Originally Posted by
Clue32
Hey y'all,
Does any one here commute from Europe or know of someone who successfully commutes from Europe to a U.S. Regional? Is it possible to structure your schedule after picking up open time and swapping trips to get 7-10 days off in a row? How easy is it to jumpseat to and from Germany and what are the pit-falls to watch out for?
I'm looking at getting my career back on the airline track that I intended to follow when I was in college 15 years ago. Along the way I picked up a European spouse that is now homesick. Flying Single Engine Helicopters probably won't land me an interview with the Majors, although my applications are in.
The biggest thing I've flown is a Casa 212 and I know I need turbojet airliner time if I want to succeed in the industry here in the U.S. or on the old continent. Any stories of success or nightmares would be a great help in wargaming my future.
Thanks for the Help!
Not sure if anyone has already said it, but a non-company pilot cannot sit cockpit jumpseat international on pretty much any airline I can think of (including cargo operators with the exception of Atlas/Polar).
On first year regional pay, assuming you go home only once a month, you'll basically be spending half your monthly guarantee on taxes and departure fees.
Not to discourage you further, but you will get stuck at least once or twice, and being "that guy who commutes from city xxx in Europe" and having a few call-in-honests/sick calls here and there is not going to look good while on probation.
Additionally, you should be very wary of what you're proposing in light of the new 117 rules on "acclimated." Being classified as a cabin-only jumpseater on a Europe-US flight greater than 60 degrees change in latitude, then having 8 hours in crashpad prior to a trip wouldn't be something I'd want anyone to know about if I had an incident/ASAP reportable thing happen on my trip--you don't want that on paper in front of a Fed. Not sure how they're interpreting non-acclimated commutes but it just seems unwise all around.
Either way good luck and hope I'm not overloading you with negativity--just pointing out some realities and encouraging you to strongly consider not doing this in your first year at a regional.