Kellwolf's Major Airline Experience

kellwolf said:
Okay, just a quick update now that I'm line qualified and official like.

Spent my first six days on reserve. Yes, that sentence just sent most of my Pinnacle reserve buddies running for the liquor cabinet. I have to get used to a WHOLE new bidding scheme. I actually WANT long stretches of reserve here. I spent a grand total of TWO nights in my crash pad. Yeah, that's it. The first 3 days I spent at home. In Orlando. Yeah, still on reserve. The evening of the 3rd day I had to commute up since I was escalated from long call to short call. Not uncommon when you've got a long call day before starting two short call days. My first day of short call I did nothing but hang out at the pad, watch Netflix and freeze to death. About two hours before I was off reserve on my second day, they called me for a trip that night. It wasn't a "We need you NOOOOWWW!" call. It was a "Hey, this just dropped into open time, and your show time is in 3 hours. I'll go ahead and check you in for it." call. Even better, I was done at 9:30 in the morning, more or less negating my entire last day of reserve and getting me home about 6 hours earlier. I was nervous getting on the plane to go home right after I finished the trip. I asked my CA "But, I was on reserve until 1 pm. I can just...go when we get back?" Yeah. You're done. "But, don't I have to check out to make sure they didn't add anything else?" Uh...which regional did you come from again?

Someone told me QoL on reserve here is about the same as QoL for a line holder at Pinnacle. Honestly, I'd say that's pretty accurate.
Click to expand...

Shouldn't you, Let. It. Go. to all negative references to Pinnacle?

:)
 
This is an awesome thread. I'm so proud to see our JC generation of CFI's and newbies having gone through the regionals and landing now at Major airlines. Good for you. It seems like only yesterday we were fretting over whether we would EVER get picked up by a regional.

typhoonpilot said:
NIt's not easy to pop by Dubai for a day, so I appreciated that he made the effort.
Click to expand...
I was in Dubai for two days last week...even went skiing! I'll be back through May 19....
 
Bumblebee said:
This is an awesome thread. I'm so proud to see our JC generation of CFI's and newbies having gone through the regionals and landing now at Major airlines. Good for you. It seems like only yesterday we were fretting over whether we would EVER get picked up by a regional.
Click to expand...

Thanks, man. I was talking with Nessa today about how I actually joined JC while I was still working on my PPL and have been active all the way through. The motivation on this site as well as some of the networking done here was essentially to getting me where I am. As a quick update, lines for April came out. I started training in November, finished IOE in mid-January and in April, I'll be a lineholder. I've actually spent less time on reserve here at jetBlue than I did as an FO at Pinnacle....
 
Hey Kellwolf, I really hadn't read your thread until I looked at some of it today. It's really terrific that you are sharing your experience with everyone. I don't want to start anything or dredge up what happened earlier that I just found in the Lav. I actually have quite a bit of respect for Neeleman and for Barger. I think JB is a decent company and I am happy for you, that you landed there.

As for someone else's comments, pay them no mind. I will never understand the thing of some pilots who feel it necessary to lord it over other pilots that they perceive to have a lesser career than they do or to be flying lesser airframes or whatever hell the else they can find to pick on. It's not funny, it's not amusing and it's just pathetic in truth. It has no place in this industry which is hard enough and fraught with so many ups and downs and it certainly has no place on this form. It's just unnecessary to make these types of comments and then try to act like it's a joke or that there is something wrong with people who get upset with this nonsense. No one's career is a joke, nor are all the dues and training that they have paid and endured.

My sister's BF for almost two years now is a pretty Senior Captain at JB. He makes great money, has a terrific schedule of his choosing to compliment his lifestyle, plenty of time off and loves his job. He has never had the desire to move on. He came from Corporate flying. He will retire at JB. There are a great bunch of guys over there.

