What Happens When You Become A 'Line-Holding' Airline Pilot?

Cockpit scenes filmed with approval, in partnership with Envoy Air Inc., under Part 91… Becoming a line-holder for the first time is a big deal for new airline pilots. It improves your pay, quality of life, and work schedule. If you’re researching airlines you’d love to fly for one day, understanding the individual policies for each airline should be one of your top priorities. This is what my first month as a “line-holding” pilot looked like, in comparison to my last month on reserve. The timing for the transition to line-holding status depends a lot on bidding seniority, aircraft type, and base selection.

If you’re wondering how the “bidding” process works, that’s a full topic for an upcoming video!

Photo Credit: Bo Ryan (Captain, Envoy Air)
Music: “Breakthrough Moment” (Vincent Tone - PremiumBeat Music)
Equipment: GoPro Hero 7 Black, iPhone XS Max, Rode Audio SmartLav+ Mic

Thanks for watching!
-Swayne

[SwayneMartinPilot]

There’s a lot more behind line-holding to talk about - especially bidding! That’ll be covered in a future video. What else do you want to learn about this job?

[sirjasonakana]

Congratulations on becoming a line holding pilot!.

[PaulGarthAviation]

Congratulations on becoming a line-holder. What I enjoy about your videos is the consistent equal treatment of all the topics you cover. The attention and intention is evident for covering every topic comprehensively, from learning how to fly, to how to become a professional pilot, to cockpit-resource-management, to understanding crew scheduling, to walking around the plane holding a checklist, etc.



Under U.S. FAA FAR 91.3, The "Responsibility and authority of the pilot in command of an aircraft is directly responsible for, and is the final authority as to, the operation of that aircraft."



That's a big responsibility, and your videos translate and inspire to whatever your viewer's area-of-focus and responsibility may be.

[LongTimeNoPuck]

You are incredibly professional. Thank you for all that you share. I look forward to hearing your name announced when flying. Congrats on line holding.

[johnmeye]

I’m not even a pilot but I still hang on every word. Swayne, you’re fascinating.

[coreyjordan]

Hey, bro. I have been watching your "youtube' page for a while. I'm very proud of you. Congratulation on being an pilot. Look like I will be starting my plan in March of 2020. Private pilot licence. I can't believe I'm doing this!!!

[BbockBbock]

Swayne I have no interest in becoming a pilot but I love learning all about your journey. Congrats!

[michaeltaft]

Awesome video! Line holding and reserve can be debatable pending on who you fly for and if you live near base or commute. I can definitely seeing line-holding as being a benefit to commuters, but being near base reserve my improve QOL due to being at home while still on call.

Keep up the great work Swayne and thank you Envoy for allowing him to create such great content! I look forward to joining the regionals in a couple years!

[DUIA]

Congrats on being a line-holder. Your videos are amazing and you and Envoy for sharing behind the scenes of a line-holder pilot.

[tristenparker]

I love your videos. I’m 14 and I want to be a pilot with a PhD in aviation and your videos teach me a lot about the long process! Thx

[HvyMetalEver]

4:35 - a true mark of professionalism. When that BA 74 went rolling by, you didn't even stop to gawk.

That is my favorite commercial of all time, (closely followed by the MD-11.) and I always love to sit back and watch them.

I used to work across the street from KLAS, and would watch British Air and Virgin Atlantic bring them in.

Congrats on your success. I'm learning a lot from your channel. Looking forward to seeing more.

[billyrowe]

A little bit more Flight Simulator and I'm gonna be a line-holder.

[JoelWelter]

I'm learning so much about the workings of airline pilots. Thanks!

[Airflores]

Proud of you Swayne, keep up the great work.

[marvinkigame]

I love this guy... As a Cessna pilot he has offered me hope and taught me a lot. He is very eloquent and one easily mistake him for a trained journalist. You are one of my mentors from afar.. 👍👍👍👏

[Niv]

Love the Videos Swayne Martin, Want to give thanks to Envoy Air Inc for allowing you to make the cockpit videos.

[rydenlewis]

You should do a Day in the life showing your full day from commute to the flights and then on to that night

[rwnordmark]

Congratulations Swayne on becoming a Line Holder. I wish you continued success.

[HawaiianAirlinesVA]

June 15th 2019
Fellow Pilots,

On Tuesday I signed an Agreement in Principle, along with the Envoy Senior Labor Relations Counsel and management's lead negotiator, to secure a comprehensive compensation improvement package for the pilots at Envoy. The Agreement in Principle was reached following a day of intense negotiations and was predicated on previous negotiating meetings. In preparing for the final round of negotiations it was made clear that neither the MEC, nor the pilots at Envoy, would accept any deal which left us lagging in compensation or had concessions attached to compensation improvements.

