...But I won\'t say \"ya\'ll\" and WILL NOT eat grits.
Well, I'm giving up commuting to DFW to commute to "Unibase Alpha" (ATL).
Oh no, I'm not leaving PHX, just changing my pilot base.
It wasn't really that easy of a decision because some of the coolest guys in the world are based in DFW and I'm able to fly the MD-90 and the MD-88 and only have a 2 hour flight to work.
A 3 1/2 flight to "Unibase Alpha" isn't going to be fun, but since the Transportation Security Administration killed the offline jumpseat (me, as a Delta pilot, having the ability to physically occupy another airlines jumpseat to get to work), commuting has been tremendously difficult.
We had mainline Delta service between DFW and PHX which enabled me to reliably check flight loads and book the cockpit jumpseat up to three days in advance if the flight was full. The braintrust decided this March that a 100% full MD-88 wasn't as financially attractive than an horrendously oversold RJ, things get tricky. Plus, I can't pre-reserve a Skywest jumpseat.
After the shift, I usually rode America West or American to work, but I've spent more time sitting nervously in the gate area hoping that there is an open seat in the back of the jet because I can no longer ride the jumpseat on a different airline. Usually, it works without a problem, but I've spent more time on running from the DFW B-Terminal to the DFW C/A-Terminal, connecting in TUS or LAS (SAN once or twice) in order to get home than I care to realize.
Plus, we moved the DFW 737-300's to Salt Lake City and I'm projected to move backwards another 13 numbers in the MD-88 category which is going to affect my seniority when it comes to bidding schedules and trying to get certain days off and keep the wife happy. Because you'll learn quickly, as an airline pilot, that if your wife isn't happy, you're not going to be happy! You might be flying a cool 737-800 with six-LCD EFIS, Heads-Up-Displays like a fighter jet and cruising around at .84, but if your schedule sucks for too long, none of that matters. Not that we've had any problems with it, just that I've seen other guys get into trouble when in a similar situation. Kristie's the best wife an airline pilot can ask for!
So I'm considering the base change more of a 'bunt'.
The positives:
a. Staying on the MD-88 means that I don't have to spend six weeks on "Virginia Avenue" and have the ability to "steal home" and get back to DFW if ATL doesn't work out. Plus, I'm not "seat locked" for 12 months for bidding a new aircraft.
b. I have the ability to once again, book a jumpseat if the flight is full and still have the good guys at America West as a backup plan for getting home or to work.
c. My seniority goes from about 124 out of 182 (68%) in DFW to 170 out of 375 (45%) in ATL.
d. Better seniority and more lines of time means I have a way better shot at getting the trips I want.
The negatives:
a. Going from a 2 hour commute to work to a 3 1/2 hour flight isn't fun.
b. All my pals are based in DFW, well, most of them commute to ATL or CVG after the DFW cutbacks so I guess that's a moot point.
c. The ATL MD-88 category doesn't fly the MD-90 which means my cooshy west coast layovers and visits to Squatters in downtown SLC are gone, baby, gone.
d. The ATL MD-88 category is rough. I'm going from flying days like LAS-DFW-SEA to flying ATL-PHL-ATL-TPA-ATL-SDF... Ouch. When am I ever going to finish the USA Today or put in my Jepp revisions?
e. I've spent so much time talking smack about ATL pilots over the past three years, that I'm sure I'll bump into one of those Peachtree City-types that didn't take a liking to some of my rants on the Delta ALPA forums!
Long term, I'd like to bid LAX 767. A 53 round trips per day between PHX and the LA Basin, a 54-minute block time, et cetera, but that involves six weeks of training and my current seniority means that I'll be on reserve. That means I gotta find my cell phone and keep it charged up.
But in the meantime, "easier" commute, better schedule and no training event. Sounds like a win so far and if it doesn't work out, well, I'll formulate a plan-B!
Well, I'm giving up commuting to DFW to commute to "Unibase Alpha" (ATL).
Oh no, I'm not leaving PHX, just changing my pilot base.
It wasn't really that easy of a decision because some of the coolest guys in the world are based in DFW and I'm able to fly the MD-90 and the MD-88 and only have a 2 hour flight to work.
A 3 1/2 flight to "Unibase Alpha" isn't going to be fun, but since the Transportation Security Administration killed the offline jumpseat (me, as a Delta pilot, having the ability to physically occupy another airlines jumpseat to get to work), commuting has been tremendously difficult.
We had mainline Delta service between DFW and PHX which enabled me to reliably check flight loads and book the cockpit jumpseat up to three days in advance if the flight was full. The braintrust decided this March that a 100% full MD-88 wasn't as financially attractive than an horrendously oversold RJ, things get tricky. Plus, I can't pre-reserve a Skywest jumpseat.
After the shift, I usually rode America West or American to work, but I've spent more time sitting nervously in the gate area hoping that there is an open seat in the back of the jet because I can no longer ride the jumpseat on a different airline. Usually, it works without a problem, but I've spent more time on running from the DFW B-Terminal to the DFW C/A-Terminal, connecting in TUS or LAS (SAN once or twice) in order to get home than I care to realize.
Plus, we moved the DFW 737-300's to Salt Lake City and I'm projected to move backwards another 13 numbers in the MD-88 category which is going to affect my seniority when it comes to bidding schedules and trying to get certain days off and keep the wife happy. Because you'll learn quickly, as an airline pilot, that if your wife isn't happy, you're not going to be happy! You might be flying a cool 737-800 with six-LCD EFIS, Heads-Up-Displays like a fighter jet and cruising around at .84, but if your schedule sucks for too long, none of that matters. Not that we've had any problems with it, just that I've seen other guys get into trouble when in a similar situation. Kristie's the best wife an airline pilot can ask for!
So I'm considering the base change more of a 'bunt'.
The positives:
a. Staying on the MD-88 means that I don't have to spend six weeks on "Virginia Avenue" and have the ability to "steal home" and get back to DFW if ATL doesn't work out. Plus, I'm not "seat locked" for 12 months for bidding a new aircraft.
b. I have the ability to once again, book a jumpseat if the flight is full and still have the good guys at America West as a backup plan for getting home or to work.
c. My seniority goes from about 124 out of 182 (68%) in DFW to 170 out of 375 (45%) in ATL.
d. Better seniority and more lines of time means I have a way better shot at getting the trips I want.
The negatives:
a. Going from a 2 hour commute to work to a 3 1/2 hour flight isn't fun.
b. All my pals are based in DFW, well, most of them commute to ATL or CVG after the DFW cutbacks so I guess that's a moot point.
c. The ATL MD-88 category doesn't fly the MD-90 which means my cooshy west coast layovers and visits to Squatters in downtown SLC are gone, baby, gone.
d. The ATL MD-88 category is rough. I'm going from flying days like LAS-DFW-SEA to flying ATL-PHL-ATL-TPA-ATL-SDF... Ouch. When am I ever going to finish the USA Today or put in my Jepp revisions?
e. I've spent so much time talking smack about ATL pilots over the past three years, that I'm sure I'll bump into one of those Peachtree City-types that didn't take a liking to some of my rants on the Delta ALPA forums!
Long term, I'd like to bid LAX 767. A 53 round trips per day between PHX and the LA Basin, a 54-minute block time, et cetera, but that involves six weeks of training and my current seniority means that I'll be on reserve. That means I gotta find my cell phone and keep it charged up.
But in the meantime, "easier" commute, better schedule and no training event. Sounds like a win so far and if it doesn't work out, well, I'll formulate a plan-B!
