EMS Pilot Family Life Questions

[NickH]

"But, but, ....
I flew 747s for Delta, and B-52s in the USAF, retired as an O-6. I've probably forgotten more about aviation than you know"

"So what you're telling me is that you've never flown a prop airplane in your life, and you haven't flown solo in over 30 years."

Almost an exact quote from a conversation I had with a "high time airline pilot".

It's exactly this. It's not just the never flying props or the lack of solo time, as any wet commercial lacks experience, but combine the Macho attitude and that's what makes them so dangerous. I used to think the hazardous attitude examples that crop up in training programs were caricatures. Not any more.

 

[z987k]

Biggest problem for old guys is that flying single pilot there’s not another guy next to them to wake them up at top of descent.

Or to tell them they just flew through the localizer.

 

[Roger Roger]

To bring this back to the topic at hand...


1) If you don't mind putting this info out there, what is your family situation as far as married, kids, does your spouse work?
Married, 2 kids (age 3 and 1), wife stays home with the munchkins.

2) What is your schedule, ie. 7 on/7 off, 12 hours, rotating night/days?
10 days, 10 off, 10 nights, 10 off. 12 hour shifts 1000-2200.

3) If your spouse works, is it full time? How do you guys work out taking kids to school and what not with your 12 hour (or other type) shifts?
Mrs. Stays home with the kids.

4) Do you think EMS can be compatible with younger kids or newborns if your spouse also works?
Maybe, just depends on what childcare availability and costs are in your area.

5) How long does it take to get an EMS job somewhere that you'd actually want to live?
Depends where you want to live. For me it took about 7 years, but that was via a tortuous path involving 3 years as DoM At a 135. In today’s hiring environment much quicker.

6) Did any of you have kids while you were building experience for EMS? How difficult was that and would you say it's something you just figured out or advise against?
Both our kids were born while I was working 135 air taxi. Other than expensive crappy insurance it was fine.

 

[Rudabega]

1) If you don't mind putting this info out there, what is your family situation as far as married, kids, does your spouse work?​

Married, 2 kids (age 3 and 1), wife stays home with the little ones.​

​

2) What is your schedule, ie. 7 on/7 off, 12 hours, rotating night/days?​

4 on, 4 off, 12 hour shifts 0000-1200.​

​

3) If your spouse works, is it full time? How do you guys work out taking kids to school and what not with your 12 hour (or other type) shifts?​

Stays home with the kids. ​

​

4) Do you think EMS can be compatible with younger kids or newborns if your spouse also works?​

Yes but you have to be inflexible with your schedule.​

​

5) How long does it take to get an EMS job somewhere that you'd actually want to live?​

Do you like rural? Very easy. Urban is harder but doable, it's easy now but how long that lasts is the question.​

​

6) Did any of you have kids while you were building experience for EMS? How difficult was that and would you say it's something you just figured out or advise against?​

My kid was born while I was on an EMS shift, I just called a co worker in and left.

 

[Roger Roger]

1) If you don't mind putting this info out there, what is your family situation as far as married, kids, does your spouse work?

Married, 2 kids (age 3 and 1), wife stays home with the little ones.



2) What is your schedule, ie. 7 on/7 off, 12 hours, rotating night/days?

4 on, 4 off, 12 hour shifts 0000-1200.



3) If your spouse works, is it full time? How do you guys work out taking kids to school and what not with your 12 hour (or other type) shifts?

Stays home with the kids.



4) Do you think EMS can be compatible with younger kids or newborns if your spouse also works?

Yes but you have to be inflexible with your schedule.



5) How long does it take to get an EMS job somewhere that you'd actually want to live?

Do you like rural? Very easy. Urban is harder but doable, it's easy now but how long that lasts is the question.



6) Did any of you have kids while you were building experience for EMS? How difficult was that and would you say it's something you just figured out or advise against?
My kid was born while I was on an EMS shift, I just called a co worker in and left.

Dude....copycat.

 

[Rudabega]

Dude....copycat.

I changed a few things. But yea...

 

[ASpilot2be]

1) If you don't mind putting this info out there, what is your family situation as far as married, kids, does your spouse work?

Married, 2 kids (age 3 and 1), wife stays home with the little ones.



2) What is your schedule, ie. 7 on/7 off, 12 hours, rotating night/days?

4 on, 4 off, 12 hour shifts 0000-1200.



3) If your spouse works, is it full time? How do you guys work out taking kids to school and what not with your 12 hour (or other type) shifts?

Stays home with the kids.



4) Do you think EMS can be compatible with younger kids or newborns if your spouse also works?

Yes but you have to be inflexible with your schedule.



5) How long does it take to get an EMS job somewhere that you'd actually want to live?

Do you like rural? Very easy. Urban is harder but doable, it's easy now but how long that lasts is the question.



6) Did any of you have kids while you were building experience for EMS? How difficult was that and would you say it's something you just figured out or advise against?
My kid was born while I was on an EMS shift, I just called a co worker in and left.

Sounds a lot better than flying loads of triple mailers out of Bethel. Glad you found a good gig!

 

[SpiraMirabilis]

The worst pilot we've ever had here (in my opinion) wasn't an airline guy, but a former USAF B-52 pilot. However, to say he isn't exactly representative of the USAF is an understatement. This is all you need to know about him:

1. Seperated after 18 years as an Officer and a Gentleman (i.e. not a NCO that got comissioned halfway through his career)
2. Rank on seperation: O-3 Captain (Majors board must be a bitch, huh?)
3. Flew B-52s but never commanded one

He once killed (okay, injured) a USAF F-16 by taxiing into it somewhat in our Pilatus. Snipped both part of the F-16's wing off and the Pilatus' winglet and radome. I have a picture of one of our crew members who made a shrine to the broken off winglet/radome along with a picture of the Pilatus. NEVER FORGET. RIP WINGLET.