Congrats to you, man. You'll be fine. It's great to see your enthusiasm and joy over this gig. Enjoy the ride. (and be grateful that you will most likely be sharing the flight deck with a better class of pilot than what was seen today on this thread. lol) Gerry
 
Thanks, man. I just let the previous comments roll right off. In fact, I didn't even see them until they'd been flushed to the Lav and the thread locked. That's one of the great things about this industry, though. Not every job is for everyone. Some chase the pay and benefits, some go for QoL. I'm a QoL guy, and I'd rather not commute even if it means making less money. There are plenty of guys here that are looking at moving to United or Delta. That's fine, and it will likely work for them. Great and I wish them the best of luck. I'm quite happy where I am, and once I can hold MCO, I'll be even happier. :)
 
pullup said:
How long will that be?
Click to expand...

Possibly by the end of this year. Likely sometime next year. I'll be on reserve for a LONG time in MCO, but I live 20 minutes from the airport and reserves in MCO hardly ever get called. Talked to a buddy of mine on the E190 down here, and he said he averages about 8 hours a month flying. Lots of time at home with the family, which is what I'm shooting for. Couple of the senior guys (and by senior I mean in the 8-10 year range) bid reserve on purpose.
 
Think the growth in San Juan will yield more MCO flying? Or is that mostly FLL and JFK?
 
kellwolf said:
Possibly by the end of this year. Likely sometime next year. I'll be on reserve for a LONG time in MCO, but I live 20 minutes from the airport and reserves in MCO hardly ever get called. Talked to a buddy of mine on the E190 down here, and he said he averages about 8 hours a month flying. Lots of time at home with the family, which is what I'm shooting for. Couple of the senior guys (and by senior I mean in the 8-10 year range) bid reserve on purpose.
Click to expand...


I must've missed you moving back to Orlando, good to hear!
 
kellwolf said:
Thanks, man. I just let the previous comments roll right off. In fact, I didn't even see them until they'd been flushed to the Lav and the thread locked. That's one of the great things about this industry, though. Not every job is for everyone. Some chase the pay and benefits, some go for QoL. I'm a QoL guy, and I'd rather not commute even if it means making less money. There are plenty of guys here that are looking at moving to United or Delta. That's fine, and it will likely work for them. Great and I wish them the best of luck. I'm quite happy where I am, and once I can hold MCO, I'll be even happier. :)
Click to expand...
I get where you are coming from man. While I think JB has a lot of industry(major) catching up to do, I too overall like it here. I'll take an MCO base on either equip ASAP(could of held 190 for the June assignment but I was seat locked). QOL with my family trumps all other squabbles in this airline life.
 
kellwolf said:
My bet is mostly FLL at first. That seems to be the next growth focus after BOS hits critical mass.
Click to expand...

Maybe... They might hold off until after the construction down there is complete before expanding FLL too much. I would hope they would. Last time I was down there, it was a madhouse.
 
I gotta say, I'm impressed with JetBlue so far. Yes, it has some room to improve in a few categories, but overall I'm impressed with the level of professionalism of nearly everyone I've come in contact with. The reserve system is pretty good. I have been able to move days around without any problem at all. A couple of times the swaps were denied, and I just waited a day or two and new swaps were approved. I've been short-called a few times, but each time the scheduler was aware of the fact that I was doing them a favor by reporting ASAP. I think it is best to keep perspective. I have literally 15 people below me in Boston, and I am going to have 3 weekends off in April, with one stretch of 6 days off in a row. This month I have 2 weekends, with one stretch of 8 days. (I generally try to group all of my reserve together.) I'm about 20 numbers junior to KellWolf, and I'll be a senior reserve in April. I'm crossing my fingers for a line in May!

I agree with KellWolf, and I'm not planning to leave for Delta/United. I'm definitely a QOL guy, and if I can make a decent wage with a good QOL, I'll never ever ever leave. Leave for what? To be at the bottom of a 12,000 pilot list flying DC9s 6 legs a day? No thanks. The money may be better, but I'm banking on people above me bailing for the "better" job. Heck yeah, they ALL need to go "run to the legacies." It is the right move, clearly!

