unusually sick the first year?

[shamrock]

If you don't call in sick at least 4 times a year (spaced evenly--once a quarter) you're a management suck up! TC

At ASA, if you bid a nap (stand up) line you can get 8 days off by calling in for one chunk of 3 naps, and you'll only burn 8-12 hours of sick time. Not a bad vacation!

I haven't taken advantage of it because I've used my sick time being sick, but it's an interesting idea.

 

[AlwaysLearning]

Explain to me how these stand up overnites (COD i think they are called) lines work?

 

[172driver]

A pilot is allowed to be on duty up to 16 hrs. Some contracts lower that number, but we'll use 16. You fly a trip, usually one leg out of domicile at night and back in the morning, all in less than 16 hrs of duty. You receive less than 8 hrs of rest in between legs, making it continuous duty. Usually the company provides a hotel in between, good for a 4-6 hour nap. You're off all day the next day, providing you legal rest to go do it again.

Example:
You report for work at 22:00, fly at 23:00 for 1.5 hrs, putting you at the hotel around 01:00. You have a 05:00 show the next day to fly home. Should release from duty around 08:00. You have been on continuous duty for ten hrs. Basically, you're working the graveyard shift.

Some companies have limitations on duty, minimum time on the ground, duty rigs, limits on number of legs. Obviously, in my example, you would only be flying 50 hrs or so per month so a duty rig is greatly desired to up the pay. At CMR, you get 2:1, duty to pay. So, if you did the above trip (10 hrs duty) 16 days a month, you would have 160 hrs of duty and be paid for 80 hrs. Clear as mud?

 

[Typhoon1244]

My mom didn't allow me out of the house unattended during MY first year. No colds either. Musta been the breast milk.

You know, you really should be trying to wean yourself by now...must've been quite a sight during sim periods.

 

[shamrock]

Explain to me how these stand up overnites (COD i think they are called) lines work?

172Driver has it right. At ASA, we don't have any trip or duty rigs, but the rest applies. The main problem with "continuous duty" is that you are the buffer that keeps the schedule going. Since you are considered to be on duty the whole night, it is legal to leave several hours late and still have an on time departure in the morning. You absorb the delay and the schedule stays relatively on track.

The upside is that you are done when you get back to base in the morning. Knowing that scheduling can't touch you when you get back is a huge plus, at least to me. Our schedules have us doing 3 naps in a row with 2 days off, but it's a long 2 days. Finishing your 3rd nap on Monday morning, you have the rest of Monday, all of Tuesday and Wednesday, and most of Thursday off. Not a bad break.

There is a divide in opinions on these type of trips. Some people absolutely hate them, and some like them. I have to agree with the haters. Only crazy people bid naps.

Repeat after me: Naps are bad. I will not bid naps!