“Are You Available?”
That’s the big question, the one we all get. Do you know how to answer it? Always say “Yes!” correct?, otherwise I might lose the trip. Well, not so fast. Let’s look how your answer affects the outcome.
But first, what is your value as a contractor? How do you determine it?
It has always been and always will be Q-C-A. QCA is the three legged stool that enables you to earn your rate. Without one leg, the stool falls over. It’s not the playoffs here. 2 out of 3 does not win. You must have all three. You must be:
Qualified, or typed on the aircraft;
Current, either PIC trained per FAR 61.58 for two-crew certified aircraft, or 61.55 SIC trained for right seat only, and
Available – a green or open day(s) in your calendar.
Not available?, you can’t do it. Sounds simple, right? What could go wrong?
Ok so you’re anxious to get the job , so you say excitedly, “Yes I’m available !” and that pleasant trip coordinator says great, I’ll get back to you soon. Then, “click”.
Great, you just bagged a nice one! Or did you? Do you have a trip sheet with your name on it? No. Do you have a pay sheet to sign with your daily rate on it? No. No worries, I’ll get an email with those details tomorrow for sure.
Slowly days start to go by and you don’t hear anything. I’ll check my email again, surely there’s a trip sheet today. Nope, there’s not. Why not? What’s going on?
What you did is “covered” the trip with no guarantees, not a one. Because you “covered the trip” with your mouth and not paperwork, you took the pressure off the scheduler and allowed them to SHOP YOUR RATE DOWN. No, that couldn’t be it, could it? You call that nice person back. Suddenly the flight scheduler is not so nice and says one of a few different things: “the trip cancelled”, or “the trip is changing”, or my personal favorite “oh, we covered that in-house”.
Well if they had in-house staff AVAILABLE, why’d they call me? Because they are always shopping for low, low, rates.