1st world problem??

[Crockrocket94]

I drive 108 miles each way to work. Usually once a week. Sometimes twice a week for the right money. It can be 1.5 hours with no traffic or 3 hours with bad traffic. I leave 3 hours early during normal hours and usually arrive with an hour or so to spare.

Its hard to go back to commuting by air. Occasionally Ill get the dumb idea to pick up a trip out of base, do the commute, and then get delayed or whatever and say, that's it, no more commuting by air. Usually happens about every 6-8 months.
That being said, Its not the going to work that I dread when I commute but the trying to get home. Usually the times require a 1-3 hour sit before I can go grab a boarding pass, and then the 1-3 hour flight back... if it all runs on time.

yeah. drive. even 3 hours is manageable if its only once a week.

 

[JordanD]

Valid point, I still don’t feel like I’m qualified for Delta though. Heck, I don’t even know if I’ll get on anywhere, but I’ll kick myself in a few years when the music stops and these mins get raised again and I didn’t at least have my name in the hat while the getting was good.

If you check all the required boxes in order to submit the app, let them be the ones to tell you you’re not qualified. I’ve been very pleasantly surprised before thinking I had no chance.

 

[derg]

If you check all the required boxes in order to submit the app, let them be the ones to tell you you’re not qualified. I’ve been very pleasantly surprised before thinking I had no chance.

Truth. Like when someone suggested I apply for SouthernJets, my literal voice-inside-my-head said "Why? They're never going to hire me, that's a waste of time".

 

[Pilot Fighter]

If you check all the required boxes in order to submit the app, let them be the ones to tell you you’re not qualified. I’ve been very pleasantly surprised before thinking I had no chance.

I have never met the minimum hiring requirements for any job I’ve ever had. As a contractor, I have rarely met the minimum requirements in contracts I’ve been awarded.

Years ago, as a low time (<300 hrs) KA pilot I applied to be a ground school instructor for a Middle Eastern military contractor. The same contractor was also recruiting instructor pilots with prior military IP experience. They wanted fighter types that were Topgun or AFTPS grads. To make a long story short, I got a quick checkout in a PC-9 and was offered a job. Regretfully, I didn’t take the job. Instead, I took a job teaching marine navigation for the same contractor. Once again, wasn’t especially qualified for the job but had experience with LORAN and early GPS systems.

Apply with confidence, don’t be apologetic about your qualifications, see what happens.

 

[CFI A&P]

Valid point, I still don’t feel like I’m qualified for Delta though. Heck, I don’t even know if I’ll get on anywhere, but I’ll kick myself in a few years when the music stops and these mins get raised again and I didn’t at least have my name in the hat while the getting was good.

Swing for the fences. Not making a dig at any particular employer, but there has been a lot of change lately and almost every week I find myself in a conversation with a friend/ colleague saying "Wait a second, they, THEY were hired at _____?" There is unprecedented hiring all across aviation lately, so you never know until you try. Lately I've heard of all sorts of hiring happening to people that would have been otherwise unqualified just 5-10 years ago. "Don't they have only 2,000TT and no TPIC, but they're at (insert Fortune 500 or legacy)?"

I remember your posts a couple years ago about the family situation and needing to stay near SAN. Glad to hear you've made it work and looking at the next step. Being LAX based seems like it will work out for you, and good luck. [Insert J-Law good luck and godspeed meme or gif].

 

[JordanD]

Not to thread jack but it's kind of on topic. Anyone here done or know somebody that's done the SAN-LAX drive for work? I hear stories about about how many guys who live in SAN who choose to commute to SLC/LAS/PHX, etc rather than drive to their airline's LAX base because the drive is so bad. I do it fairly regularly not for work, but I'm wondering if it really sucks that bad that commuting by air is better.

 

[DE727UPS]

I winter half way between SAN and LAX. I don't think it's too bad if you pick your times. Between 9 to 10am and 2 to 3pm, it's not really that bad. Or way early or way late. If you can pick a show time like 1 or 2pm, maybe not bad. 8am show is gonna suck.

 

[JDean3204]

Not to thread jack but it's kind of on topic. Anyone here done or know somebody that's done the SAN-LAX drive for work? I hear stories about about how many guys who live in SAN who choose to commute to SLC/LAS/PHX, etc rather than drive to their airline's LAX base because the drive is so bad. I do it fairly regularly not for work, but I'm wondering if it really sucks that bad that commuting by air is better.

Oh I’m very interested in this myself! You know that already

 

[JDean3204]

I winter half way between SAN and LAX. I don't think it's too bad if you pick your times. Between 9 to 10am and 2 to 3pm, it's not really that bad. Or way early or way late. If you can pick a show time like 1 or 2pm, maybe not bad. 8am show is gonna suck.

