captainphil
Well-Known Member
I was just curious as to how much time you guys get home with your family? It's a question that's been running through my mind.
Yet another question for the airline pilots.
- Thread starter captainphil
- Start date
TUCKnTRUCK
That guy
10 days off to 15 days off. Expect lower numbers at first. If you commute expect to loose at least 2 days a month.
staplegun
Well-Known Member
I am a B-777 first officer with Delta.
I average working 12-14 days a month so I'm home 16-19 days.
I know that's not the norm. It all depends on seniority and what equipment you fly.
The nice thing about this job is that when I'm home, I don't have any work-related responsibilities, i.e. I don't bring the job home with me.
If I'm off for 5 or 6 days then I'm around 24 hours/day.
Sometimes my wife says to me, "isn't it time for you to go back to work?"
Kevin
I average working 12-14 days a month so I'm home 16-19 days.
I know that's not the norm. It all depends on seniority and what equipment you fly.
The nice thing about this job is that when I'm home, I don't have any work-related responsibilities, i.e. I don't bring the job home with me.
If I'm off for 5 or 6 days then I'm around 24 hours/day.
Sometimes my wife says to me, "isn't it time for you to go back to work?"
Kevin
granlistillo
Well-Known Member
That is pretty much correct, but if you have reserve and the airline is fat on pilots, there may be more days, but your activities will be limited. Also Some of those days may be a late show or an early finish. Basically it is absolute crap. My family lived overseas and came during the summer and school breaks and when I had vacation. I saw them for half that time, but spent every minute with them. This is coming from a two year regional pilot.
BobDDuck
Island Bus Driver
I do a transcon two leg commute. I'm also the most junior reserve captain in base which means my schedule sucks. I get 10 days off a month in two blocks of two days and two blocks of three days. I can't get home on my two day off blocks so I only get back on my three day off blocks. In theory that's 6 days at home a month, but because my company normally starts reserves at 5am on their first day I have to commute in on my last day off which means I have to leave home at 9 in the morning on my last day "off". Also, sometimes they work me too late on my last day to catch a flight home so if that happens I don't get home until afternoon on my first day off. So, I get somewhere between 4 and 6 days at home a month.
subpilot
Squawking 7600
That is aweful.
CRJDriver
Well-Known Member
:yeahthat:
I was doing a similar commute with 2 legs. I was reserve and got 11 days off a month. A lot of times I did 6 days on - 1 day off - 6 days on, etc. and then just bid a junk of 5-6 days off in a row, otherwise it wasn't worth to go home or commute. A lot of times I bid the last 4 days off of the month and then the first 4 days of the next month = 8 days off in a row, but you'll be suffering later
Living in base or commuting will make a big difference. Seriously, working 6 days on followed by 1 day off and then work another 6 days is brutal. I ended up moving to base and worked maybe 3-4 days max, followed by 1-3 days off.
Duck_Twacy
Well-Known Member
I had a relatively short one leg commute, but like others was on reserve with 10 days off per month. Those were split up between three two day blocks and one four day block, which was always welcome. I think I was always able to be home for dinner on the last day of a reserve stretch, and was usually able to commute in on the first day of reserve especially if I already had a trip and it was a late enough show time. As far as commuting on reserve goes, it wasn't terrible.
SpiraMirabilis
Possible Subversive
Your company doesn't have different reserve shifts?
I was hating the 10 days only off, but I managed to hold the R2 shift at Mesa (6pm-6am) so it was like I had an extra day off almost on each end of of my actual days off since my last working day was done at 6AM which allowed me to commute home and I could commute back on my working day in the afternoon since I didn't have to be back till 6PM.
So on my 3 day block it seemed almost like 4.5 days, which was sweet.
BobDDuck
Island Bus Driver
We do have different shifts, although there are no defined blocks. You can't bid on start times either so you have no way of knowing what you are going to get until 24 hours before you start. Scheduling has a habit of making people start at 5am (normally airport ready reserve) on their first day and then working them back to later times so by the last day you are working until midnight.
I used to trade reserve days around so I'd do 6-1-6- a bunch off, but the company changed their policy so you can no longer work 6 days in a row... unless they do schedule you for it. Fun fun.
