Questions About Reserve

[SkyBoy1981]

Hi all

As somewhat of a newbie trying to get into the airline industry, I often hear of pilots being put on "reserve" for a period of time before being made a full line pilot. I'm wondering if someone could fill me in as to exactly what a "reserve" pilot does, and what its disadvantages are. Is a person still guaranteed minimum pay while on reserve? I'm assuming that one of the biggest advantages is just that you don't really know your schedule and are "on call". How much notice does one usually get before having to report for duty? How many hours can an average reserve pilot expect to fly? I'm just trying to educate myself as much as possible before making the move to a regional..any information is appreciated. Thanks.

 

[711-24-7]

Sits and waits next to a phone. And never answers phone on his/hers off days. Well Joke aside. It depends from company to company. the most common thing you will find is being on call when on duty period. And they can move your days off around all the time so you can't plan anything. And you always have to be 1.5 to 2 hours away from airport depending on the time the your company has set for you sometimes they will fly the crap out of you some times you sit for months without touching a plane. Pay wise you get your gurantee pay durig reserve.

 

[DirkkDiggler]

I'm not sure how many airlines actually move your days off around when you are on reserve. Mine certainly doesn't. The only difference between reserve and holding a line is that when you are on duty on reserve you are simply waiting for the phone to ring instead of flying a set schedule that you know a month in advance. We still have a set reserve schedule with set days off each month that don't change. When you are on reserve though, you usually only get the minimum guaranteed days off each month and when you hold a line, you can bid for more days off than the minimum. You are always paid the minimum monthly hours on reserve. Hope this helps.

 

[SkyBoy1981]

Thanks guys. Coming from the corporate flying world, being "on call" is nothing new for me. I appreciate the info.

 

[JetPilot_Mike]

Reserve guys have to wash the planes!

 

[SkyBoy1981]

Reserve guys have to wash the planes!

LOL. If this were true, coming from corporate, it would be nothing new either.

 

[mwmav8r01]

Most companies once you are senor enough your off reserve... However at my present company I am #1 senority at my base and i am sitting reserve today. GRRR

Matt

 

[Rogue5]

Sitting on reserve on your days off can be great for a lineholder sometimes as well: I don't know how it works elsewhere but my company has the misfortune of sometimes running the pilot ranks a little thin. When that happens (such as right now) while they scramble to run classes to fill seats, they have sent out a company-wide email asking us to sit reserve on days off.

This is where it gets good: If you sit reserve for a day, you get paid 3.75 hours credit regardless if they call you or not. If you get called, you get paid time-and-a-hald for the trip. Last month I made over $500 extra on top of my regular line pay voluteering for reserve and didn't get called once.

 

[mwmav8r01]

Who are you with? ASA (assuming from the types)? Im with Colgan we out base so they put us on reserve and if the crew shows up at our base then it is useless... Its stupid. Actually my line today is built in with reserve to start. I sit reserve 12-6p then do a round trip at the end of the night. We never get called out. I know flight attendants do but we just dont.

Matt

 

[Rogue5]

SkyWest