Originally Posted by
Jiggawatt
Hello all. I'm wondering if anyone has specific insight into commuting out of PDX. I'm military, retiring in the spring, and for family reasons we are strongly considering Portland. So, of course, first step is getting hired... just trying to do expectation management and focus efforts.
From looking at other threads FedEx is very commuter friendly, but I'm wondering how it truly compares with, for example, flying for DAL out of SEA (i.e. long drive to work but at least you can drive, versus definite airplane commute to MEM or elsewhere).
Also, given the retirement numbers, is there any hope of getting home trips/overnights (i.e. PDX) in a reasonable number of years (say, less than 10 years from hire)?
Thanks for any info you can provide!
I commuted PDX/MEM about a year as a new-hire until I moved to base. There are 2 flights a day to Memphis usually on the MD11. One leaves at 0600 and the other 1800. Both get in about 1230 (am and pm). Because of timing with show times/reserve times i always took the flight 18 hours prior to show (typical AM Launch shows between 0030-0130) to leave myself enough of a buffer for delays. As a junior pilot, expect 5-7 on with 3-4 off (depending on your fleet) which worked out to about 1-2 days home/week.
In my first year I held maybe 4 PDX layovers and a few west coast deadheads- almost all reserve assignments.
The PDX commute is particularly popular, I never missed a commute but always had 1-2 other commuters with me. Feel free to PM me any specific questions.