I used to trade reserve days around so I'd do 6-1-6- a bunch off, but the company changed their policy so you can no longer work 6 days in a row... unless they do schedule you for it. Fun fun.
Boris Badenov
Fortis Leader
I'm guessing he means 10 years AT DELTA. So think more like "If you're smart enough, fast enough, lucky enough, and your timing is on, in 15-20 years..."
Duck_Twacy
Well-Known Member
Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe I read in another thread he is usually on long call (12 hour?) and lives in (near) base.
I had months where I only flew once as well, but it still meant I was away from home, sitting in my sister-in-law's basement in NJ playing xbox.
NJA_Capt
Well-Known Member
Wow, I would have almost said that word for word.....:yup:
With a little editing.....
I am a Citation X Captain with NetJets.
I average working 14-16 days a month so I'm home 14-16 days.
The nice thing about this job is that when I'm home, I don't have any work-related responsibilities, i.e. I don't bring the job home with me. (:clap:)
I'm off for 7 days and I'm around 24 hours/day.
Sometimes my wife says to me, "isn't it time for you to go back to work?"
PS.....and fly 200 hrs/yr
JoelT
Well-Known Member
Nope! I've only been here for 2.5 years hence, why I am on reserve
. I've been flying for the airlines about ten to eleven years with three years of instructing so, real close to that 15 year thing.Come this summer though, reserve is going to really suck! However, as was stated before, 12-hour long call makes reserve rather nice.
zmiller4
Well-Known Member
I've been at my airline for 3.5yrs and I hold decent seniority as an FO, working 14-15 weekdays a month (16-17 days off). I've consistently been able to bid around holidays and get full 10 day periods off when I need to. I commute, and usually spend 1-2 nights a month at a cheap hotel.
:yeahthat:
When I'm home, I don't worry about work. I get done with a trip, throw the flight case in the crew room, do my best to get home, and then forget about work for 3-4 days. I don't even check loads to get to work until the night before--it's not worth stressing over.
:yeahthat:
When I'm home, I don't worry about work. I get done with a trip, throw the flight case in the crew room, do my best to get home, and then forget about work for 3-4 days. I don't even check loads to get to work until the night before--it's not worth stressing over.
dasleben
That's just, like, your opinion, man
Best part of the job! My typical duty day at work ends around noon (early show, but you can't beat the release time), and I love that I don't have to think about work until the next morning. I do freelance writing on the side for fun and extra income, and this whole flying thing lets me pursue that unabated. :bandit:
fsiflyer
Well-Known Member
I'm not an airline pilot but I fly for an international corporate flight department. I am the company chief pilot and a captain on the Challenger 300. I work 40 days on and 20 days off. Sometimes I do have to bring a bit of work home but it is very miniscule, such as email, going over difficult flight plans, and scheduling. Most of the time I leave things at the office. Otherwise, when I am home then I am home and my wife most definitely begins to ask me when I have to go on anther trip. When I am on my 40 days rotation I normally fly 3 days or so out of the week and am home the rest of the time. Home for me is Moscow when I am on days on and Los Angeles when I am on days off.
Hope this gives you some insight on different pilot paths out there.
Hope this gives you some insight on different pilot paths out there.
PeanuckleCRJ
Poodle Wrangler
3 year DL 767 FO on reserve.....
I've done a 4 day trip, a 2 day trip, and a day trip this month... so, gone 4 nights total and that will be it for the month, as well. Like staplegun, I get the comment from my wife every once in a while "isn't it time for you to go to work?"
Gone entire months without flying... December I worked a bit more but it was mostly 2 day trips and day trips...
I'm actually a bit bored and "high yellowed" myself to be put toward the top of the fly list. Still no ringy dingy and my last day on call is tomorrow.
I've done a 4 day trip, a 2 day trip, and a day trip this month... so, gone 4 nights total and that will be it for the month, as well. Like staplegun, I get the comment from my wife every once in a while "isn't it time for you to go to work?"
Gone entire months without flying... December I worked a bit more but it was mostly 2 day trips and day trips...
I'm actually a bit bored and "high yellowed" myself to be put toward the top of the fly list. Still no ringy dingy and my last day on call is tomorrow.