As I'm starting my pilot career, I have been looking around to see what types of different aviation jobs are like. I'm wondering are there any jobs that would guarantee weekends off or maybe home every night? What kind of jobs would those be? I realize that in every time you have to put in your time as a pee on but still wonder which jobs have good potential for a weekends off with the family. Any input?
Home every night...
- Thread starter ashinsel
- Start date
Mark815
Well-Known Member
Guarantee? Nothing that I can think of. I don't mean this in any rude or harsh way at all, but if your concerned about family and getting the weekends off and every night at home, this isn't the career for you.
edit: Just wanted to add, if you're looking at companies that get you home at night, places like Cape Air will generally have you back in base at night, so at least you won't be spending day after day in a hotel. Other companies offer schedules like 7\7s where you'll be home for a guaranteed 7 days but your also gone for a guaranteed 7 days. I still can't think of anyone who will have you home on weekend, except maybe a government type flying job? Maybe someone can confirm that.
edit: Just wanted to add, if you're looking at companies that get you home at night, places like Cape Air will generally have you back in base at night, so at least you won't be spending day after day in a hotel. Other companies offer schedules like 7\7s where you'll be home for a guaranteed 7 days but your also gone for a guaranteed 7 days. I still can't think of anyone who will have you home on weekend, except maybe a government type flying job? Maybe someone can confirm that.
CirrusMonkey
No Real Usefulness
Is that La Grande Oregon?
dc3flyer
Well-Known Member
Some corporate jobs (strictly 91) are home most nights and weekends. I talked to a guy the other day that flies for a regional bank. They pretty much fly the same routes every week, three to four days a week. He said last year he spent 12 nights in a hotel. The problem is there are not many of these jobs.
At several freight companies you are home every "night". The night may actually be the day though.
At several freight companies you are home every "night". The night may actually be the day though.
BrewMaster
Well-Known Member
Just starting pilot career + already concerned about having nights and weekends off = bitterness, frustration and regret...
That's fine if you just want to know what direction to go, but you should be spending time researching the FARs at the moment, not researching which pilot jobs will have nights and weekends off. Right now, the industry is in a bit of an upswing, but it really isn't as good as it sounds. Most of the flight schools are warning of a pilot shortage. Garbage. The airlines right now are getting thousands of resumes. All the jobs that are corporate or more geared towards being home every night are even harder to come across.
All I can say is network, network, network. That will be the best way for you to try and find that "perfect" job. If you want to fly, then fly and be willing to be gone for days at a time. Let the rest fall into place. Best of luck.
That's fine if you just want to know what direction to go, but you should be spending time researching the FARs at the moment, not researching which pilot jobs will have nights and weekends off. Right now, the industry is in a bit of an upswing, but it really isn't as good as it sounds. Most of the flight schools are warning of a pilot shortage. Garbage. The airlines right now are getting thousands of resumes. All the jobs that are corporate or more geared towards being home every night are even harder to come across.
All I can say is network, network, network. That will be the best way for you to try and find that "perfect" job. If you want to fly, then fly and be willing to be gone for days at a time. Let the rest fall into place. Best of luck.
Piperflyer
Well-Known Member
My last airline job in Hawaii had me home every night.
My current air ambulance job has me home every night, and at home watching TV while on-call.
I'm sure there are a lot of jobs out there that can have you at home every night
My current air ambulance job has me home every night, and at home watching TV while on-call.
I'm sure there are a lot of jobs out there that can have you at home every night
dasleben
That's just, like, your opinion, man
Cape Air had me home every night. Possibilities do exist, even has a peon (pee on? 
). Unless you plan on flying 402s or short-haul freight the rest of your career (or find one of those princess corporate jobs!), don't expect for it to last forever, though.
). Unless you plan on flying 402s or short-haul freight the rest of your career (or find one of those princess corporate jobs!), don't expect for it to last forever, though.
kiloalpha
Well-Known Member
Yup, I'm home every night (or day) depending how you look at it. Both my freight jobs have been like this, though I'm sure once you start looking at ad hoc, Big Brown, Uncle Fred, Kalitta, Atlas, and other big freight runners, you're probably going to be on the road a bit, but you're WELL compensated for it.
ZapBrannigan
If it ain’t a Boeing, I’m not going. No choice.
When I started my current job 7 years ago it was primarily day trips with most weekends and holidays off. Today i'm on day 2 of a 5 day trip. Times change. Gotta roll with it.
swisspilot
Well-Known Member
My GF flies the mail, she is away 3 days a week (two nights), the rest off and every weekend and holiday off
R
Roger, Roger
Guest
A lot of Alaska jobs have you home every night. In fact I think every operator in JNU would do that, barring of course getting stuck somewhere for wx.
Blackhawk
Well-Known Member
When I flew for a regional I would often bid a reverse schedule (called naps, standups). I would take the last flight out at night, first flight back in the morning, then off all day. I'd get about 4-7 hours sleep in the hotel, but would be home and off all day. Three days on, four days off. It was not bad.
As an instructor if you get to the point where you have a good reputation and are independent you can set your own hours. This does not happen over night.
As an instructor if you get to the point where you have a good reputation and are independent you can set your own hours. This does not happen over night.
FlyingMoose
Well-Known Member
Flight / sim instruction
Crockrocket94
Well-Known Member
I think I fly once or twice a week at my current job.
All depends on the airplane. Im on call alot. ALOT.
All depends on the airplane. Im on call alot. ALOT.
BEEF SUPREME
Well-Known Member
Ameriflight. Its not great but you would be home for some period during each day and likely not working weekends.
