How much are reserve pilots paid / how long a reserve?

How your career progresses depends largely on the timing (where in the cycle - upswing, lull, downswing) you fall when hired, how many pilots the company is "short" in your particular aircraft, and what the contract (CBA) states pertaining to work rules, pay, etc. Whether or not you sit Reserve depends on how many Reserve pilots they need and your relative seniority. You will typically be paid "Guarantee" - this is the number of flight hours per bid period multiplied by your hourly flight pay - for Reserve duty. Some companies have a Reserve Guarantee that is slightly more/fewer hours than the line-holder Guarantee. If you go above the minimum guaranteed flight hours, you will usually get paid Guarantee PLUS your extra hours. However, as a line-holder, you may be able to bid a line that allows you to better utilize your time, giving you more days off but more flight pay than the guy sitting Reserve, even if he picks up open flying. Some companies do not allow their reserve pilots to pick up open flying. The chances of being able to hold another job while working as a pilot at a regional airline are pretty slim. You only have a schedule for a month or so at a time, and it varies considerably. Regarding moving to another position, I assume you mean upgrade to another seat (Captain) - you put your bid in for Captain when you're ready to upgrade, and when there is an available slot, they put you in the class. Fee free to e-mail me if you have more questions.