The SHOW: Airlines still a "good gig"??

[webmaster]

I have been on the junior end of the schedule (98% seniority, basically everyone was above me on the 76) and to the point where I can hold a line and control my schedule (44% seniority on the 320). I have taken advantage of reserve in domicile to have days off and build blocks of time off for impromptu vacation and on the other end I have flown high time and maximized the earning opportunities with premium or higher pay and credit trips. Even on the BUSIEST schedules I have flown I have still had off more dedicated free time at home than I know what to do with. It was kind of a shock to my wife to see me at home so much she initially got irritated that I was just goofing off, I had to tell her "Honey, I am getting PAID to sit here and read my book by the pool!". It didn't really take long for us both to get adjusted to the increase in quality of life and time off, we travel more now than we ever did in the military, and I gotta say that is one of the best perks of the job.

Living in domicile helps, but I have friends that commute and still have a high quality of life, but it just makes it a little harder when you add in the commuting if you aren't a line holder. IE crash pad on reserve (glad I haven't had to do that).

It took me awhile to get used to the fact that NO ONE was calling me on my days off, when we parked the plane at the end of the trip, you are done. Even though we might bitch about quarterly training, it is easy to knock it out on a trip. As @wink mentioned, there isn't the same mission accomplishment/job satisfaction as the military, but the pay, travel and time off more than makes up for it in my book.

And it's even funnier when I think that I haven't even reached the ability of what seniority can do for you in the airlines. Some of the crazy time off and extra pay that @HAL Pilot @FrankTheTank and @wink get away with is unreal!

 

[Deleted member 24525]

Sweet. Getting my fill of "leadership challeges" at the moment. Even with the cons, your job doesn't sound bad. My wife's concerned about the time away from home, but it looks like there's some flexibility once a certain seniority is achieved. Obviously that part is cyclical and hard to predict, especially years in advance. Knowing that it usually takes me 6-12 months to "settle in" to a new job with the Navy (at which point we all know what happens- time to rotate!), when do most ex-mil guys seem to "settle in" to an airline job?

It took me about a year-

But to be totally honest, it was NOT the airline job ....it was dealing with the Navy F’ing reserves. That’s where most of my asspain came from during my first year.

I finally got to the base I wanted...(commuting sucks and depending on how far you have to commute, life can be absolutely miserable).
Now that I’m in domicile life is good.

That being said, 2 best options:
1. Not being a commuter
2. If you are a commuter, line near her family.
Nother piece of advice:
3. Do NOT double commute (reserve/Guard gig and airline gig)

And lastly, the time away isn’t really that bad -especially if you’re near family. I mean a commutable 3 day trip means two night away... being home for breakfast on the first day and dinner on the third day.then get 3-4 days totally off, and repeat.

 

[sevenhelmet]

Thanks, guys.

 

[wink]

The big take away is "flexibility". Want to live in the mountains, fish and hunt, absolutely,
if you can hack the commute. Fly high time and make big bucks, yup. Stay put for years and build the seniority to completely control your sked, doable. Keep moving, collect type ratings and become a wide body captain in min time, yes you can. They all have pros and con's. All are options.

Me, I live where i want and have an easy commute. I am a seniority hog. Dont chase planes or seats. Was the #1 FO in base for about 5 years. Cost me some lifetime earnings but was able to support my wife's career and had great quality time with my boys. Got needed additional satisfaction from the Reserves and flying with the Sheriff's office. You roll your own.

 

[FrankTheTank]

I think everybody has done well in the descriptions. I would say the Cons of flying rubber dog shit is really just the hours we work (Time of day). I have a saying about FedEx. You will either see the sunrise, sunset or no sun. Although we have a few trans cons that are sun all the way; the block time sucks. We have something for everyone. Money, QOL, international, domestic, days, nights..etc. Plus we get paid in gold bricks.. But for instance, I didn’t feel like being gone this month so I did out and backs. Cleveland 9 times, Knoxville twice, Pittsburg twice, Des Monies once, New Orleans once and Raleigh once. Showtime (Takeoff is an hour after show) was generally around 0215-0230 and land time (back in MEM) was 0830-0900. Paid around 30k. Slept in my own bed. Also my award had 2 less out and backs but picked up 1 PIT and DSM out of open time for some cash towards my Mustang and to buy another rifle and handgun.

 

[Python]

Can someone enlighten me on the “crash pad” concept? How it works, why it’s there, how it differs from a hotel room, why you would use one instead of a hotel room, etc.?

Also I always thought it was something associated with the regionals, not majors. Clearly my ignorance is high.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Treetop Flyer]

Can someone enlighten me on the “crash pad” concept? How it works, why it’s there, how it differs from a hotel room, why you would use one instead of a hotel room, etc.?

