TONY: CQ feels just the same when you're on Reserve!

I have to admit that, in the back of my mind, I wondered would CQ (the dreaded annual FAA-mandated recurrent [some say "redundant"] training that flight crews are required to complete) "feel" the same on Reserve as it does as a lineholder.  After all, it's likely the ONLY duty time I'll have to put it all month!  Surely, it must feel "different"!  It doesn't.

The relatively new AQP concepts used for CQ these days has really picked up the pace of the drudgery of reviewing the same topics year-after-year.  But other than the occasional, "hey, how's reserve going?", it felt no different than in years past.  I almost forgot that this was the first time in 30 years that I've attended CQ (formerly RT) as a Reserve.  As a matter of fact, I NEVER attended as a Reserve before.  When asked, "Now why, exactly, are you on Reserve?", I tried to explain my rationale so that it made some semblance of sense:  experimentation, proving/disproving the chatter about how awful it is, knowing the sCO Reserve system before being asked to vote for it or something different (i.e. the sUA "shared reserve" approach), etc.  Of course, I got one or two skeptical looks and cynical shakes of the head.

But the fact is that, as of 2/15, I'm halfway through the month and have yet to perform any F/A duties or even be contacted by Crew Scheduling.  The ONLY times I've spoken to a Schedule have been when I've called them.  I'm quite conscious of the fact that my results are FAR from representative of the typical Reserve experience.  Many of my R peers in domestic bases have been flying their a$$es off because of February's horrific weather systems.  In fact, many of my International-based Reserve colleagues have been pressed into service to cover the surfeit of uncovered domestic trips.  But not me.

I seem to have circumstance on my side; at least thusfar in the month.  When I return to my "Call Out" line on Monday, I am very near the bottom of the FIFO list and on Tuesday, as well, before going to another "day off".  Afterward, I will have 3 duty periods of 3 days each, during which I have 1 or 2 day off breaks that CS can "roll", if they see fit.  I may yet FLY in February!

But tomorrow, I'll be reporting back to IAHIT (Inflight Training Center) for CQ, Day 2, as scheduled.