Roger Roger
Bottom of the list
I’m trying to decide if commuting 2 legs to a line is worse than 1 leg to reserve. Although once off probation I could probably get away with long call at home for Seattle….
Southwest Suspending hiring through 2024....
- Thread starter thepedroid
- Start date
CFI A&P
Exploring the world one toilet at a time.
Going with the one leg option reduces the possible failure points by 50%, especially if on probation.
CFI A&P
Exploring the world one toilet at a time.
A friend of mine was in a two-leg commute situation and they described it as getting stuck in an outstation doesn't really have any benefit because when it cancels, you're neither at home or at work and forced to be unproductive until the situation unfornicates (I figured the spell check would catch that, but nope - it is in the dictionary now) itself. You end up being a real life Neal Page.
Richman
JC’s Resident Curmudgeon
I used to think we had the most interesting personalities.
Then I met some in my SO’s sphere. Think of pilot personalities on steroids, but unshackled by the requirement to maintain a medical.
I was talking to one dude over a dinner at one of her things, and I couldn’t tell if he was an all-star, pro-league troll (we can usually smell our own), but this guy was for reals. Every crackpot conspiracy theory you can think of came out of this guy.
I assiduously avoid those gatherings now. They are so whack that it locks me up Windows BSOD style, and it takes me about 48 hours to reflash my BIOS and reboot.
JDean3204
Well-Known Member
I just flew with one yesterday, this is his last month at age 61. He seemed very healthy and mentally sharp, he could easily hold a medical until 65. He’s been here for 27 years and has great seniority.
They’re out there, money isn’t the motivation for everyone.
Kingairer
'Tiger Team' Member
Of course there are a few, but they are very rare, the vast majority go to the end.
scooter2525
Very well Member
What is the amount of commutes for line vs res? If the res is a 3 on 2 off situation vs 4 day trips, it might be better to two leg it
JDean3204
Well-Known Member
Maybe at the moment. But…
Given today’s pay rates and DC percentages, I’m willing to bet in ten years you will see more punch out early who have been financially conservative. If you have a few million in retirement, a paid off mortgage and no ex wife/husband that hates you, enjoying 3-5 more years of no work sounds appealing.
Kingairer
'Tiger Team' Member
Id guess you are not 60+.
BobDDuck
Island Bus Driver
Two leg commutes are pretty awful, but... if the number of days off between the line you can hold and reserve (in base) is appreciable, it may be worth it. Also, If you can trade into trips from a closer/easier to get to domicile as a line pilot, that will reduce your double commute.
🦈💜
Well-Known Member
Honestly, not enough information to give advice. I'd almost never recommend a two leg commute, but then commuting to reserve is a special kind of hell even with the easiest imaginable commute. Then again, maybe being the bottom of the stack at SkyWest for the rest of my career is tainting my thoughts on that.
Truthfully, it depends on the specific legs in question, the bases in question, the commuter policy, the time of year, the type of reserve, the lines you could hold, and a lot of other factors. It's not an easy decision, but the good news is that you're on the seniority list at a destination airline, so it's not a dead end and it will get better.
Roger Roger
Bottom of the list
Pretty much what I expected. The days off split between reserve and a line seems pretty big to me, but I’m new to all of this. Reserve is changing with PBS too, so unknown how that is going to affect the calculus.
For now I think I’m going to stash a pillow and blanket in the SEA bag room for those quiet room naps…
Richman
JC’s Resident Curmudgeon
Two leg commutes violate one of the cardinal rules of commuting:
1) No more than 1 leg
2) No limited service cities
3) No more than one time zone
4) No off-line commutes
5) No commute +>1:00 drive
You can probably get away with breaking one in the short term, but long term, you will be a miserable puppy.
1) No more than 1 leg
2) No limited service cities
3) No more than one time zone
4) No off-line commutes
5) No commute +>1:00 drive
You can probably get away with breaking one in the short term, but long term, you will be a miserable puppy.
killbilly
Vocals, Lyrics, Triangle, Washboard, Kittens
@Roger Roger - the above advice is sage, indeed.
I have probably one of the easiest commutes possible to reserve - One leg, DCA to New York on OAL, since my own airline doesn't go to NYC from DCA.
JFK would be ideal, and it's my base, but the loads are terrible and the frequency worse so I, like many, many pilots, commute to LGA. I've never been bumped and I can count on one hand the number of times I've actually had to ride the JS instead of having a seat in the back. The flight is mercifully short. And on the way up, unless ATC is having a bad day (like yesterday with 2 go-arounds) it's drama-free.
And yet there is still stress and anxiety that comes with it - I start looking at loads 2 days in advance and start gaming things out for when I need to be there, what the weather will be, and how long it will take me to get to the crashpad and via what method. Lots of moving parts. Yet my commute is objectively a cakewalk compared to others.
I did do a 2-leg commute to get home once. Just once.
And I was bumped from the flight. By my own company. Weight restriction cap. This forced me to do a bag-drag-sprint through BOS to beg AA for a flight home, who obliged happily.
Your mileage will definitely vary, just realize that a 2 leg doubles the chances of something going wrong.
ERfly
Well-Known Member
It's the exact opposite at the "other color." Most guys I fly with are like, "Wow! You ACTUALLY live in Memphis?!"
Who BROKE him!
What kind of crowd does his SO hang with?
killbilly
Vocals, Lyrics, Triangle, Washboard, Kittens
Was wondering same.