Ultralight

[QUOTE=deltajuliet;1674460] since most everybody here seems knowledgable, friendly, and helpful, maybe you could share your $0.02.

QUOTE]

That's funny!

Good post by Navmode, except during your first year, you might not have the cash to drop on a $250 roller board, a $500 Korchmar leather flight case, or a $1,000 Bose headset. Especially if your regional makes you buy your own crappy overpriced uniform too.

if you're using paper charts, I would buy one of those $30 catalogue cases from office max and a cheap carry on size luggage case for your overnights. You may need to invest in several rolls of duck tape a few months from now to keep em together, but during your first year you need to spend money on things you need, not things you want.

Whatever headset you are using right now will probably work, although the david clarks do tend to clamp the head on the longer flights. Maybe you can sell them on ebay and buy a set of Telex 750's or something.

One more vote for a cut above shirts here too.

Good luck.

ZBowFlyz

They will most likely cover all of that in indoc. And it might be a good idea to wait on the LW until class because they are expensive and the discount is handy. Usually part of one of the first days of class you'll go get measured by the uniform lady. Or at least they will hand you a form to fill out in indoc with your size.

I take 2, sometimes 3 shirts on a 4 day trip and 2 pants. I also have a toiletry kit that never leaves my roller board. Same with phone chargers and all that. It just keeps me from forgetting stuff when I leave the house. I'm rockin' the same DC's that I did my first solo in back in 2001. So they work in the CRJ.

You might want to look into the Ebag coolers. They fit perfect on the LW's and they have a zip out liner so when you spill something its an easy clean up.

Welcome to the Regionals! I agree with everything the poster said above.

PilotCrusader

Are you classified as human?

Please place the phone next to your heart so we might verify a pulse

deltajuliet

Yeah, was hoping to avoid Dulles... Chicago would have been good (nearby family), but it seems that's not in the cards now.

Right now I live in Phoenix so getting based here would be fantastic, but with how senior it is we know that pretty much won't happen. A friend told me you bid for three domiciles you'd want in the order you want them. Should I even put Phoenix down, or would it help my chances to get CLT if I made that #1?

deltajuliet

Ultralight, thanks for the tip on the Telex 750's. Luckily we'll be using an iPad, so it should save the hassle of paper.

Thanks ZBowFlyz, appreciate all the information. Also, I'm a real Eastwood fan - The Man with No Name is one of my favorite characters.

Check Complete

My advice: Do not sleep with a Flight Attendant.

deltajuliet

I've been told that, and to not drink the coffee...

Navmode

Solid advice.

Paid2fly

"Which class date would you like"?

OnCenterline

DeltaJuliet,
The best headset deal you will ever get is rarely mentioned on here. Buy a pair of Bose Quiet Comfort 15 Noise Canceling Headsets ($300), then go to Home :: UFlyMike and order the boom mic that they sell ($225). The Bose uses a single AAA battery that lasts for 40 hours--I actually tracked it--and you can use it when you are deadheading or non-reving to get some sleep.

It's a great set-up, and you will definitely thank me later. It works great in the RJ, and now I use it on the 737. It's light, comfortable, and easy to use.

The only catch is you want to make sure you keep it clipped to your epaulet band so that it doesn't get pulled if you get the cord caught on the armrest or under the seat...which, at some point, we all do.

I also second the LW bags. The 22" regular and stealth work in the RJ closet. LW is expensive and heavy, but well built, and will last a long time, and if you need it repaired, they will turn it around quickly. If you have to carry charts, I disagree with the cheap bag. You can either pay more now and only pay once, or buy cheap and pay the same amount (or more) over several bags. If you don't have to carry charts, a black heavy-duty backpack will do the job nicely.

Make sure you get all of your luggage embroidered with your name! We ALL have "the black bag."

Shirts...I try to always have 6-8 serviceable shirts in my wardrobe, and on reserve, carry two spares. As a lineholder, carry one. The rest will keep you stylin' between laundry cycles, and if you commute, you can leave a couple in your crashpad. Also, buy white T-shirts that are a size too big, as they shrink a lot. After a while, you will stop carrying spare pants because they get so wrinkled that if you need them, you can't iron them, plus they take up a ton of room. Keep some spare quarters in your bag in case you have to do laundry on a trip, which at some point will happen.

The post about a toiletry kit that never leaves your bag? Ask us all how we learned that. Same with the phone charger. One trick: I keep the charger in a shoe. When the charger comes out, that shoe goes on the floor. It does NOT go back into the bag until the charger is in it! If you lose a charger, ask any hotel front desk if they have chargers that guests have left behind. They always do.

Handy dandy tip #2: if you put food in the refrigerator overnight, put a uniform shoe in with it. It won't stink up the food, and more importantly, you can NOT go out the door and only have one shoe on. Once you pull it out of the fridge, you'll remember your food. Another hard-earned trick of the trade. (DON'T try to substitute by putting your ID in the fridge!)

Always pack for the string of reserve days/the trip you are assigned plus 1 day. And NEVER go anywhere without an overnight bag! Some do, but it's crazy. Most companies have a policy that you are supposed to travel with at least 3 days of clothes. If you have to carry charts, you need the suitcase anyway just to lug the flight kit around.

This job is a lot of fun, and the CRJ is a great plane. If you let yourself become miserable, returning to a state of happiness starts with a long, hard look in the mirror. Last, but not least, the most important gadget on the plane is the window. Don't forget to use it.