All told, it's a crap shoot, and you have to do what is best for your family. I feel that my choice has been a good one, despite the uber negative people, and the naysayers. Keep on naysayin'! Maybe that will help motivate people senior to me to leave for the "better" job. Vaya con Dios.
 
PhilosopherPilot said:
I gotta say, I'm impressed with JetBlue so far. Yes, it has some room to improve in a few categories, but overall I'm impressed with the level of professionalism of nearly everyone I've come in contact with. The reserve system is pretty good. I have been able to move days around without any problem at all. A couple of times the swaps were denied, and I just waited a day or two and new swaps were approved. I've been short-called a few times, but each time the scheduler was aware of the fact that I was doing them a favor by reporting ASAP. I think it is best to keep perspective. I have literally 15 people below me in Boston, and I am going to have 3 weekends off in April, with one stretch of 6 days off in a row. This month I have 2 weekends, with one stretch of 8 days. (I generally try to group all of my reserve together.) I'm about 20 numbers junior to KellWolf, and I'll be a senior reserve in April. I'm crossing my fingers for a line in May!

I agree with KellWolf, and I'm not planning to leave for Delta/United. I'm definitely a QOL guy, and if I can make a decent wage with a good QOL, I'll never ever ever leave. Leave for what? To be at the bottom of a 12,000 pilot list flying DC9s 6 legs a day? No thanks. The money may be better, but I'm banking on people above me bailing for the "better" job. Heck yeah, they ALL need to go "run to the legacies." It is the right move, clearly!

All told, it's a crap shoot, and you have to do what is best for your family. I feel that my choice has been a good one, despite the uber negative people, and the naysayers. Keep on naysayin'! Maybe that will help motivate people senior to me to leave for the "better" job. Vaya con Dios.
Click to expand...

Naysaying becomes easier the longer you're here at JB. I've been here for about 7 years and have learned that you really need to read everything that is put out by both the company and our committees. Read what they say and watch what they do.

I'm not going anywhere because I don't want to be on the bottom of anyone's list. I do however recommend to the junior FO's I fly with that they put their apps in a Delta and the likes. With the number of retirements the legacies have coming up, better pilots services available to them via their CBA's, and more retirement contribution, I think it would be the way to go. But, like you said, it's a crap shoot. You'll know if you made the right choices when you retire.

If you stay, stay engaged and make form your own opinions on what direction we need to go. (I'm trying hard not to turn this into a union discussion.)

Welcome aboard.
 
Again for many it is the quality of life aspect. There are lots of pilots living in New England who commute all over the country to pick up their lines/reserve. B6 is the only carrier where BOS is a junior base, so for many, it works. A couple more 9K guys just went over, don't know if they were gateway as they are DW grads. Throws a little mix into the whole glass/jet/TPIC norm however.
 
Fins Up said:
Naysaying becomes easier the longer you're here at JB. I've been here for about 7 years and have learned that you really need to read everything that is put out by both the company and our committees. Read what they say and watch what they do.

I'm not going anywhere because I don't want to be on the bottom of anyone's list. I do however recommend to the junior FO's I fly with that they put their apps in a Delta and the likes. With the number of retirements the legacies have coming up, better pilots services available to them via their CBA's, and more retirement contribution, I think it would be the way to go. But, like you said, it's a crap shoot. You'll know if you made the right choices when you retire.

If you stay, stay engaged and make form your own opinions on what direction we need to go. (I'm trying hard not to turn this into a union discussion.)

Welcome aboard.
Click to expand...

I hear ya. I keep my salt shaker handy for any emails that float around from either side. :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

X
Did this merit an Interview?
2
Replies
26
Views
2K
N1ceguy
N
Oxman
United Airlines Flight Diverts After Toilet Contents Flow Into Cabin
2
Replies
21
Views
994
form810
F
A
US gets partial EU261 law
Replies
8
Views
966
Pepwave1
Pepwave1
ClearedForOption
I learned about aviation from... TMAAT...
5 6 7
Replies
125
Views
5K
derg
derg
NovemberEcho
EWR to PHL
2 3
Replies
50
Views
2K
Plata
P
Back
Top