What is your ideal amount of flying?

C150J

C150J

Well-Known Member
Hi all! This question is geared particularly towards the pros:

How many hours of flying a week do you consider ideal? A lot of us non-pro's consider "the more, the merrier" when it comes to number of hours per week/month/year, but usually aren't anywhere near the number of hours where you just want to sit in front of the television.

For example, I know corporate guys that average about 500 hours a year, and they consider that a good amount. What about you guys?

Blue Skies!
J.
 
The less the merrier....

Back when I was on the 727, I worked about 10 days out of 28 and flew around 100 hours a year.

Now, since I'm on the 757, I'm working about 9 days out of 28 but flying around 600 hours a year. It's day flying, though, and I'm home every night.

I guess you could say I don't like flying so much now but the combination of day flying and being home makes it worth the extra block hours.

About 5 of my 7 hours a day are sooooo boring. If we could just get internet access at FL370...I'd be set....
 
The number of hours per year is really not the issue, IMO. Before the airlines, when I was flying corporate, I flew fewer hours, but was at the job more. To get 500 hours a year I would have had to work 365 days. In my airline job I got out and flew, there was little down time. That's what i like.

For me 4 on 3 off for the month was great. 14-15 days a month, on average. I used little vacation and it was still hard to get more than 600 hours a a year with that schedule.

Dave
 
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If we could just get internet access at FL370...I'd be set....

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You don't have high-speed internet access on the plane?!?!?!?! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

You guys are SOOOOO behind the times!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Dude....we are talking about an FMC that was developed in the days of Pong. Though it's a huge lead forward from the 727 (damn thing can land itself better than I can), I think it's pretty low tech in a high tech world.

Now...my Capt was playing with his cell phone the other day. Made me think if he can get on a cell in flight, there is no reason I couldn't hook up if I had unlimited access cell service.

Just a thought......
 
We have it a little different in that we have a 5 week bid period and line holders are guaranteed 94 credit (paid) hours in that time. Most lines consist of right around 85-95 block(flight) hours in that time with a range of 13-19 days of in that time period. That means that the junior guys (me) fly around 95 hours in a 5 week period with 14 days off. Is it fun? Well if you like flying 5 legs a day and feeling ragged when you get off I guess but a good alternative is about 85 with 17 days off. I used to think the more the merrier but that gets old fast and if you commute it feels like a lot more.
 
Hey QX dude. Does QX now have a base in DEN to support the Frontier flying? One of your RJ's leaves GEG early in the morning just before us.

Also, do you know what the status of the "direct entry" program between CWU and Horizon is. About a year ago a CWU rep was touting their direct entry program into Horizon...basically an agreement to hire low time guys from CWU. I called the guy on it (he didn't know he had a pilot in the crowd) and the guy backpeddled a bit.
 
I would love to do more than my 3 hours a month crap. Course I'm just a 19 year old private private with no money, so I guess I can't really complain. Besides I'll get to fly plenty here in a couple days when I go off to school.

Tom
 
For the past 4 months most of our guys have been doing 95hrs/month. Great for the logbook, but everything else seems to be a blur... Go flying, sleep, eat a bit, go flying.

I can live with 60hrs a month, good combo of time off and a fair bit of flying.

Cheers,
MNC
 
[ QUOTE ]
Hey QX dude. Does QX now have a base in DEN to support the Frontier flying? One of your RJ's leaves GEG early in the morning just before us.

Also, do you know what the status of the "direct entry" program between CWU and Horizon is. About a year ago a CWU rep was touting their direct entry program into Horizon...basically an agreement to hire low time guys from CWU. I called the guy on it (he didn't know he had a pilot in the crowd) and the guy backpeddled a bit.

[/ QUOTE ]

We moved half our RJ fleet over to Denver for the F9 Express side and opened a base there of about 90 pilots. As far as the CWU program, thats the first that I"ve heard about that. I know that when we were hiring back in the spring we interviewed a couple of grads from CWU but I don't think they were very low time.
 
As of right now I'm flying nada, zero. If I had it my way it would be about 55-70 hours a month.
 
I'd say around 65-70 hours a month would be decent. It's enough to keep myself busy and fresh, but also a number which gives more days off and plenty of time to relax.

Someday I'd like to do the "11 work/19 off" scenario. Work like mad on the days on, and enjoy time with my family and doing work around the house on the off days. About 60 hours of flying... so about 6 hours per day.
 
I've been averaging about 800 hours per year. In the past I tended to pickup flying on my days off for extra cash because (a) I have no life and (b) I need the money. 5-6 hours per day is just about right. 7-8 really wears you down, and 1-4 just doesn't seem like enough.

Sitting up at cruise does get boring, especially when there are no magazines to peruse. The digi cam helps, but you can only photograph clouds so many times before they all look the same.
 
Ideally Id work about Once a week, and only 2, Twohour Legs on those days!
But A good month for me is 15+ days off and about 80 hours of flying.
 
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when I was flying corporate, I flew fewer hours, but was at the job more. To get 500 hours a year I would have had to work 365 days.

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True, that's one down side of corporate flying, but it really depends on the company. My last corporate gig I flew about 300hrs per year and didn't care for it because I was bored ... did alot of sitting at home and on the road. My current job I fly about 600 hrs. per year but it is a lot of out and backs the same day ... meaning I'm home alot. I probably average 6 nights a month on the road. Its a matter of what you like. In job one I had a lot of days we didn't fly and people thought I was crazy to give it up for a job I "work" more at, but for me I wanted the stimulas and experience so I'm happier this way. I also fly in the guard ( 192 hrs last year ) so I"m getting more than I neccessarily need but I enjoy it.

Jim
 
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