...But I won't say "ya'll" and WILL NOT eat grits.

derg

Apparently a "terse" writer
Staff member
...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!
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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.
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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?
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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!
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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!
 
Re: ...But I won\'t say \"ya\'ll\" and WILL NOT eat grits.

we're not leaving phx???????

PHEW!!! I feel better now! I don't have to pack nutin'
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[ QUOTE ]
Kristie's the best wife an airline pilot can ask for!


[/ QUOTE ]

Hey - thanks! wow, I didn't expect to see that!!
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Re: ...But I won\'t say \"ya\'ll\" and WILL NOT eat grits.

[ QUOTE ]
we're not leaving phx???????


[/ QUOTE ]

HEEEEEEEEEEEEEELL no!

I'd sooner pull out my toenails with needle-nose pliers than move to ATL!
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Re: ...But I won\'t say \"ya\'ll\" and WILL NOT eat grits.

[ QUOTE ]
Tell Perry I said HOWDY!!
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[/ QUOTE ]

I haven't seen "Scrappy" for a little while. But I will!
 
Re: ...But I won\'t say \"ya\'ll\" and WILL NOT eat grits.

Aww come on how can you not want to move to 'Lanta!?
 
Re: ...But I won\'t say \"ya\'ll\" and WILL NOT eat grits.

[ QUOTE ]
Aww come on how can you not want to move to 'Lanta!?

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't know what anyone's saying there!

"Hey Pawl"

"Whuhhh.."

"JEET?"

"Naw... Y'unk to?"

"A'ight"

I'm a Southwestern US/West Coast guy through and through.
 
Re: ...But I won\'t say \"ya\'ll\" and WILL NOT eat grits.

I was in 'Lanata for a College Media Advisors / Student Press Law Center Conferece a few years back and we stayed in the Peachtree" (The big, tall round Hotel - tallest hotel in North America too, btw) and having lived in N.C. for a few years I was able to decipher about 40% of what was said to me.

The key to survival is smiling, nodding and a combination of pointing and grunting at items you wish to purchase, aquire, consume or dispose of.
grin.gif
 
Re: ...But I won\'t say \"ya\'ll\" and WILL NOT eat grits.

[ QUOTE ]
The key to survival is smiling, nodding and a combination of pointing and grunting at items you wish to purchase, aquire, consume or dispose of.
grin.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

Reminds me of my first day in Paris a few weeks back!
smile.gif
 
Re: ...But I won\'t say \"ya\'ll\" and WILL NOT eat grits.

[ QUOTE ]
...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.


[/ QUOTE ]

Come on now, reserve isn't too bad! I've worked 2 days in the past 12. The 2 day trip I did involved a 3-leg day, and a 4-leg day with a DH back to Chicago. No complaints.
grin.gif
I say go to LAX!!
 
Re: ...But I won\'t say \"ya\'ll\" and WILL NOT eat grits.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Aww come on how can you not want to move to 'Lanta!?

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't know what anyone's saying there!

"Hey Pawl"

"Whuhhh.."

"JEET?"

"Naw... Y'unk to?"

"A'ight"

I'm a Southwestern US/West Coast guy through and through.

[/ QUOTE ]

If yer skeared, just say yer skeared...
shocked.gif
 
Re: ...But I won\'t say \"ya\'ll\" and WILL NOT eat grits.

Perhaps I'll get one of those "Pissing Calvins" on my flight kit of honor of being based in Georgia!
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calvin.gif


That's really my only discernable memory of living in the southeast was the wide variety of "pissing calvins" on the backs of cars everywhere. NASCAR numbers, fords, 'chebbies', etc. I always wanted a "pissing calvin" that was "pissing" on a "pissing calvin" in order to express my disgust.
 
Re: ...But I won\'t say \"ya\'ll\" and WILL NOT eat grits.

Hey living in ATL not so bad. If you dont mind traffic. Remember that check comes from Virginia Ave. Though its not much. Maybe I will finally get to see you around ATL.
 
Re: ...But I won\'t say \"ya\'ll\" and WILL NOT eat grits.

[ QUOTE ]
Hey living in ATL not so bad. If you dont mind traffic. Remember that check comes from Virginia Ave. Though its not much. Maybe I will finally get to see you around ATL.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not that it's a bad town, it's just that I had my little cave carved out in DFW and knew 90% of the guys I flew with because it was a small base.

I gave the southeast a shot for a few years, but I'm tenfold more happy on the west coast than I was in the southeast.
 
Re: ...But I won\'t say \"ya\'ll\" and WILL NOT eat grits.

[ QUOTE ]
Perhaps I'll get one of those "Pissing Calvins" on my flight kit of honor of being based in Georgia!

[/ QUOTE ]

Heheh .. who can name the reference?

calvin.sized.jpg
 
Re: ...But I won\'t say \"ya\'ll\" and WILL NOT eat grits.

Ooh!

Ooh!

I know!
 
Re: ...But I won\'t say \"ya\'ll\" and WILL NOT eat grits.

Heh .. if you say "Pride and Prejudice" I'll be disappointed!
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Re: ...But I won\'t say \"ya\'ll\" and WILL NOT eat grits.

Ghostbusters, G!
 
Re: ...But I won\'t say \"ya\'ll\" and WILL NOT eat grits.

Why not cross thhe streams???

It would be bad...
 
Re: ...But I won\'t say \"ya\'ll\" and WILL NOT eat grits.

Who ya gunna call?
 
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