Dropping trips???

jes77jes

Well-Known Member
Howdy,

I'm considering training for the airlines, yet the (1/2 month away
from the family) schedule kind of concerns me. I heard someone
talking about dropping trips if you didn't want to fly as much. Is
this true? Could a pilot drop half of his trips every month if he
didn't care about losing half of his pay, or is that not acceptable, or looked down on?
Thanks for any help,
Jesse
 
This may not be a good career choice for you at all because you're going to spend years being home less than half a month. I don't mean to sound negative, but if you're not able to miss anniversaries, holidays, birthdays, etc, I'd really suggest a 9-5 job.

But I think the term "Airline Pilot" is derived from a little known latin phrase meaning "one who spends more time with captain than spends with wife".

Corporate aviation perhaps?
 
What boss would let his employees only show up when they wants to? Please let me know, I want to sign up!
 
From knowing a few corporate pilots I found that if there are many crews for that one plane you could opt not to fly periodically. That's only periodically...if you keep it up(opting not to fly), how long will they keep you up(on their roster). I wouldn't think the airlines will be half as forgiving.
 
I just got off of a four day trip, arrived last night feeling like a tired, dehydrated zombie.

Today, I'm still physically worn out, useless and still dehydrated.

I have today and tuesday off, but head back to work on wednesday afternoon to do the whole thing all over again.

Kristie and I got to spend yesterday, monday & tuesday evening together and then I'm away for another five days (four day trip plus commute).

If you can't fathom the idea of being away from home before even getting a private pilots license, you're really going to loathe being away as an airline pilot!

The average joe sees three days off and presumes it's like having a three day weekend. But it's not because you've got to squeeze the things that a normal 9-to-5'er does during the week (laundry, paying bills, working on the lawn) into three days.

If I had kids, holey moley, I don't even want to think about what it would be like then!
 
At my company it is in the contract that you can drop trips and not get paid for them. In reality, it never happens.... You have to get crew scheduling to agree and then approval from management...they just never approve them.

I've heard flight attendents at Alaska can drop trips as much as they want, as long as someone is willing to pick them up. I'd like to see a system like that in place a my company. Some guys want to work more and make more and others the opposite.

Don't get into this business unless you are willing to work your butt off...in the beginning, and sometimes your whole career, that's what you're gonna do.

For many of us, we like the flying, and that's what keeps us in it.
 
Dangit Don! You always say it so much better than me, and with less words!
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I've been trying to drop a trip this weekend so that I can go to my brother's wedding. So far no luck.

It normally depends on reserve availability. At our company, they typically look for at least 20 available reserves before they start dropping trips.

Also, we have the option of trading trips with other pilots, but this also has to be approved by Scheduling.

Another option if you like to be home might be to live at your base and bid reserve. Some months you might fly a lot and others not at all.

You could also bid for day trips, in which you fly during the day and return to base at night.

Bidding reserve would have the benefit of probably giving you what you bid for, since most people avoid reserve like Toronto during a SARS outbreak.
 
Simple solution

Marry another future airline pilot, and work together. Just make sure you get to captain first!
 
I didn't know if I was going to be able to make my own wedding until about a month prior!
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Seriously!
 
[ QUOTE ]
Doug- Couldnt you just call in sick?

[/ QUOTE ]

Then put the date that I called in sick as my marriage date on file? suuuure!
smile.gif
 
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