have 9 days off next month. But I can still do errands anywhere in Anchorage and be within an hour of the airport. My QOL on reserve is awesome. If I do early reserve I generally get decent length flights, and if I sit on later reserve they generally only call me for an evening out and back. That has me done by 9pm
Do you know if that is how it works at most places for late reserves. Do you have to have seniority to bid late reserves?
 
Most larger carriers, SWA excluded, work reserves very little. If you live in base its a great life style.
I want to work a lot, but just don't want to be away from home too long, but I guess it really doesn't work that way.
 
Most larger carriers, SWA excluded, work reserves very little. If you live in base its a great life style.

Correcto.

Reserve goes fairly senior in my category because a lot of guys live in base, they're rarely used and we have a good contract.

You mileage will vary.
 
Like everyone has said, it depends. I have talked with some reserves here at XJT that almost needed to go back into the sim for landing currency at one point. When I was on reserve (a year earlier) I was working almost every day.

In the end reserve rules make a big difference. XJT (ERJ side) has 4 hours Airport Standby at 4 hours of pay. There are limits to Airport Standby such as no back-to-back days of Airport standby and no more than 6 times in a bid period.11-12 days off a month (depends on 30 day or 31 day bid period). We have an aggressive pickup window where we can pick up trips the day before if you want to work (first come first serve). If we aren't used by 6PM on the last day of reserve we are automatically released to days off. If you get used a lot and hit 71.25 or more hours of credit scheduling can release you from duty for the rest of the month (you get min guarantee still). If they don't you are guaranteed 3.75 of pay for every reserve day they don't work you.

Tons of factors come into play for reserve but the above worked well for me. I commuted to ORD and was able to use everything I listed above to make reserve better. I really didn't find reserve bad but I also came from a cargo operator that had 6 days of airport standby. 5 of which were from 8PM to 8AM.
 
Do you know if that is how it works at most places for late reserves. Do you have to have seniority to bid late reserves?
I dont know how it works at other places. Our bids just show reserve when we bid. But this place is a little different. All reserve is home reserve.
 
I'd plan on never, or close to it. Living in base helps but with staffing an issue at just about every regional you're going to work. The trips range from multiple deadheads to fly one leg to ferry flights to full blown four day revenue trips.
i sat 7 days of reserve at compass....i was called once.
 
At Shuttle America our min days off for a reserve line is 11. So I expect to be home at least 11 days. That's not 11 NIGHTS at home, however. I usually have to commute in the night before for a 3am RAP. Generally I am done on the last day in time to get home.

Now we also only have short call reserve...1.5 hour call out. So if I have a reserve day I AM in base. Typically I do reserve stretches of at least 4 days up to 6 days. How often I get called at my airline is sort of hit or miss. When I am on Reserve I am usually a pretty senior reservist. I can go an entire 4 days without a call or I can get a trip before i even show up in base.

If you live in base, reserve can be great especially if you don't fly all that much. However if you are like me and have to commute t really can suck...hard. There are very few things more emotionally oppressing then spending 4 or more days away from home stuck in a crashpad with 6 other dudes you barely know.
 
Back
Top