Airline pilot schedule options

flyitup

flyitup

Well-Known Member
Hi all,

I'm currently considering a career change into the world of professional flying and I have a question regarding schedules. Clearly, it makes sense that by it's very nature, this industry requires overnight trips. However, in a major city, like Denver, for example, is it possible for an airline pilot (or otherwise) to bid work that would allow them to be home most nights? I.e., working mostly day trips?

Essentially what it comes down to is the tallest hurdle I have to overcome is the work/family-life balance issue. Being away more nights than I'm home certainly presents a problem given my family situation.

What are your thoughts?

Thanks!

Jim
 
Can you give us a little more information about your current experience level, background, etc.? Chances are that the schedules are not your biggest hurdle.

If you live in base and get senior (takes a lot of time) you may be able to hold day trips. It depends on the company, their mix of trips and your seniority. For a LONG time you'll have to fly trips that have at least one or two overnights.

If you are starting from scratch, you'll likely have to work at a regional for a while. If they have a base in your city, they may have day trips, but you won't ever hold them.

Then you'll be able to move on to a major airline and be junior for a long while. If you can hold the base you live in, life is better than if you commute. Day trips will be far off for you there too.

Long story short, if you want to he home every night, don't become an airline pilot.
 
Thanks for the information. To give you a bit more information, I'm a 31 year old Detective in the Denver area. I got my private pilot's license 10 years ago and haven't flown much since, due to the cost. I enjoy my work a lot, but I LOVE all things aviation. At this point I'm married and have two grown step-kids and a little girl.

Essentially, what it comes down to is I'm trying to decide if I should pursue flying for a living, or just grow in my current career to the point where my disposable income will allow me to fly recreationally. Choices, choices... =)

Jim
 
flyitup said:
Thanks for the information. To give you a bit more information, I'm a 31 year old Detective in the Denver area. I got my private pilot's license 10 years ago and haven't flown much since, due to the cost. I enjoy my work a lot, but I LOVE all things aviation. At this point I'm married and have two grown step-kids and a little girl.

Essentially, what it comes down to is I'm trying to decide if I should pursue flying for a living, or just grow in my current career to the point where my disposable income will allow me to fly recreationally. Choices, choices... =)

Jim
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Fly recreationally unless you really really want to be a pilot, and can stomach being gone for 5 days in a row.

I'm not trying to kill your dream. But you should know what it's all about before investing tons of money and time.

I LOVE my career. I don't want to do anything else. You have to be that passionate to do this job. Otherwise the costs aren't worth it. If you get into this thinking it's glamorous, or whatever, you'll be one of those bitter guys who should quit and save us all some pain. :)
 
This is a tough one. Perhaps a better way to phrase my question is to say, if my number one priority as a professional pilot was having the best schedule (over pay, etc.), is it possible to mostly fly day-trips if you work for an airline in the city you're based in? I'm hoping Denver is a good candidate city for this idea because I know there are several airlines based here.
 
No matter what airline you are with, Denver will almost always be one of the most senior bases. If you said some place like New York City, Washington, D.C, or Philadelphia, you would have a chance. Pretty much any base West of the Mississippi is going to be senior. Most regionals, it will take you a couple of years to hold and most major airlines, it might take you decades! Texas is an exemption to this rule as who wants to live in Texas.
 
flyitup said:
This is a tough one. Perhaps a better way to phrase my question is to say, if my number one priority as a professional pilot was having the best schedule (over pay, etc.), is it possible to mostly fly day-trips if you work for an airline in the city you're based in? I'm hoping Denver is a good candidate city for this idea because I know there are several airlines based here.
Click to expand...

Day trips tend to be senior no matter where you are. Unfortunately the idea of holding a schedule that had you home every night isn't a new one and lots of pilots want the same thing so you'll have to bide your time on reserve then flying the multi-day trips for a while. Depending in the company you can bid reserve and take your chances but you're tethered to your phone and have to be ready to leave most ricky tick sometimes.

It can be done but you have to "pay your dues" first. If you won't be happy unless you fly, and (big, BIG "and" there) you have the support of your family then go for it. Just keep doing your research so you know what you're getting yourself and (also a big, BIG "and" there) your family into first.

As others have said, Denver, and most any west coast base will tend to be on the senior side.


@flyinggreasemnky, awesome avatar!
 
Thanks guys, and yes, I live in Denver. So if wanting to have the most nights at home is my priority, and airlines require years of seniority for this, are corporate or other gigs a better option? Paying your dues is a prerequisite in every industry, and I understand and accept that. For cops, it's working nights for several years. That. Sucks. Always chasing that elusive work/life balance! =)
 
flyitup said:
So if wanting to have the most nights at home is my priority, and airlines require years of seniority for this, are corporate or other gigs a better option?
Click to expand...

In most cases day trips go super senior (and as was said, Denver is a senior base for everybody who has a base there). So, IF you got hired at an airline and IF it had a Denver base and IF there were some day trips out of that base you probably wouldn't be able to hold them for a while due to seniority. Also, just because there are day trips one month doesn't mean they won't turn in to multi day trips the next month.

Corporate and charter work can be hit or miss as far as day trips go. There are some that only do day trips but that is always subject to change. @ZapBrannigan can talk about how a major corporate flight department shifted from short day trips to multiple days on the road over a few years. The place you will find consistent day (or night) trips is with freight companies. Places that have a FedEx or UPS contract or something similar will be doing the same kind of run every day. I don't know what options there are in Denver for that but I'm sure somebody on this site knows.
 
No ones mentioned it yet. But if you are a cop already, you could probably easily get a flying job for the police department. This kind of job would probably have you home every night and you would get to fly. I have heard the pay is pretty good too.

You probably wont get to fly any heavy jets but if you dont care what you fly. I would look into it.
 
flyitup said:
Thanks guys, and yes, I live in Denver. So if wanting to have the most nights at home is my priority, and airlines require years of seniority for this, are corporate or other gigs a better option? Paying your dues is a prerequisite in every industry, and I understand and accept that. For cops, it's working nights for several years. That. Sucks. Always chasing that elusive work/life balance! =)
Click to expand...
You might want to look into charter and medevac in your area. The only one I know of in Denver is Mayo. With medevac, you're home every night... and day with the exception of the 4-5 hour out and back you get every now and then.

BobDDuck said:
The place you will find consistent day (or night) trips is with freight companies. Places that have a FedEx or UPS contract or something similar will be doing the same kind of run every day. I don't know what options there are in Denver for that but I'm sure somebody on this site knows.
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Key Lime is the Denver UPS contractor. I'm not sure who does fedex.... maybe Corporate air?
 
Like @BobDDuck said, just because there's day trips one month doesn't mean there will be the next. Example we just had all of our trips <4 days significantly reduced next month to get a butt load of 5 day trips now. Still day trips left but they we down, along with 2,3, and 4 day trips. Also like people have mentioned Denver is senior and it will take a long time to hold day trips, years. THEN since this would be at a regional most likely you have to do it all over again when you move on to a major because well, lets be honest, the regionals won't be around too much longer. If say that major is United you would have to commute for a few years probably before you could hold Denver then day trips would take a good 5-10 years to hold after that point. Unfortunately when it comes to schedules, We fly airplanes long distances, there's overnights AND bases/ flying changes there really is no way to plan on being home a significant part of the month. Even when senior it can be taken away overnight and you could end up commuting to EWR.
 
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