I would not wish to intrude on a personal ej debate, but the topic of rostering is a common one.
Firstly, lets dispell the rumour that all RYR pilots are happy campers with 5 earlies 3 off 5 lates etc. NOT TRUE!
Now, I've worked for various airlines under different national FTL's, covering both long, short & LoCo operations. The one common aspect was getting the pound of flesh out of the crews. However, there were different methods attempted; one ot two were excellent; object achieved in a way that everyone was fundamentaly happy. IT CAN BE DONE.
Where there was a culture of dislike of flight crew in general, the enviroment & attitude was one of screw the crews as much as possible. Efficiency had nothing to do with it. Thus, the minimum of 8 days was given. These were rostered first and then the gaps were filled in with duties. It didn't matter how those duties were filled, rosterer could show that crews were on duty for the max number of days. You could go to work, be on duty for 12 hours and achieve 1 sector; you could fly 2 sectors and have a duty of 4 hours; thus 3 crews would handle 1 a/c in a day, sometimes even 4 crews. You could burn the miles in taxis, but you had been on duty. Productivity & efficiency did not rule the game. Sir John Harvey-Jones would have had apoplexy!
At 1 leading LoCo they had a budget of +/-225 available flying duty days pa. This was 365 - 104 days off - 28 days leave - 6 days for sim and refreshers - 2 days sick. Now the average day was 6 hours stick time. 900-/- 6 = 150. That would require 75 SBY's in 10.5 months. 7 per month, if all flying days were efficiently productive.
Don't harp on about 5/4/5/2 etc. just look at the efficiency of your duties. I can guarantee that there will be far more crews on SBY than necessary, to guard days off not being more than minimum, and look how many 2 sector or taxi days you do. If you're going to get up at 0400 anyway, why not do a full days work and have an extra day off????
If all other shift workers in the industry do 4 on 4 off why not flgiht crews?? AH, but then crews are not shift workers.
If you work to the max, daily, you run out of hours after 9 months. That means that for 9 months you've been tired, and then the company runs out fo crews. If you work 4/4 you will not be tired and not run out of crews. 2 earlies 2 lates means a full night's sleep in between. The late can finsh at whatever time and the ealry can start before 0600 because there will always be 3 local nights. 4 earlies 4 off, 4 lates etc has the same safe guard.The 900hr pa rate is supposed to be even throughout the year; it is an annual rate, not 100 for 9 months then nothing. CP371 is supposed to have a spirit and using it to the max is not it. 4/4 will give a steady rate and plenty of SBY. It ain't rocket science.
Clear you minds and be radical. Remember, what you construct now you will be stuck with for a very long time.
Good luck, but a little more imagination could work wonders. It should be the one uniting aspect within any company. The proposal you have now doesn't sound like it.
Think outside the box.
P.S. You could even throw the company a bone and allow a certain number of flexi days, i.e. the 1st or last of the 4 off to be used when s*#t hits the inevitable fan occaisionally: limited of course.
P.P.S. Becareful what you wish for; you may get it and then not be able to get rid of it.
As usual the crews are fighting for quality days off. There are various methods to achieve quality time off. (CAP371 stipulates that any 'scheme' allows for this!!!) As usual the company is striving for prodcutivity. The two are perfectly compatible. It's when the company has an anti-crew, jealous attitude that the trouble starts. catching a few crumbs will not achieve what you are after. A few more predictable days off, or GDO's, is but a drop in the ocean in achieving the true goal of reasonable life style while producing the goods. Others have done it!
Last edited by RAT 5; 27th January 2005 at 15:56.