Originally Posted by
FlyingPig105
Another cop here (FWPD Detective)...and ex-regional airline captain.
I am now looking at getting back into the industry after a 10 year absence. I'm not going to ask you Eagle guys what my chances are of getting hired or anything like that. I know it won't be handed to me and it will be tough.
I am, however, more interested in the initial QOL at Eagle. I commuted in my first airline career and it SUCKED!
I live in the D/FW area and obviously would want to be based here. I am fortunate to be debt free with a drug dealing wife (Pharma Rep) who can support my $21/hour flying habit.
My question: If I'm fortunate enough to get a job at Eagle, what would the reserve life be like if I just wanted to fly to remain current until upgrade. I don't desperately need the money and I already have an ATP, so flying less is best until upgrade, in my opinion.
Would bidding reserve even when a hardline comes available keep me at home more (on a 2 hour call out), or are there good day trip lines with minimal overnights in that base?
Please spare the "Why would you want to come back?" and "Get hired first before you ask this question." responses.
Thanks in advance...
To answer one of your questions:
I'm on the ERJ based in DFW. I have enough seniority on Reserve that I fly when I want, where I want. More importantly, I don't fly when I don't want to.
So far in October I have only done 2 flights and only one of them was an overnight. Both were by choice. The rest of the time I get to sit at home and be paid guarantee. I have been able to hold a line for a couple of months now but continue to bid reserve. My QOL is very, very high right now.
Now, here is the caveat. To take advantage of that you have to get hired now. If you are sitting at the bottom of the reserve list when hiring stops you are stuck there.
The good thing about Eagle right now is that they are projected to hire upwards of 700 pilots in 2012. Assuming you get a class date for Janurary, I would say that by July you would be sitting at the top third of the reserve list in either ORD or DFW on the ERJ.