That’s what I’m thinking. Probably a lot of 2:30-3:00 out the door mornings to ensure I’m not late.

 

[JDean3204]

Swing for the fences. Not making a dig at any particular employer, but there has been a lot of change lately and almost every week I find myself in a conversation with a friend/ colleague saying "Wait a second, they, THEY were hired at _____?" There is unprecedented hiring all across aviation lately, so you never know until you try. Lately I've heard of all sorts of hiring happening to people that would have been otherwise unqualified just 5-10 years ago. "Don't they have only 2,000TT and no TPIC, but they're at (insert Fortune 500 or legacy)?"

I remember your posts a couple years ago about the family situation and needing to stay near SAN. Glad to hear you've made it work and looking at the next step. Being LAX based seems like it will work out for you, and good luck. [Insert J-Law good luck and godspeed meme or gif].

Thank you, yes I’m very grateful and glad all has worked out. Aside from the insane CoL down here it has been a pretty easy change. I don’t mind living in a broom closet for double my parents home mortgage haha

It’s a weird mentality really. I know I’m a safe, competent and trainable pilot but I still think swinging clean up in AAA farm league is what’s on the table for me. But I’ll never know until I try and apply. Either way, I got my lungs and limbs so life is good.

 

[etflies]

Been a hot minute since I’ve posted here, but hopefully it will help. Late last summer/early fall I gave up the left seat of a ULCC for my dream shot with the legacy I grew up wanting to fly for. We moved back to the area where I grew up in north county SAN and I now drive to LAX (sometimes SNA but usually LAX) and it’s usually a little shy of 2hrs to cover the 118 miles from our driveway to the LAX parking garage. SNA has consistently clocked in between 1:15-1:30. Factor in getting from the garage to the gate and on an “typical” day I can sit short call at home as long as I’m packed and ready to get the monkey suit on and hit the road asap. Once or twice in rush hour traffic, LAX has been 2.5 hours if not a little longer with the worst being 3.5hrs on the day before thanksgiving. I knew it would be bad so I budgeted plenty of time and made it with room to spare. BUT, it beats hoping I get a seat, and hoping nothing happens to make a commute run late. As long as I plan ahead and find a good podcast or two, it’s a perfectly pleasant drive.

For those interested, when I left my ULCC I was 45% company wide closing in on 7yrs of longevity with a 20-30min drive to work. We were living in a city my wife and I had little to no connection with and where we had zero family. I left the company for several reasons, but mostly the money wasn’t enough to put up with being perpetually treated like the bottom feeding regional with whom I started my 121 career. In addition to several concerns regarding systemic operational issues and a rapid erosion of our QoL due to significant changes in pairing construction and the ability to drop/swap trips, I had genuine concerns over the company’s ability to recruit/retain pilots to fuel an ambitious growth plan. Perhaps most importantly, I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life wondering “what if”/not having really gone after the dream job. I have always wanted to fly really big airplanes to destinations really far away, and right now the industry is in as good a position as I’ve seen in my 15+ years of professional flying to facilitate a move like this. After much consternation, my wife finally had enough and told me to come talk to her “if/when you get the job offer.”

So far, I am glad I made the move. My regrets are not having continued to try to get here after we signed new contract at said ULCC a few years ago, and having to sell a very nice house where we lived, in which we had a killer backyard. But if those are my biggest regrets, I’ll consider it a good move. Hopefully, whenever I set the parking brake for the last time I can say it was the right move.

 

[JDean3204]

Been a hot minute since I’ve posted here, but hopefully it will help. Late last summer/early fall I gave up the left seat of a ULCC for my dream shot with the legacy I grew up wanting to fly for. We moved back to the area where I grew up in north county SAN and I now drive to LAX (sometimes SNA but usually LAX) and it’s usually a little shy of 2hrs to cover the 118 miles from our driveway to the LAX parking garage. SNA has consistently clocked in between 1:15-1:30. Factor in getting from the garage to the gate and on an “typical” day I can sit short call at home as long as I’m packed and ready to get the monkey suit on and hit the road asap. Once or twice in rush hour traffic, LAX has been 2.5 hours if not a little longer with the worst being 3.5hrs on the day before thanksgiving. I knew it would be bad so I budgeted plenty of time and made it with room to spare. BUT, it beats hoping I get a seat, and hoping nothing happens to make a commute run late. As long as I plan ahead and find a good podcast or two, it’s a perfectly pleasant drive.

