Ugh! Looks Like a Transcon Commute for the Capn!

Whoops! You guys are right-- I meant a 100% raise. Or a 200% increase in pay. Whatever-- a buttload more. And yeah, I've factored in crashpads, transportation, and food, and I'll still be coming out way, way ahead. The loads on CAL are somewhat full, but doable with 6 flights a day, and if that fails there's American with 2 flights direct a day, and I loves me some jumpseating on American. If EWR fails I can always make the drive to JFK or LGA to catch a flight from there, but that is a bit more inconvienient.

So, as to the question "Why not move there?" One biggie: family. We are in a point in our lives where we are thinking about the future, and that future includes children, and that within a year and a half or so. Our family is in DFW, so we will end up moving back there where we can have family close, afford a big house, and get established. It's where I'm from. There's nothing in LA for me or her. Moreover, there are good career prospects there for her which she is going to need both pre- and post-maternal. Bottom line, DFW is my home. No point making a big-ass move across the continent if I'm only planning on being there short-term. I'll be able to hold IAH or SAT Captain after a few months anyway, so even if I'm still commuting DFW-LAX I'll cut my commute to like 40 minutes, DFW-IAH or SAT.

Also, there's a good chance that I will be able to hold EWR CA before we move back, and I can sho 'nuff sit EWR reserve in Hoboken. That's like... vacation.
 
Captain_Bob said:
In reality Jimmy... I'm thinking you should bid the last upgrade training date on this bid which should put you sometime in mid-late august according to the FIL. Then... factor in 2 months for upgrade training and UOE... and now we are talking about about actually hitting the line about 5 months from now.

Within that time... I'm willing to bet that another perm-bid or two will be out in which you may be able to hold someplace a bit more commutable before you even finish UOE... thus allowing you to never even step foot in the west coast bases... but allowing you to start and hold the upgrade sooner than you otherwise would have.

It's a risk... works for some... not for others... just depends on where you ultimately want to be. Besides... if I remember from our previous talks... you may want to be somewhere a bit more south... :)

Bob
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That's good advice, and I've considered it. I may be moving back to the Diddy Diddy as soon as December though, so I'd like to have training, OE, and a schedule established with a a couple of CA checks in the bank before that happens. I'm glad we don't have little ones yet as that would put a major hitch in the getalong, but I'm thinking mid- to long-term that some savings and a nest to feather are things I should get to saving toward sooner rather than later.

It will suck, to be sure, but for me it comes down to a short-term hit in QOL for mid- and long-term stability. If such a thing exists in this line of work...
 
kellwolf said:
So, in reality, it's not a 200% raise. There are other factors and opportunity costs to consider. Look at Jim. Sure he's gonna be making more money, but it's taken him a while to weigh the pros and cons of commuting across the country for it.
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Don't forget the jump in tax brackets. The 50% raise I'm getting starting next month is offset significantly by Uncle Sam, making it only 30%. The more you make, the more they take...

...and, uh...Jim?

You want a big house in Dallas? 'Cos I gots one fer sale...
 
Heh. I keep forgetting some airlines aren't hemorreging CAs so badly there's a new vacancy every month.....
 
killbilly said:
Don't forget the jump in tax brackets. The 50% raise I'm getting starting next month is offset significantly by Uncle Sam, making it only 30%. The more you make, the more they take...
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CapnJim said:
dern
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Up the 401K contribution to 20%, put a couple of grand in the FSA (you'll be surprised how much you use), and of course... when the little jimmy's come along... throw money into the DCA.

That will keep your income up... your retirement savings on the rise... and your taxable income down.

Bob
 
kellwolf said:
I've been saying for months "I'm not gonna commute to DTW to upgrade." Well.....uh....yeah. After talking it over with my wife and a lot of CAs, I'm putting in for CA when I've got the mins (later this year). Probably be able to hold DTW right away, POTENTIALLY ATL (IF that's where the -900s go and if it doesn't go super senior) and MEM a few months later. I can suck up the commute if it gets me moving a bit faster career wise.
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Wise move. Keep your eye on the ball. IMO, ANYONE that is considering moving beyond the regionals, and that passes up their FIRST opportunity to start building multi-PIC turbine is smoking crack. Penny-wise and pound foolish would be an understatement!
 
Goodluck to you Jim! Commuting sucks, but if you're going to make 200% more money, its probably worth it for a little while, I'm sure you can get back to dirty jerzey before too long. I'd love to be flying out of EWR, as crazy as that sounds. Commuting to LGA is absolutely horrible.
 
Captain_Bob said:
Hmmmm....

Got kids?

;)
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Probably not. When you have young ones it is important to be home as much as possible. That being said, I bypassed it on the last go around because of the hellish commute. However I don't want to be here forever. My goal was to be at a major by 35, I'm 26 now so its time to do what I have to do. If your family isn't behind you it will suck.
 
Captain_Bob said:
Hmmmm....

Got kids?

;)
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5, and you?

You have to keep a longer term perspective. How much are you benefiting your kids by working MORE days and making LESS money at a regional? Getting to a major one year earlier might mean a LITTLE short term hurt, but a HUGE long term gain in terms of time at home and money.
 
