Extracurriculars

averyrm

averyrm

Well-Known Member
So I'll be a bit frank. Two main things that so far have turned me off of 121 flying are reading all of the lav vitrol, and listening to 121.5 on the east coast - and then thinking about having to sit next to "that" person for the next few decades.

I do fully admit that I'm ignorant in this area as I've never flown 121. If that specific worry is unfair, I apologize.

I'm quite fortunate at my current place. Great people, gone from home ~1500-2000 hours a year, and decent pay.

What I'm wondering is - what is available other than line pilot? How does teaching work at your shop? What might an instructor schedule look like and how soon can you expect a good one? What does a good instructor/something else schedule look like and how long would it take to get there? If I wanted to do something other just "fly the line," what options does one have available? Why would or wouldn't one choose that?

Quite related, how much line flying would it take a 91/135 person to understand enough to branch out into a different path with a solid knowledge base?

I feel I'm a pretty decent instructor and I love to help folks get to that "aha" moment. I'd also like to have a broader impact on the industry than I currently do - however that may evolve. I am, however, ignorant as to the specific options in 121-land.

I appreciate your expertise and understand this might be an exceptionally broad ask, but I do want to know what options a willing person has if they want to do more.
 
averyrm said:
So I'll be a bit frank. Two main things that so far have turned me off of 121 flying are reading all of the lav vitrol, and listening to 121.5 on the east coast - and then thinking about having to sit next to "that" person for the next few decades.

I do fully admit that I'm ignorant in this area as I've never flown 121. If that specific worry is unfair, I apologize.

I'm quite fortunate at my current place. Great people, gone from home ~1500-2000 hours a year, and decent pay.

What I'm wondering is - what is available other than line pilot? How does teaching work at your shop? What might an instructor schedule look like and how soon can you expect a good one? What does a good instructor/something else schedule look like and how long would it take to get there? If I wanted to do something other just "fly the line," what options does one have available? Why would or wouldn't one choose that?

Quite related, how much line flying would it take a 91/135 person to understand enough to branch out into a different path with a solid knowledge base?

I feel I'm a pretty decent instructor and I love to help folks get to that "aha" moment. I'd also like to have a broader impact on the industry than I currently do - however that may evolve. I am, however, ignorant as to the specific options in 121-land.

I appreciate your expertise and understand this might be an exceptionally broad ask, but I do want to know what options a willing person has if they want to do more.
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Every place is different. At AA, an FO can be an sim instructor pilot with 500 hours in type. It seems like a nice gig, as I believe you are guaranteed 90 hours at 12 year FO pay. The problem is sim instructing full time can crush your soul (ask me how I know). At any 121 company, if you live in the mothership base, you will have many more opportunities to do non-flying jobs. You can get into management, teach various subjects at the school house, do special projects like fleet manager (keeping manuals and procedures updated), and other things. If you aren't willing to move to the mothership, your opportunities for this type of work are extremely limited. You can also get into union work, as well. Some union positions will take you off trips to do the job.

With all of that said, I have only flown with a couple of jerks under 121. You can bid to not fly with them, and even call off the trip if the conflict becomes a safety concern. Usually, you can redirect the conversation to a mutual interest, like BBQ or golf or something. The breakdown of people I fly with are as follows:

80%: OK. They fly the airplane by the book and we get along OK. Not someone I would hang out with outside of work, but good people.
10%: Awesome. We get along great and the trip goes by quickly.
7% : Either suck at flying or have a crappy personality. You can get by OK with these guys, and just remind yourself you only have to see them for 3 more days and likely will never see them again
3% or less: Suck at flying and have a crap personality. You never want to see them again.
 
At jetblue you can be a full time instructor, part time adjuct instructor and split your time between the school or line. You can also work in the cheif pilots office, or on other projects as available. Depending on senioirty you can bid a line or bid reserve if you've been flying too much and want a break. Depending on senioirity you can fly 100 hours to 1000 hours a year. It 's up to you.

I have flown under a lot of the different facets of this industry (121 Pax/ Cargo, 135 Pax / Cargo, 121 Public Use, and 135 DOT 380 exemption). Each type and employer have their pros and cons. What I have found is the major airlines offer the best pay, benefits, and job security. Most corp operators cannot match higher end pay or benefits of the majors.

Not matter where I have flown there are guys I have enjoyed flying with and guys I didn't prefer to fly with. But the best part of the majors it's only a couple of days witha guy you don't care for and you may not fly with him/her again for months or years.


Everyone is different. Fly in the part of the industry that you enjoy the most. I have run into guys that have come to the majors and have gone back to corp because they don't like the doing the day in and day out of stuff of the airlines and like the FBO and sometimes more exotic locations of corp life.
 
Not really the question you asked, but at most places, once you get a bit of seniority, you can bid a schedule (especially if money isn't everything) that allows you enough free time that your extracurriculars can be away from, and totally unrelated to, work. I run a search and rescue team, as well as do a few other (semi related) things. Flying is fun and all (I'm getting back in to the plane for the first time in almost a year this week and I'm really looking forward to it) but I want to get my satisfaction in life from something other than the thing that I get my pay check from.

On the work side, if even flying 12 - 14 days a month is too much "work", you can always do instructing like you mentioned, or go into flight ops management, or work on the safety side. Then there is the whole union side of the coin as well. I've been doing that end of things and there were steady periods of time where I as flying 6 to 8 days a month and doing office work (contract enforcement or negotiations) 4 to 6 days a month. Living in the main office location is going to help with both sides of that, but there are plenty of people to commute in for a 4 day block of union work every month and I'd imagine you can do that on the Company side as well in some cases.
 
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