Part 121 · Pilot bidding (LINE + PBS)
LINE + rule-based PBS
Run awards in classic LINE mode or rule-based PBS, processed in seniority order so the senior bidder is served first. PBS reads each pilot's hard and soft preferences from a generic rule catalog, and the same package and bids always yield the same lines. What you get is a fair, explainable award — not the mechanics of how it's computed. It replaces the regional incumbents that force LINE-only.
Launching the first quarter of 2027.
Illustrative — every screen reflects your own data.
Who it's for
Crew planners and bid administrators at scheduled (Part 121) carriers who run a monthly LINE or PBS bid and need every award to hold up when a pilot questions it.
What it replaces
Regional PBS incumbents that force LINE-only, and the by-hand seniority pass run down a spreadsheet at each bid close.
What line + rule-based pbs gives you
- Classic LINE mode or rule-based PBS
- Processed in seniority order — senior bidder served first
- The same package and bids always yield the same lines
LINE and rule-based PBS in one engine
Run the month in classic LINE mode — where the system walks each pilot's line preferences in order — or in rule-based PBS, where it reads each pilot's hard and soft preferences from a generic rule catalog. Either way it processes pilots in seniority order, so the senior bidder is served first, and a carrier can move between LINE and PBS without changing tools.
- Classic LINE mode or rule-based PBS, chosen per package
- Processed in seniority order — senior bidder served first
- Hard and soft preferences read from a generic rule catalog
Deterministic, explainable awards
The award is a pure result of the package and the bids: the same inputs always yield the same lines, and each awarded line traces back to the preference that produced it rather than to a black box. The desk gets a fair result it can read straight back to a pilot — without exposing the internal scoring.
- Same package and bids always yield the same lines
- Each line traces to the preference that produced it
- Readable back to a pilot who questions their line
How an operator uses this
Awards run in classic LINE mode, where the system walks each pilot's line preferences in order, or in rule-based PBS, where it reads each pilot's hard and soft preferences from a generic rule catalog — and either way it processes pilots in seniority order so the senior bidder is served first. The award is deterministic and explainable: the same package and bids always yield the same lines, and a pilot can see which preference produced their line rather than a black box. What the operation gets is a fair, traceable result, not the internal mechanics of how it's scored.
Illustrative — every screen reflects what's in your own data, nothing more.
How it works
LINE + rule-based PBS, step by step
Choose LINE mode or rule-based PBS for the package.
In PBS, each pilot's hard and soft preferences come from the rule catalog.
The engine processes pilots in seniority order, senior bidder first.
Read each awarded line back to the preference that produced it.
Questions
LINE + rule-based PBS — frequently asked
Does it support both LINE and PBS bidding?
Yes. Awards run in classic LINE mode or rule-based PBS, both processed in seniority order so the senior bidder is served first — unlike regional incumbents that force LINE-only.
Is a PBS award explainable?
Yes. PBS reads each pilot's hard and soft preferences from a generic rule catalog, and the same package and bids always yield the same lines — so an award traces to the rule that produced it rather than coming from a black box.
Keep exploring
Other features in Part 121
Monthly bid packages
Per base × equipment × position, DRAFT → OPEN → CLOSED → AWARDED → PUBLISHED.
Deep diveIdempotent award engine
A pure awards function — re-running replaces prior awards with the same result.
Deep diveCrew pairing builder
Per-line pairing CRUD inside each package, with a reserve-pool fallback.
Deep diveFAR 117 enforcement
Flight-time caps checked at crew-assignment time — a busting assignment is blocked before it saves.
Deep diveFAR 121.467 cabin-crew enforcer
Parallel duty/rest enforcement for flight attendants.
Deep diveUnion / CBA contract overlay
Layer your bargaining unit's stricter limits on top of the FAR floor; the scheduler enforces whichever is more restrictive.
Deep diveCrew duty board
Live duty used per crew member, derived from shifts and the flight log.
Deep diveFatigue risk board
Deterministic and explainable — blends documented duty load with self-reported sleep signals. Not an AI prediction model.
Deep diveReserve crew
LONG_CALL + SHORT_CALL with callout and no-contact tracking.
Deep diveOpen-time / trip trading
Drop / pickup / swap with planner approval; auto-approves when no FAR 117 bust.
Deep diveMEL — minimum equipment list
Category A/B/C/D deferrals with auto-rolling expiry; expired items ground the aircraft.
Deep diveAQP (14 CFR 121 App. Y)
Per-fleet proficiency objectives and CQ-cycle enrollments.
Deep diveFA recurrent training
121.421 initial / recurrent / transition / overwater on a 12-month cycle.
Deep diveRecurrent calendar
Four-month grid across credentials, FA recurrent, and inspections.
Deep diveDrug & alcohol random draws
Random-selection records with a full audit trail.
Deep diveAircraft program
ADs, SBs, and life-limited parts with inspection clocks per tail.
Deep diveCargo & ULD
IATA ULD types, an AC 120-85-styled inspection clock (non-mandatory FAA guidance), and hazmat tags on the build-up manifest.
Deep diveLive aircraft tracking
FlightAware position + ETA on the ops board (bring-your-own AeroAPI key).
Deep diveTrip-sheet briefings
METAR/TAF + NOTAMs + fuel + crew signature, print-ready; pax/cargo weight captured for your own W&B process.
Deep divePredictive maintenance
A 0–100 AOG-risk score per tail — deterministic and explainable, with the contributing factors shown.
Deep diveFleet utilization
Per-tail 30 / 90 / 365-day hours with an inspection countdown.
Deep diveManager daily digest
Today's ops and attention items emailed to managers each morning.
Deep diveReports & exports
Utilization, currency, and completion KPIs with CSV export.
Deep divePilot dashboard
A pilot's own home: next flights + FAR 117 duty standing, report-for-duty check-in, PBS bid status, 61.51 logbook, currency and credentials.
Deep diveFlight-attendant dashboard
Trips and schedule, 14 CFR 121.421 recurrent-training status, credentials, check-in, manuals, and fatigue reporting.
Deep diveCrew planner & dispatch
Bid packages and awards, reserve and open-time, and the live ops / dispatch board for the people running the operation.
Deep diveManager & compliance
Fleet, recurrency, FAR 117 oversight, and audit-ready compliance — role-scoped, one Part at a time.
Deep diveMaintenance-station routing
Flags when a tail's due check won't reach a capable station before its limit. Advisory — it surfaces the risk, it doesn't block dispatch.
Deep diveCrew-base efficiency
Surfaces deadhead and out-of-base overnights so pairings can be built to originate and terminate at a crew member's base.
Deep diveWeighted efficiency score
A configurable weighted score (abstract points, lower = better) over deadhead, overnights, repositioning, and maintenance-fit slack — set your own weights.
Deep diveExplainable swap / re-base suggestions
Deterministic aircraft-swap and re-base proposals that improve the score — every suggestion shows its reasoning. Not AI, not a guaranteed optimum.
Deep diveEvery Part 121 workspace also includes the platform-wide backbone — logbook, credentials, compliance, reporting, and audit trail.
See the backboneSee line + rule-based pbs on your operation.
It's part of the Part 121 workspace. Request a demo or join the waitlist.