The SHOW: Airlines still a "good gig"??

[zippy]

Question for anyone at THE SHOW regarding short call reserve.

I currently live approximately 2.5 to 3.5 hours away from a major domicile. If go the airline route I'd like to do everything possible to keep my current home and not move. I'm not opposed to being flexible - i.e. prepositioning temporarily to be within the required recall time.

Is living 2.5 to 3.5 hours away realistic knowing that if hired I would be on short call reserve for some time? How many days during a month are you on short call? When you're on short call can you preemptively look at future trips one or more days out that someone dropped and try to pick up them (trying to increase predictability)? Does seniority affect your ability to do this or is it first come? Any other advice?

Thank you.

Really going to depend on which company and what their rules are, and if you’re off probation.

2.5-3.5hrs from an AA base, no problem.
2.5hrs from a United base, sure- inside 3hr call out tell them you want in close parking and they provide it for you. If it’s regularly a 2.5hr drive that turns to 3.5 with traffic, that’s okay too.

 

[Mirage]

At Delta everyone on reserve gets Long Call assigned at 18 hours. Generally, they can only assign short call 2 days per month. At Southwest, it's only short call 15 days per month and you have to be on airport property (ie in the parking lot) within 2 hours. Both places you have some capability to pick up trips to make it more certain when you need to be there.

 

[HuggyU2]

...tell them you want in close parking and they provide it for you.

A lot of SFO pilots at UAL make a big deal about this... but in reality, it will save you about 8 minutes at best.

 

[SynixMan]

As someone who sat short call from home for about a year (albeit at a regional), I wouldn’t reccomend your plan for any longer than you have to. I was 1.3 from the airport and I would be showered/shaved with bags packed, but it was somewhat stressful at all times. If you want to stay put, find a commuter friendly airline/airframe or get senior fast and prioritize QoL.

 

[ChuckMK23]

I work with a number of DTW based Delta guys and when the get short call they drive up 1.5 hours north to a Panera Bread in Findlay, Ohio that is under 2 hours to DTW - and hang out there all day until they get released and come home. It's historically the most convenient spot. I bet you could find something similar wherever you live.

 

[HuggyU2]

As someone who sat short call from home for about a year (albeit at a regional), I wouldn’t reccomend your plan for any longer than you have to.

I'll reiterate, this isn't always the case. Everyone's goals are different.

My friend has 4 kids at home, and he picks up every short call he can. Last week, we went to an outdoor concert with him... while he was on short call. He thoroughly understands the rules of the game and knows when he is vulnerable and when he isn't.

For the past 6 years or so, he has averaged working about 4 days a month. It's not stressful for him.

(and yes, he's ex-Navy. Helo/T-34 guy).

 

[Deere1450]

The Atlanta based company I work for, I’ve only voluntarily stood reserve. The timing worked out. I’ve had a line available thus far.

 

[MIDNJAC]

I'll reiterate, this isn't always the case. Everyone's goals are different.

My friend has 4 kids at home, and he picks up every short call he can. Last week, we went to an outdoor concert with him... while he was on short call. He thoroughly understands the rules of the game and knows when he is vulnerable and when he isn't.

For the past 6 years or so, he has averaged working about 4 days a month. It's not stressful for him.

(and yes, he's ex-Navy. Helo/T-34 guy).

Knowing the game is also huge. I never really understood how to read the tea leaves, and thus guess when I was (as you say) vulnerable. At my shop, it almost came more down to the month or season. Oct, nothing at all. Nov/Dec, quite a lot. But from day to day, I wouldn't have the foggiest idea, even when armed with the reserve coverage and some idea of the crew skeds daily battle rhythm. The only thing I knew for sure is that once I was inside 2 hrs (at the time, before the new contract made it 2.5) from the end of my part 117 duty day, I was good to crack a beer and turn the phone off. The simple person math is probably harder now that our SCR is 12 hrs vs the previous 14, though realistically they have to still have 2.5 hrs + maybe an hour + our optional 1 hr of crew day extension inside the 117 limits.....so maybe not that hard, but I've been up for 22 hrs straight so I can't do that math at the moment.

 

[SynixMan]

I'll reiterate, this isn't always the case. Everyone's goals are different.