For those interested, when I left my ULCC I was 45% company wide closing in on 7yrs of longevity with a 20-30min drive to work. We were living in a city my wife and I had little to no connection with and where we had zero family. I left the company for several reasons, but mostly the money wasn’t enough to put up with being perpetually treated like the bottom feeding regional with whom I started my 121 career. In addition to several concerns regarding systemic operational issues and a rapid erosion of our QoL due to significant changes in pairing construction and the ability to drop/swap trips, I had genuine concerns over the company’s ability to recruit/retain pilots to fuel an ambitious growth plan. Perhaps most importantly, I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life wondering “what if”/not having really gone after the dream job. I have always wanted to fly really big airplanes to destinations really far away, and right now the industry is in as good a position as I’ve seen in my 15+ years of professional flying to facilitate a move like this. After much consternation, my wife finally had enough and told me to come talk to her “if/when you get the job offer.”

So far, I am glad I made the move. My regrets are not having continued to try to get here after we signed new contract at said ULCC a few years ago, and having to sell a very nice house where we lived, in which we had a killer backyard. But if those are my biggest regrets, I’ll consider it a good move. Hopefully, whenever I set the parking brake for the last time I can say it was the right move.

Thank you so much for that awesome reply. I’m sure many will read your reply and have some questions answered!

 

[knot4u]

All I'll say about this is avoid the 405 as if your life is in danger. Sitting in traffic looking at all of the other commuters having their life being sucked out of them as you are suffering the same fate for hours on end is demoralizing and will make you wonder about the choices in life that led you to that point. I'll take surface streets rather than spend anymore time on that god forsaken stretch of a parking lot that's supposed to be a highway but just ends up being a very slow moving social experiment. Did I mention I hate the 405?

 

[Maximilian_Jenius]

The 405 back in 1992, headed for Six Flags from Gardena, was the first time I ever saw real road rage in my life from my mother no less. It was also the first time I'd ever heard my saintly mother, use a string of expletives. The 405 will do that to you.

 

[knot4u]

The 405 back in 1992, headed for Six Flags from Gardena, was the first time I ever saw real road rage in my life from my mother no less. It was also the first time I'd ever heard my saintly mother, use a string of expletives. The 405 will do that to you.

I'll also say the majority of the time I spent on the 405 was on the clock and I was being paid, but I still hated it. How's that desk you share with the other lead techs treating you? Your office is only your office when you're on the clock. I could be wrong but I doubt it. When you're not there someone else sits in your chair and surfs the internet to try and mitigate the boredom just like you do. Do you have any personal items in that desk or that office?

 

[Maximilian_Jenius]

I'll also say the majority of the time I spent on the 405 was on the clock and I was being paid, but I still hated it. How's that desk you share with the other lead techs treating you? Your office is only your office when you're on the clock. I could be wrong but I doubt it. When you're not there someone else sits in your chair and surfs the internet to try and mitigate the boredom just like you do. Do you have any personal items in that desk or that office?

I'm the Senior Lead tech. I do share the office with my three other lead techs, when they're on duty and I'm not. But the name of the office is Senior Lead Tech office. There's only one senior lead. But that's not important right now.

 

[knot4u]

I'm the Senior Lead tech. I do share the office with my three other lead techs, when they're on duty and I'm not. But the name of the office is Senior Lead Tech office. There's only one senior lead. But that's not important right now.

Thanks for confirming my suspicion. I lock my toolboxes when I leave for the day.

 

[etflies]

Thank you so much for that awesome reply. I’m sure many will read your reply and have some questions answered!

This goes for you, as well as anyone in a similar boat. Please feel free to ask any questions you have here, if you aren’t comfortable with that then PM me. I’m happy to offer whatever insight I can.

 

[///AMG]

This goes for you, as well as anyone in a similar boat. Please feel free to ask any questions you have here, if you aren’t comfortable with that then PM me. I’m happy to offer whatever insight I can.

Yes, this was a great post, I'd say as well.

 

[///AMG]

I drive 108 miles each way to work. Usually once a week. Sometimes twice a week for the right money. It can be 1.5 hours with no traffic or 3 hours with bad traffic. I leave 3 hours early during normal hours and usually arrive with an hour or so to spare.

I'm at about 90, with roughly the same travel time. I'm a little more conservative because I refuse to drive/arrive at airport in my pilot clothes (unless absolutely required), and in addition to changing in the pilot lounge, I also like to grab some of my fave airport food and eat it before I don said clothes. So I will leave 4-5 hrs ahead of time. This also takes into account the time to take the employee lot shuttle and get through security if I get a random. Would so much rather do this than commute. I've done it three times in a week, and even that wasn't horrible.