Captain_Bob said:
Up the 401K contribution to 20%, put a couple of grand in the FSA (you'll be surprised how much you use), and of course... when the little jimmy's come along... throw money into the DCA.

That will keep your income up... your retirement savings on the rise... and your taxable income down.

Bob
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The 'dern' was from the funny hotlinked pic that I put up that didn't work, not that I hadn't considered the higher tax braket. The only time taxes are an issue with a pay raise is when they put you at or near what you are making now. That won't even remotely be the case, thank god.

However, the financial planning advice is good stuff. Thanks Bob!
 
seagull said:
5, and you?
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Workin' on it... 2 for now... ;)

seagull said:
You have to keep a longer term perspective. How much are you benefiting your kids by working MORE days and making LESS money at a regional? Getting to a major one year earlier might mean a LITTLE short term hurt, but a HUGE long term gain in terms of time at home and money.
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I understand in theory... I've thought about it quite a bit... and quite frankly... if the kids were a bit older... like maybe 10 & up... then I think I'd have taken the upgrade back on one of the other 4 times I could have.

However... I have one that is starting her first year of school that I've been able to spend TONS of time prepping her for... ABC's, Addition, Subtraction, Learning to Read, while having fun at the same time... Also, I have an 8 month old that I've been able to keep out of daycare due to my time at home... Being a Senior FO has allowed me to be be Mr. Mom... during a time that I simply couldn't fathom being away from them and stuck in a crash pad three timezones away simply for some "coveted" TPIC.

Also... you mention working "MORE" days at a regional... Well, in the past 6 months, I've bid lines that consistently had 17-20 days off a month... and while not as good as a senior international pilot at XYZ Airlines... it's still nothing to sneeze at.

Just by bypassing upgrade for 6 months... I've guaranteed myself a Line as a CA in three bases thus leading to a better quality of life once I do upgrade... for both myself and my kids.

Also... My wife and I discussed the "best" time to upgrade for us as a family... and it would be during the summer months so that my mother-in-law (a school nurse) would have the summer off to help with childcare... again... so our infant would not need public daycare.

So... all that to say that there are lot's of reasons not to upgrade on the first possible moment.

The time I spend with my kids now... Well, I'm gambling that the "Long Term" gains will be far more significant than the financial/seniorty gains at a Major 1 year sooner. If anything... My investment in my family now is FAR more stable than anything I do in this industry. ;)

Bob
 
Gang, don't underestimate Bob's 'daddy' prowess. He's razor sharp.
The financial advice ain't bad neither.
 
Captain_Bob said:
Workin' on it... 2 for now... ;)

I understand in theory... I've thought about it quite a bit... and quite frankly... if the kids were a bit older... like maybe 10 & up... then I think I'd have taken the upgrade back on one of the other 4 times I could have.

However... I have one that is starting her first year of school that I've been able to spend TONS of time prepping her for... ABC's, Addition, Subtraction, Learning to Read, while having fun at the same time... Also, I have an 8 month old that I've been able to keep out of daycare due to my time at home... Being a Senior FO has allowed me to be be Mr. Mom... during a time that I simply couldn't fathom being away from them and stuck in a crash pad three timezones away simply for some "coveted" TPIC.

Also... you mention working "MORE" days at a regional... Well, in the past 6 months, I've bid lines that consistently had 17-20 days off a month... and while not as good as a senior international pilot at XYZ Airlines... it's still nothing to sneeze at.

Just by bypassing upgrade for 6 months... I've guaranteed myself a Line as a CA in three bases thus leading to a better quality of life once I do upgrade... for both myself and my kids.

Also... My wife and I discussed the "best" time to upgrade for us as a family... and it would have been during the summer months so that my mother-in-law (a school nurse) would have the summer off to help with childcare... again... so our infant would not need public daycare.

So... all that to say that there are lot's of reasons not to upgrade on the first possible moment.

The time I spend with my kids now... Well, I'm gambling that the "Long Term" gains will be far more significant than the financial/seniorty gains at a Major 1 year sooner. If anything... My investment in my family now is FAR more stable than anything I do in this industry. ;)

Bob
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All valid points, and there are exceptions to everything. I stand by my previous post as a general rule. If what you and your current wife have decided to do works for you, that's great, just as long as you have considered the potential long terms costs as well. The decision could mean very little difference in your career, or it could mean the difference of a some number with seven zeros following it.
 
I seriously doubt Bob would overlook such considerations, to the same degree that I doubt a flaming meteor will demolish my Honda before I can drive it to the airport tomorrow.
 
seagull said:
If what you and your current wife have decided to do works for you, that's great, just as long as you have considered the potential long terms costs as well.
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We are each other's first... No A.I.D.S. here... or forseen in the near future. 15 phenomenal years for both of us so far... ;)

CapnJim said:
I seriously doubt Bob would overlook such considerations, to the same degree that I doubt a flaming meteor will demolish my Honda before I can drive it to the airport tomorrow.
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Thanks Jim...

Just so we're clear... There's no meteor showers in the forcast for the Jersey area tonight... right?? ;) LOL!

Bob
 
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