My friend has 4 kids at home, and he picks up every short call he can. Last week, we went to an outdoor concert with him... while he was on short call. He thoroughly understands the rules of the game and knows when he is vulnerable and when he isn't.

For the past 6 years or so, he has averaged working about 4 days a month. It's not stressful for him.

(and yes, he's ex-Navy. Helo/T-34 guy).

Very true and regionals are a different game. I usually choice weekday PM reserve (9am-9pm) and broke is up with as much mil leave as I could manage to make myself as useless as I could. I'm cargo now up in Anchorage, so while we have a gentlemanly 3hr callout, I'm sitting it in a crashpad if I wasn't able to get a line. And we have no true Long Call because the company takes advantage of a contractual loophole to assign them all to base hotel standby. ??‍♂️

I do have buddies who live in DFW and sit short call with AA easily, living 45mins from the airport. I'm guessing the OP lives in SanDiego and wants to sit LAX short call, which I've heard many people say is tough. Also, part of it personal predisposition. I knew if I got called out I had change and drop the dog off ay my in laws. Kids would be further complicating if my wife continues to work full time. If someone's homestead option is simpler (no pets, no kids, stay at home spouse, aupair, etc) that's another way to do it.

 

[Mirage]

Knowing the game is also huge. I never really understood how to read the tea leaves, and thus guess when I was (as you say) vulnerable. At my shop, it almost came more down to the month or season. Oct, nothing at all. Nov/Dec, quite a lot. But from day to day, I wouldn't have the foggiest idea, even when armed with the reserve coverage and some idea of the crew skeds daily battle rhythm. The only thing I knew for sure is that once I was inside 2 hrs (at the time, before the new contract made it 2.5) from the end of my part 117 duty day, I was good to crack a beer and turn the phone off. The simple person math is probably harder now that our SCR is 12 hrs vs the previous 14, though realistically they have to still have 2.5 hrs + maybe an hour + our optional 1 hr of crew day extension inside the 117 limits.....so maybe not that hard, but I've been up for 22 hrs straight so I can't do that math at the moment.

Companies that I'm familiar with at least all post live data on the reserve coverage situation and where you stand in it. For example, you can see that there are 4 people currently on reserve and you are the most senior and will be the last to get called. You're fine. If you check your phone and you're next to get called and there's still dozens of flights out of your base, you might make sure you're ready to go.

It's somewhat rare that the minimum time is given to you to get to the airport. Most of the time you either get a trip with 12+ hours notice or you don't get a trip, in my experience and those with more that I've talked to.

 

[MIDNJAC]

Companies that I'm familiar with at least all post live data on the reserve coverage situation and where you stand in it. For example, you can see that there are 4 people currently on reserve and you are the most senior and will be the last to get called. You're fine. If you check your phone and you're next to get called and there's still dozens of flights out of your base, you might make sure you're ready to go.

It's somewhat rare that the minimum time is given to you to get to the airport. Most of the time you either get a trip with 12+ hours notice or you don't get a trip, in my experience and those with more that I've talked to.

While I admittedly was not savvy enough to have known about any of that stuff, I think we do have it. What you experienced is, however, what I did as well. I think I had less than a half dozen callouts that were shorter notice than that, and only one was actually min callout time. Most came out of open time, the afternoon prior, and I'd have plenty of time to get ready.

 

[zippy]

A lot of SFO pilots at UAL make a big deal about this... but in reality, it will save you about 8 minutes at best.

I get it, but not my problem. A lot of time schedules sits on a trip afraid to make a decision to call someone until timing forces their hand and it’s at the last minute, or inside 2.5hrs and they’re flailing to get it covered asap but don’t want to use someone else available (Field standby, reassignment etc). They’re happy to save the 8 minutes and I’m happy not sit and wait for the bus that randomly comes from the employee lot.

 

[HuggyU2]

... I’m happy not sit and wait for the bus that randomly comes from the employee lot.

There's no employee bus at SFO.

 

[Fallonflyr]

The walk from the SFO pilot lot to KCM is ten minutes at the most.

 

[ChuckMK23]

Flew with a UPS dude today - he shared driver strike is imminent and the pilots have a sympathy clause. Will be ugly apparently, I'm sure the Orange and Purple folks are gearing up for more work.