Also I always thought it was something associated with the regionals, not majors. Clearly my ignorance is high.

Thanks in advance.

A crash pad is a place to stay for commuters. On a trip, all your hotels and transportation are arranged and paid for by the airline. At your base, it’s on you. If you live in base, then obviously you don’t need to worry about it. If a commuter has a line, it may only be needed for a few nights a month. If someone is commuting to reserve, they might need it a lot, depending on the specific reserve rules.

There are lots of different crash pad set-ups depending on how much you want to pay. In any case, it’s cheaper than a hotel.

I commuted to reserve for a few months, but I just used a hotel. One, I’m single so I don’t generally pinch pennies. Two, I knew it would be a short term thing until I was able to get based where I live, and I was able to trade/give away some reserve blocks and pick up trips out of my home city to make it less painful.

Unless you live somewhere awesome that you can’t move from, just move to a base.

 

[Python]

A crash pad is a place to stay for commuters. On a trip, all your hotels and transportation are arranged and paid for by the airline. At your base, it’s on you. If you live in base, then obviously you don’t need to worry about it. If a commuter has a line, it may only be needed for a few nights a month. If someone is commuting to reserve, they might need it a lot, depending on the specific reserve rules.

There are lots of different crash pad set-ups depending on how much you want to pay. In any case, it’s cheaper than a hotel.

I commuted to reserve for a few months, but I just used a hotel. One, I’m single so I don’t generally pinch pennies. Two, I knew it would be a short term thing until I was able to get based where I live, and I was able to trade/give away some reserve blocks and pick up trips out of my home city to make it less painful.

Unless you live somewhere awesome that you can’t move from, just move to a base.

Good info. Could you clarify what it means to hold a line as well as why commuting to reserve you would need more of a crash pad? I understand reserve as like being on standby to fly....are you just given dates that you are on reserve and thus need to be at the crash pad those dates?

 

[FrankTheTank]

Good info. Could you clarify what it means to hold a line as well as why commuting to reserve you would need more of a crash pad? I understand reserve as like being on standby to fly....are you just given dates that you are on reserve and thus need to be at the crash pad those dates?

Line is scheduled flights.. Reserve is “on call” Call out based on sick calls, extra, crew duty time outs, etc. So you fly less. That’s why folks like me generally sit reserve (still 14 years later) because I live in domicile and am on reserve at my house. When I go out, I just bring my junk and have my cell phone.

 

[Treetop Flyer]

Good info. Could you clarify what it means to hold a line as well as why commuting to reserve you would need more of a crash pad? I understand reserve as like being on standby to fly....are you just given dates that you are on reserve and thus need to be at the crash pad those dates?

Like Frank said, holding a line means you have a set schedule for the month. Let’s say you live in Norfolk and commute to NYC. Let’s say you have four trips assigned for the month. Maybe three start too early for you to commute up the same day, or end too late to get home, so you’ll need three nights in a hotel or crash pad.

Now same situation except you’re on reserve. You have four four day blocks of reserve (my March schedule). Depending on reserve rules (let’s say it’s short call) you potentially could be spending 16 nights in NYC waiting for your phone to ring. Even if it’s less, like it usually is, that’s a crap ton of money to spend on hotels. A crash pad is typically much less accommodating but also way cheaper.

Or just live in base like Frank and get paid to stay sober and run errands. Typically is the most junior guys on reserve but obviously it depends.

 

[HAL Pilot]

 

[Randy Daytona]

That's a big freakin' engine.

The GE9X engines will have more than 100,000 pounds of thrust and a front fan diameter of 134 inches, the largest ever made.

https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle...ine-boeing-777x-747.html?ana=yahoo&yptr=yahoo

 

[ChuckMK23]

That's a big freakin' engine.

The GE9X engines will have more than 100,000 pounds of thrust and a front fan diameter of 134 inches, the largest ever made.

https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle...ine-boeing-777x-747.html?ana=yahoo&yptr=yahoo

9x fan shroud is wider than a 737 fuselage.

 

[sevenhelmet]

Ran into this one as I was suitcasing my milcomp ratings recently: How do most FAA examiners look at XC time for the ATP? Does flying many miles followed by an RTB count (e.g. combat, most range transits, etc.), or is an actual point of landing >50nm from the point of origin required? If the latter, are a lot of fighter guys getting issued an ATPr initially, and does this affect a candidate's hiring score?

Maybe I just need to take a jet on the road more! (I definitely want to...)

 

[HAL Pilot]

No landing required for ATP cross country flight experience requirements.