Usually it’s my intent to emphasize more of the flying aspects of the airline pilot career with the Jumpseat column. But on this particular occasion, unique circumstances provided an interesting sequence of events prior to becoming airborne. Albeit embarrassing, sharing this moment is an insightful glimpse into my world. If you are a colleague … well … go ahead and chuckle.
For the month of September, I included a reserve selection in my monthly bid requests. It was something that I hadn’t done in almost 21 years from the days of being a very junior 727 captain. Rather than explain the dry nuances of our pilot contract, suffice it to say that my logic for choosing reserve was a simple matter of pay versus time off. And for nearly the same pay as some of the regular trip selections provide, I reasoned that trying the reserve option for a month wouldn’t cause too much pain and suffering. As per positive reports from fellow 777 captains, it appeared that my particular seniority position would favor the definition of underworked.
