Crew scheduling software question

[Raskal]

I work at a smaller frax company, 10 aircraft and 21 pilots. I'm not in scheduling and would probably suck at it, I'm just a line pilot. We are not assigned to specific pairings or planes, and are scheduled on a "work load" basis. The issue is that this simply isn't working, the work isn't being distributed equally and some pilots are overworked and some are sitting around, not making any money. Since we aren't salary, it's creating a situation that isn't fair to either party and a bunch of us are very tired of it. This isn't a new issue and has existed for all the years the company has, but with technology I thought I'd ask.

What I'm wondering is, do any of you know of or have any experience with a program/package that would help us utilize the pilot pool more effectively and distribute the workload more evenly? The obstacles are that our trips are usually not scheduled far in advance and they vary tremendously in location and duration.

I appreciate any input, I and some other pilots would really like to have a sit-down with our CP and DO, but need something to offer as a possible solution, they are already aware of the problem.

 

[Atlanta Vicks]

I use a program by Sabre Airline Solutions called CrewTrac. Its a Windows based software that can be customized to your specific needs. It can generate reports that can show different crew utilization statistics. Let me know if you have any further questions.

http://www.sabreairlinesolutions.com/

 

[slowto250]

We use FOS. I'm still looking for one that defaults to days off for pilots.

 

[Raskal]

We use FOS. I'm still looking for one that defaults to days off for pilots.

Yea, that sounds perfect! Anyway, I dropped the Sabre folks a line (thanks Atlanta (go Detroit!!!)), but what is FOS? Do you have a site address?

 

[slowto250]

I'll check with the a$$hole, er.......dispatcher. I'm sure he has a link. I will PM you.

PM sent.

 

[Gulfstream 200]

http://www.cta-fos.com/


very common scheduling software.

 

[XShipRider]

Scheduling

What I'm wondering is, do any of you know of or have any experience with a program/package that would help us utilize the pilot pool more effectively and distribute the workload more evenly? The obstacles are that our trips are usually not scheduled far in advance and they vary tremendously in location and duration.

I appreciate any input, I and some other pilots would really like to have a sit-down with our CP and DO, but need something to offer as a possible solution, they are already aware of the problem.

Having some experience in scheduling I feel reasonably qualified to opine.
Software design probably leans toward fiscal efficiency, not crew efficiency
(an unfortunate truth). Fact is, closest airplane and crew with duty time
gets the trip. This is simple economics, economics which doesn't care about
overall crew workload, how many days you've sat in the FBO, how many days
in a row you've flown, how many "rescues" you've flown, etc. The software
will only show scheduling the best available aircraft for the trip. Remember,
the only software that can input the human physiology (i.e. rest and overall
duty workload) is a human scheduler. And we all know schedulers have
ice water in their veins which is pumped by a heart of stone.

Please keep the flames under control on how this company or that company
is the most inefficient at scheduling, it doesn't matter. I simply don't think
there is a software available that "distributes crew workload," so to speak.

 

[Raskal]

Having some experience in scheduling I feel reasonably qualified to opine.
Software design probably leans toward fiscal efficiency, not crew efficiency
(an unfortunate truth). Fact is, closest airplane and crew with duty time
gets the trip. This is simple economics, economics which doesn't care about
overall crew workload, how many days you've sat in the FBO, how many days
in a row you've flown, how many "rescues" you've flown, etc. The software
will only show scheduling the best available aircraft for the trip. Remember,
the only software that can input the human physiology (i.e. rest and overall
duty workload) is a human scheduler. And we all know schedulers have
ice water in their veins which is pumped by a heart of stone.

Please keep the flames under control on how this company or that company
is the most inefficient at scheduling, it doesn't matter. I simply don't think
there is a software available that "distributes crew workload," so to speak.

I'm definitely learning that very thing the more I look in to this. I have to admit, I don't have an adversarial relationship with dispatch (I like them, most of the time) and I kind of looked at this as something to help everyone. Thanks for the help, and the words of encouragement

 

[XShipRider]

Schedulers/Dispatchers

Raskal: I feel your pain. There were schedulers and dispatchers that
tried to keep an eye on overall workload at the frac' I was enslaved to.
Though few pilots believed us, we did try to even the load whenever
and wherever possible.

Good luck in your search.