 

[JMK]

Lots of good info in here, thanks everyone.

 

[jynxyjoe]

Pro tip: if you have a teething baby at home bid night shifts and get sleep at the hangar.

Stack aceminaphen and ibprofen on a 24 hour timeline. Start ibprofen, give it 3 hour and hit aceminaphen. Once every 6 hr for ibprofen, 4 hr for other only 5 in 24 hour.

Also, infant meds are same strength as child strength, just different droppers. So use the big bottle and throw away cup, use syringe from infant bottle forever. Save some money.

 

[Roger Roger]

Stack aceminaphen and ibprofen on a 24 hour timeline. Start ibprofen, give it 3 hour and hit aceminaphen. Once every 6 hr for ibprofen, 4 hr for other only 5 in 24 hour.

Also, infant meds are same strength as child strength, just different droppers. So use the big bottle and throw away cup, use syringe from infant bottle forever. Save some money.

I can’t quit you.

 

[jynxyjoe]

I can’t quit you.

Wish i could send you my space age rocker but I gave it to a family with an infant already.

 

[I_Money]

Stack aceminaphen and ibprofen on a 24 hour timeline. Start ibprofen, give it 3 hour and hit aceminaphen. Once every 6 hr for ibprofen, 4 hr for other only 5 in 24 hour.

Also, infant meds are same strength as child strength, just different droppers. So use the big bottle and throw away cup, use syringe from infant bottle forever. Save some money.

Please be very careful with all of this advice:

1. RTC use of Ibuprofen can lead to stomach ulcers and a GI bleed.
2. RTC use of acetaminophen can lead to elevated LFTs
3. RTC alternating use of these medications is no longer recommended
4. Please be careful with dosing your child with different concentrations.
5. I prefer the advice is bidding nights and sleeping at the base
6. Maybe put a wet wash cloth in the freezer and let them chew on it.

 

[jynxyjoe]

Please be very careful with all of this advice:

1. RTC use of Ibuprofen can lead to stomach ulcers and a GI bleed.
2. RTC use of acetaminophen can lead to elevated LFTs
3. RTC alternating use of these medications is no longer recommended
4. Please be careful with dosing your child with different concentrations.
5. I prefer the advice is bidding nights and sleeping at the base
6. Maybe put a wet wash cloth in the freezer and let them chew on it.

@Roger Roger

I might be a little long in the tooth with my advise.

 

[Akutan]

Sounds a lot better than flying loads of triple mailers out of Bethel. Glad you found a good gig!

EMS flying has helped me realize how crummy my best bush jobs were. Granted it was a long time ago, but I thought I had it pretty good at PenAir. This is especially true since my EMS schedule varies between the 7 on/7 off and 14 on/7 off. Fourteen straight days brings back memories of long ago when I had to trek out to Cold Bay, or Bethel or Kotz for the 20/10, and I wonder how I did it. Maybe I was just young enough then to take the abuse of that kind of schedule, but my back certainly hasn't forgotten the triple-mailers.

 

[Roger Roger]

EMS flying has helped me realize how crummy my best bush jobs were. Granted it was a long time ago, but I thought I had it pretty good at PenAir. This is especially true since my EMS schedule varies between the 7 on/7 off and 14 on/7 off. Fourteen straight days brings back memories of long ago when I had to trek out to Cold Bay, or Bethel or Kotz for the 20/10, and I wonder how I did it. Maybe I was just young enough then to take the abuse of that kind of schedule, but my back certainly hasn't forgotten the triple-mailers.

Doing a 50/50 schedule (whether it’s 7 days, 14, or something in between) is transformative when you’ve been used to 5/2. Especially if you live in base. That said I’d take 7 hours of 20 minute legs in the day time over a 3 leg, 7 hour all-nighter BFI trip, but it’s still a win overall.

 

[MikeD]

2) What is your schedule, ie. 7 on/7 off, 12 hours, rotating night/days?

.

The RW base here is 24 on, one day off, 12 on, next day off, 12 on and week finished. At least for the med crews.

 

[Roger Roger]

Watching PJ Masks with kiddos at the base.

 

[SpiraMirabilis]

"But, but, ....
I flew 747s for Delta, and B-52s in the USAF, retired as an O-6. I've probably forgotten more about aviation than you know"

"So what you're telling me is that you've never flown a prop airplane in your life, and you haven't flown solo in over 30 years."

Almost an exact quote from a conversation I had with a "high time airline pilot".

The guy we had was 18 years in the USAF (NOT 20!), flew B-52s but never commanded them and separated as an O-3. And it wasn’t like he commissioned after a long career as a NCO either - officer for the entire time.

He took most of a wing off of a stationary F-16 via clipping it with his winglet. They never did fix that F-16, it’s a ground trainer now. One of our medics made this altar to the dead winglet later:

Another of our pilots stenciled an miniature F-16 outline underneath the cockpit to commemorate the victory. Amazingly enough he wasn’t fired for that, but later did even stupider things so wasn’t able to become an ace at our company at least.

 

[SpiraMirabilis]

14/14 seems to be about $80k at your old company now, but they try and hire 14/7 in metro areas.

Do they pay $120k for working 50% more?