Morbid curiosity. Upgrade times?

[Cherokee_Cruiser]

Two years is a blip on the radar, I say upgrade when you’re an empty nester. I don’t think you’ll regret the extra time with your kid.

Agreed.

I’d may say different if he was looking at TPIC time for the resume to get out. But he’s at a career destination. FO for 26 years? Well at this point, what’s another 2?

FO for 6 or 8 yrs and talking another 2 yrs is much more close in, for context. 26 yrs? 2 more is nothing.

 

[Soul Brotha']

@ZapBrannigan, does the kid even want to hang out with you anymore? Because if he’s anything like my teenager all that I’m good for is $$$ and car rides. I come home from a trip and he asks, “Did you bring home food?”

In all seriousness talk it out with the family and if they are good with it I say go for it.

 

[MikeD]

If SWA wanted you to have a family, they would have issued you one.

 

[Crockrocket94]

If SWA wanted you to have a family, they would have issued you one.

Hey,,,, they said we are part of the family when we got hired!

They just didn't say what part. Like creepy uncle at thanksgiving part, or estranged living in a basement in Saginaw Michigan part...

 

[Landis]

Well, that escalated quickly. According to the latest vacancy projection my class is eligible for OAK Captain on the July bid. I’ve been here 8.5 years. Lots to consider.

I'm an OAK FO and just flew with a recently upgraded CA who lives within drive distance of OAK. He waited 14.5 years although he could have upgraded earlier while still driving to the most junior base. Even during the initial COVID downturn he says he was happier to be a senior FO. He was always able to get exactly the trips he wanted and be home with his young family. One kid headed off to college now and the other just about to start high school but he held out long enough that he can still get a really decent line and control his schedule.

For me QOL is why I came to SWA. But maybe your QOL involves flying with your favorite CA on every trip. You're right, lots to consider.

 

[ZapBrannigan]

Thanks for all of the advise everyone. After consulting the family and creating a pretty robust pros and cons list, I’m going to gamble that age 67 isn’t going to happen anytime soon, and bypass for the moment, hoping for my domicile or at least one with a little easier commute sometime in the next year or so. Thanks again!

 

[Cherokee_Cruiser]

Thanks for all of the advise everyone. After consulting the family and creating a pretty robust pros and cons list, I’m going to gamble that age 67 isn’t going to happen anytime soon, and bypass for the moment, hoping for my domicile or at least one with a little easier commute sometime in the next year or so. Thanks again!

The right decision. Slum is correct, this will pass the deathbed test when you look back. I have yet to meet a pilot who regretted not being away more from the kids.

A FO I flew with opened my eyes, because I had never viewed it pictorially. He drew a number line. Birth at left, death at right, assuming age 85. He drew college grad, age 23 start airline, age 65 retire. Then he drew an 18 yr bar in the middle. And said this is it, that’s what you get with your kids. And looking at the bar, in context, it was a shockingly low amount of time.

Your bar exits in 2 yrs. Career still has 14-15 yrs left, possibly even more if 67 passes. I don’t think you’ll regret it.

 

[roundout]

Thanks for all of the advise everyone. After consulting the family and creating a pretty robust pros and cons list, I’m going to gamble that age 67 isn’t going to happen anytime soon, and bypass for the moment, hoping for my domicile or at least one with a little easier commute sometime in the next year or so. Thanks again!

DFW-DEN is a really easy commute, just sayin. Congrats on your choice.

 

[CFIT99]

Thanks for all of the advise everyone. After consulting the family and creating a pretty robust pros and cons list, I’m going to gamble that age 67 isn’t going to happen anytime soon, and bypass for the moment, hoping for my domicile or at least one with a little easier commute sometime in the next year or so. Thanks again!

Glad to hear, for perspective, I took the first upgrade…the nice paycheck doesn’t make up for the time missed with the wife and little girl …commuting to reserve is the bane of my existence.

 

[Cherokee_Cruiser]

Glad to hear, for perspective, I took the first upgrade…the nice paycheck doesn’t make up for the time missed with the wife and little girl …commuting to reserve is the bane of my existence.

I’m looking at you like in your display pic.

 

[little_cricket]

Thanks for all of the advise everyone. After consulting the family and creating a pretty robust pros and cons list, I’m going to gamble that age 67 isn’t going to happen anytime soon, and bypass for the moment, hoping for my domicile or at least one with a little easier commute sometime in the next year or so. Thanks again!

Somethings are more important than the left seat… that being said if you don’t take it before September, you won’t see it till next year at the earliest in my opinion.

 

[Inverted]

You can't buy Corvettes and jetskis and brag about them to FOs unless you upgrade....

 

[ZapBrannigan]

Good point. Maybe it’ll end up being just another one of the poor life choices that I’ve whined about on this forum for the last 20 years or so.

 

[SlumTodd_Millionaire]

Good point. Maybe it’ll end up being just another one of the poor life choices that I’ve whined about on this forum for the last 20 years or so.

I suspect the opposite.

 

[CFIscare]

Good point. Maybe it’ll end up being just another one of the poor life choices that I’ve whined about on this forum for the last 20 years or so.

Poor life choices are reserved for decisions like leaving your wife for the baby sitter, or not making it to your son’s graduation because you were on a weekend bender.

Bad timing and thoughts of “should've, could've, would've” are just musings.

 

[Crockrocket94]

Zap its only a bad choice if you go out on MD...

Other than that, overpaying for OAK hotels or LAX hotels... to sit reserve and not get used... is torture in its own right. Unless you have a legitimate side business that you can spend 12 hours a day doing in a hotel, NO THANKS. ( Sat reserve in LAX/OAK for long time as a displaced FO and hated it)

 

[CFIscare]

Zap its only a bad choice if you go out on MD...

Other than that, overpaying for OAK hotels or LAX hotels... to sit reserve and not get used... is torture in its own right. Unless you have a legitimate side business that you can spend 12 hours a day doing in a hotel, NO THANKS. ( Sat reserve in LAX/OAK for long time as a displaced FO and hated it)

I agree, although I would be surprised to hear of any narrowbody pilot, regardless of airline, would be sitting reserve and not being used in today's environment.

 

[DeltaAlphaNovember]

I know this is an upgrade thread but I was awarded 777 FO for December. The award says LGA but obviously it's JFK flying. Took just under 5 years to hold it.

 

[form810]

Hawaiian is about three years for the 717, seven years for the 321, and ten years for the 330. The initial 787 bid should be in the next month or so and I'd expect that to need > 20 years for the left seat.

In the airlines, for a given type, must one sit right seat for some period of time before one can "upgrade" to left seat? Or, if a senior captain on one type, can one slide directly over to the left seat in a different type?

 

[DE727UPS]

Slide right over.