question for NJ guys and gals

[idoitupsidedown]

Just a couple quick questions, I wont be offended if you dont feel like taking the time to answer any of these because i didnt take the time to search for the answers anywhere but the NJ hiring page and the first page of threads and these might be incredibly dumb/random questions, but if youre bored/have free time, have at them. thanks in advance.

1. are all pilots on a 7/7 schedule? and if so, what does your senority number do for you other than upgrade seat/aircraft, getting a domicile, vacation? are there 'good' schedules and 'bad' schedules or since the trips are just where ever the customer wants to go is it just hit and miss?

2. how unheard of is it lately for someone who mets and barely exceeds the minimums - call it just under 3K TT, 2K Multi - but all piston getting an interview offer?

 

[Twotter76]

1. are all pilots on a 7/7 schedule? and if so, what does your senority number do for you other than upgrade seat/aircraft, getting a domicile, vacation? are there 'good' schedules and 'bad' schedules or since the trips are just where ever the customer wants to go is it just hit and miss?

There are 2 schedules - 7/7 and reserve. You use your senority to bid which you want. Within the confines of that bid there are also different start days for the 7/7 and you bid for those as well. Reserve has no start day bid. Good or bad would just depend on what part of the week you wanted to go to/come home from work.

2. how unheard of is it lately for someone who mets and barely exceeds the minimums - call it just under 3K TT, 2K Multi - but all piston getting an interview offer?

I spoke to someone with 3500 tt the other day that got an offer and he had no internal recommendations. I don't know how much weight they put on turbine time but I doubt its that much since they hired many with no turbine time for years under the old contract. As long as you have the mins send in a resume - the only way to guarantee you will be turned down is not to apply.

 

[yosemite]

Also,

7 & 7 is the "normal" schedule. Once training is completed and you are placed in IOE you can bid for either the 7 & 7 or Reserve shedule and it's "hard days" off. If you fail to bid, you will be placed on the 7 & 7 within your assigned fleet. The Reserve schedule must be bid for. The only thing you are bidding for in the 7 & 7 is which line you desire to hold in your fleet. They populate the lines fairly equally and seniority rules as to who gets first choice. As your seniority grows, you can rebid each quarter until you get on your desired line. When you are on a line, you need not bid any longer if you do not want to change lines. Again, Reserve must always be bid for each quarter.

7 & 7 is 182 days per year and pays less. Reserve is 18 days per month, 216 per year and pays more. On the Reserve, you are allowed to bid 2 sets of 2 days off per month (H days). The two sets must be at least 7 days apart, or bid back to back (4 days off) with one set being selected as "primary". New hires are placed on the Reserve schedule initially but cannot bid anything until you reach IOE or are 10 days past your combined indoc and sim training events.

Each fleet has different start days. Start days are considered the day of the week, and there is like an "A" and "B" week so it would work something like this. In the Excel we have 6 lines (3, 5, 7, 10, 12, 14), meaning a Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday of week A, and a Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday of week B. Not all fleets have the same number of start days or lines. The rule of thumb is the larger the fleet, the more start days there are.

 

[WrknStff]

Also, don't necessarily think that the reserve schedule is going junior. Apparently a lot of folks who don't mind having flexible schedules are taking the reserve for the fairly significant pay increase. From what they are telling us new hires, we can pretty much expect to get some 7 and 7 as soon as we are eligible for it. It might not be the one you prefer, but it is a 7 and 7. I'll let you know as soon as the next bid comes out for the next quarter (Aug-Oct) if that is actually the case.

 

[Archie Bunker]

I'm a new-hire, and I got the 7/7 schedule starting Aug 1.

 

[Dassault]

Nevermind

 

[wanttofly]

In the Encore every single sic bid for the flex, they are going to have to force people onto the 7n7.

 

[psysicx]

Do you always fly 18 days on reserve?

 

[Twotter76]

Nope. I have been on the reserve since the beginning of this year and my average is probably 15-16 days a month. I have only had 1 month where they used me for all 18 days. I had one month where I only did 13. It all depends on how you bid and what they need during the month. I had months where they scheduled me for 18 but then changed it mid month and could only use me for 16. Seems like they are changing the rsv schedules around more than the used too but then thats the risk on bidding it. Never plan anything unless its on an H day.

 

[jtf]

I have only done the full 18 when I extended for more pay- and I have also been able to extend and still work less than 18. I am going to 7 and 7 in August at the request of my significant other, but if you are flexible you can get almost as many days off and still get all the pay the 18 day schedule offers.