I make this statement from a place of ignorance, with no experience. From not either being a 121 driver. Let alone an international pilot. But it at least at this point in time, I just *think* that it would boring not getting takeoff's and landings regularly. Due to the number of pilots on a long haul trip. Also being in IRL pilot also seems equally boring, babysitting the plane while at cruise. I wanted to become a pilot because I love flying. Growing up I was always in love with the 757 type of mission of doing a 4-5 hour transcon and calling it a day. It's the type of airline pilot mission that I always wanted to do. Things may change with time of course once I eventually start this career and the glaze of domestic either thins or wears off. I mean the 777, 787 and. . . the A330 are all beautiful planes. Who knows. Like Bruno Mars, maybe I'll leave the door open in my thinking.
You’re right, I was the same way and still am. I got into this job to fly. With the type of flying you say you want, you’d be fine at any major carrier. If legacy airline than bid the domestic fleet types, or if ULCC/major, you are pretty much doing the flying you say you want.
Same as you, I don’t have experience with international flying but I know I wouldn’t have fun as a IRO or as the guy not getting any landings. Walkaround, TOLD card, and babysit cruise only? No thank you. Time zone changes throughout the world? No thanks.
On the Bus we got 5 day trips and I complained about that because it felt too long away from home with young kids. On the Boeing, max are 4 days which my preferred max limit. For YEARS all I did was NY to CA transcons, 1 leg day, 1 night away from home, and back the next day. About 6-6.5 hr westbound and 5-5.5hr eastbound. 11-12 hr two day trips. It was awesome and I felt like a king with a schedule like that.
Some say they would get bored with flying only to EWR/JFK and SFO/LAX, but I never cared. I still got to fly a plane, takeoff/land, with an excellent schedule. Max duty was less than 8 hrs!
Now on the Boeing, it’s not all transcon but I now get to see more diverse flying. West coast to Hawaii is like my new NY to CA. No complaints there.
To the guys saying same plane for 30 yrs? I know SWA pilots who are fat dumb and happy and couldn’t care less. I was on the Bus for 8.5 yrs and was sad to leave it. I would have had no problem flying that another 28 yrs. Now on the Boeing 737, apparently the most hated plane in the industry, I feel totally fine with it. To me it’s like an Airbus with a CRJ yoke.
