SWA Pilots Schedule?

[proav]

Can some of you insiders share what your schedules are like or
what you can expect them to be for the first couple of years?
For instance do you typically fly a 4 on 3 off, 3 on 4 off. Or does
it change around more than that. I realize that there is the option
of trading trips but am curious what the "norm" is.
Is Chicago still considered a junior base?
I am trying to get a idea of what it is like to commute.

Thanks for any info you have!

 

[PSL]

You have 4 basic options : Reserve (AM/PM with a 2 hour callout), Fly AM, FLY PM, BlankLine.

Although you didn't specifically ask, we do have JA assignments ... some voluntary and some not.

As the name inplies: The AMs start in base anywhere from 04:45 to 08:00. PMs start anywhere from 11:00 to 17:00 depending if you are launching West from BWI. Reserve (usually a 15 to 16 day total with a base pay of 6 TFP per day ... esentially 90 to 96 TFP per bid month). BlankLine is a Crew Scheduling build-up line that typically is comprised of Vacation, Training, Military or Personal Leave Drops. They tend to be fairly efficient pairings because the folks that drop these trips are not NEW-BEES.

You can create your own schedule via a series of trades, LITT (Line Improvement Trip Trades) and 'shopping on the crewbase trade wall'.

Now to answer your question directly ... As a newbee you can expect to work 15 to 17 days per month in 2/3/4 day blocks.

My schedule for May is 3 on, 4 off, 4 on, 2 off, 4 on ... rest of the month off...

When you meet with a rep from Crew Scheduling during Initial ... Pay ATTENTION ... and then when you think you know what you are doing ... ask for some dual from a crew room bud to get the real-world issues and bidding tactics.

Scott
BWI-SWA

 

[SWA/FO]

here ya go

I've been here aprox 8 months:

PHX
November - IOE

OAK
December - AM line 17 days off (you get a hard line your first month out of training)

MDW
January - Reserve AM, 15 days off
February - Reserve PM, 15 days off
March - Blank Line (Vacation Relief line) 17 days off
April - Reserve PM, 16 days off
May - Blank Line PM, 17 days off
June - Hard line AM, 15 days off

Example - This month.... 4 day trip, 4 off... 4 day trip, 4 off.... three day trip, three off, three day trip, 6 days off.

Does this help? Most new guys like me fly THU - MON.

SWA / FO

 

[Gumbydammit]

Is there a limit to the number of trips you can just drop per month without using vacation (i.e. not get paid)?
Also, if you are on, say, a PM reserve line, how long are you actually on reserve...just a few hours in the PM or well into the evening?
And last, what is a blankline?
Thanks for your thorough responses...very helpful!

 

[proav]

Great Information!

Thanks for the help!

 

[SWA/FO]

Gumby,

You can give away your whole line...but chances are that nobody will be able to take all of it, due to legality reasons. In the end you might actually have to fly a few trips a month...

Blankline - Vacation Relief Line = When the normal schedule comes out, pilots have a few days to drop trips which touch or are on their vacation. Trips are also dropped for overlap problems (month to month) and training. Scheduling then makes new lines from these unwanted trips and we are SWA call them Blanklines.

AM Reserve = 0350 - 1850 (All Central Time)
PM Reserve = 1100 - 0200

If you receive no assignment on your last day you are released after 10 hours.

 

[Gumbydammit]

Thanks for the gouge...awesome responses...you guys rule