Once an Agreement in Principle is signed, the significant terms of an agreement are in place and the negotiating process is essentially over, with the tenets of the deal in place. The next step is drafting and editing contract language implementing the essential terms of the agreement. Sometimes this drafting process takes time, however Envoy management seemed determined to alleviate the mounting pressure they are experiencing to increase compensation and quality of life at Envoy due to the recent ratification of pay rate increases at Piedmont, as well as the PSA deal that was inked in early April. As such, we expected a language pass to be presented to us quickly. After the Agreement in Principle was signed, I called an MEC meeting via teleconference for Wednesday night in anticipation that draft contract language would be prepared and ready for evaluation by the MEC.

On Wednesday, the Company sent their first language pass derived from the Agreement in Principle that was signed by both parties on Tuesday. The language arrived less than two hours prior to the MEC teleconference, so there was not adequate time to thoroughly review and make technical corrections to the language reflecting our agreement prior to the teleconference. During the teleconference I updated the MEC on the progress of negotiations. Although the Agreement in Principle doesn't provide every provision we were seeking, it is a document that we found satisfactory and agreed to, and one that I believe the MEC would ratify.

The Agreement in Principle that Envoy management and your MEC Chairman agreed to includes many positive provisions for the pilots at Envoy without concessions. Some of the highlights are below:

Pay rates would be increased to a level slightly higher than those at PSA with retroactivity to May 15.
Pay-out upon flow through or retirement of accrued sick banks
Improvements to Reserve work rules which provide increased time off and more predictability
A reduction of pilot contribution to health care costs
Several Letters of Intent and agreements including Grievance Settlements which would provide a remedy for the affected pilots
All the recent progress came to a screeching halt late on Friday afternoon.

On Thursday, the MEC Officers, Contract Compliance Committee Chairman, and Envoy ALPA Senior Labor Relations Counsel worked throughout the day to vet and edit the language pass from the company. Late Thursday, we transmitted our revised language, which consisted of minor edits and clean-ups, back to the Company for their review. Then on Friday, I was told by Management's lead negotiator that the Company would be backing out of the Agreement in Principle that was agreed to earlier this week. The excuse given was that AAG had told Envoy management that they had exceeded their authority. At no time during this round of negotiations, and at no time before the Company signed the AIP on Tuesday, did Envoy indicate that their authority was limited or subject to the veto of AAG. This after the fact excuse to welsh on our agreement is in no way consistent with good faith negotiations.

This isn't the first time that our management has demonstrated bad faith in negotiations – a recent example being the failed Reserve Rules change proposals from negotiations ending in January. However, the impact of management reneging on this Agreement in Principle is far more damaging. The credibility of our management has been completely undermined by their actions this week, leaving us unable to trust that they will follow through on future agreements. This behavior is unacceptable.

Whether or not AAG is stepping in to rescind our agreement, or Envoy management ever actually conferred with AAG when they claimed to, is immaterial at this point. They made an agreement and are now repudiating it in bad faith. We cannot continue to pursue good faith negotiations with a management team that is incapable of following through on the agreements they make with the Association.

Envoy management is either unable to identify the mounting challenges facing the viability of the operation, or they are engaged in an effort to turn the pilots against their representatives in a desperate attempt at union busting. It is often assumed that management's actions are nefarious, but this week's events demonstrate that they simply are not committed to negotiate in good faith. Only when AAG recognizes and acknowledges that the pilots of Envoy demand an agreement that provides pay parity relative to the industry measured in real compensation, and not just pay rate tables, will it be possible for us to view it as a partner acting in good faith to offer a career path that meets industry standards. My profound disappointment in our management is shared by your LEC Representatives, the other MEC Officers, and volunteers who work tirelessly to represent the best interests of the pilot group day in and day out.

Originally, when we sent our update last Friday, a communication explaining why we hadn't come to an agreement was in development and slated for distribution. We determined that the signing of an Agreement in Principle, which represented the framework for tangible, durable, ratifiable, and much needed compensation improvements, eliminated the need to distribute that communication. Now that the company has reneged on the signed Agreement in Principle, it seems prudent to share with the pilot group the reasons why we are where we are. Following the transmittal of this update, we are also distributing a communication which was originally slated for distribution earlier this week.

You have the right to be angry.

You have the right to be disappointed.

Your management has failed you yet again.

You deserve proper compensation.

You deserve acceptable work rules.

Your Local Representatives are advocating for you tirelessly.

Your Officers and Committee Volunteers continue to focus on providing the services the pilots require.

I will not rest in my representation of the pilot group, my responsibility and duty to you.



It is never pleasant to be the bearer of bad news. Today marks the latest unwarranted disparagement of Envoy Pilots in a series of adversarial and toxic interactions initiated by Envoy management. We ask you in the meantime to continue to exhibit professionalism.


In Unity,

Steven Pallai

[evanmurashko]

I just got hired as a CFI at a pretty busy airport. It's sort of a pilot mill, but I'm going to be getting around 85 hours a month putting me 10 months away from applying to an airline once I start. Your videos get me so excited for that step in my career and also keep me motivated when it gets tough. Thank you for what you do, Swayne!