Thanks Uplock.
As we all know it's easy to manipulate statisitics. Vorsicht thinks I've done that with my first post. I did not, was just simply answering the question with my
2005 schedule. I have also clearly stated that pilots will probably work harder in 2006 due to staffing and training issues.
So, just to show how easy it would be to manipulate the answer to a simple question of how many
Days Off one has on average lets look at a couple of possible answers. We'll use my 2006 schedule now since it's the only one I have.
If I were to answer truthfully and pedantically how many
Days off I've had in 2006 the results would look like this:
January 2006 = 10
February 2006 = 8
March 2006 = 10
April 2006 = 8
May 2008 = 8
June 2006 = 6
Now that would really make the naysayers happy wouldn't it ?
If we were to delve a little deeper and ask how many days do you have at home and included rest days and midnight returns ( that is those flights that block in from 0001 to about 0100. ) The answer would look like this:
January = 15
February = 12
March = 13
April = 13
May = 11
June = 8
Taking it that last step and adding vacation days would yield and even better answer to this question: " How many days do you get to spend with your family, should you so choose? " = This answer:
January = 15
February = 15
March = 20
April = 13
May = 17
June = 25 ( including 28 days in a row free of any duty starting in May )
The key here for those on the outside is to ask the right question for the information you seek. If you just ask for days off the vast majority of posters here will only answer with the number of
xx days they have on a monthly roster. A pedantically correct answer, but probably not giving you the information you seek.
Helmet on, thick skin attached, flame away boys
Typhoonpilot