Originally Posted by
SetVap
I disagree.
As a PHX based pilot I love the PHX base. I love the crews here, I don't mind the trips, even when they are unproductive, because I get to drive to work, park in the terminal parking garage, and walk a few hundred feet to the departure gate.
I love that whenever I request runway 8/26 I have only been told no once, I love that I have met and flown with almost every pilot and flight attendant in the base, and I love that I fly the E175, even when the APU, Bleeds, Seat 3C, 4D, and 20F and forward coffee pot don't work.
The best advice I have for any new hire or someone considering it here is much like BLS has said - it is what you make of it. Does it suck when the APU doesn't work? Yeah but I have that checklist memorized by heart now and life goes on. Are there pilots here that a lot of people complain about? Yeah, but I go into every trip with a positive attitude and open mind and wouldn't you know it that I get along with every pilot I have flown with so far - and that includes the LCA that a lot of guys don't like in PHX, and even the recent SEA transfer.
If you find that certain pilots on here seem to be constantly complaining and negative then you should realize that they're probably not a good source of info.
Who cares if the base doesn't make sense?! It makes a hell of a lot of sense to me because I get to drive to work and not commute time zones which others on here apparently enjoy doing.
Truthfully - the worst part about PHX is an overweight Mr. Belvudere look alike that has a **** poor attitude and wears a grey Delta vest that's two sizes too small. He refuses to smile, and takes it upon himself to be the worst gate agent at all of Delta. Nothing pleases me more than flashing the biggest **** eating grin every time I see his miserable face.
Yep. Most of you guys are pretty awesome. Hop over on any other forum and its nonstop bickering or serious attitudes about everything. We came to Phoenix so I could finish CFI, instruct, and then figure out what to do after that. My wife has decided she really likes her job and doesn't want to leave for at least a few more years, and I won't move for a regional, so we're staying here. And hey, even if Compass only has 2-3 good years left, fine by me. Worst case scenario, I take my type and 121 hours elsewhere, and my wife might agree to moving again too haha. I'm still holding out hope. There are only a few airlines I would consider: Republic (but what's the point of permanently having to commute East?), Compass (if they'll actually call me and the next class isn't half a year away...), and Skywest. And the only reasons I'm considering Skywest now is they raised their pay to a decent level, have the potential to be based in the West, and I have an interview.
Originally Posted by
week
Eh the way I see it:
Live in PHX, PHX based:
Cons
Very slim pickings on trips, few reserve guys so line holders are more likely to be reassigned, average trip credit is 4:00-4:30 per day meaning 11/12 days off per month, maybe 13/14 if you’re lucky. Every trip is delta so every day you either wake up at 4 to start your morning with FLT CTRL NO DISP or you end up waiting 2 hours for your late inbound plane. MELs, mechanical issues, upset passengers, 50% of your flights depart delayed, 75% if you’re not on the launch flights. Every turnaround is done as fast as possible.
Pros
You get to drive to work, and know your crews
Live in PHX, based in LAX
Pros
Enournous trip variety and selections. Massive amounts of open time, trip trading, even some dropping. More trips available to fit within your PBS criteria. American flying, meaning trips that go off without a hitch, depart on time, have reasonable turn times, and usually have great credit/TAFB ratios. Score 14-17 days off regularly, dropping the victory laps to make your commute easier. Tens of commutable flights every day, some on company metal with guaranteed seats, short flight.
Cons
You spend 2 hours a week commuting, and don’t know the crews that well.
Well again, I live in Phoenix. 11-12 days off would be great. I'm pretty much doing 6-7 days a week instructing, so even when I do randomly take days off, I don't even know what to do with myself. Twelve seems to be pretty standard across any regional. If I go to Skywest, guaranteed I'll be commuting multiple states away, probably to reserve, and that takes more money out of my pocket and also pretty much eats up any days off I have between trips. It will take over a year to bid into Phoenix, just to be on reserve again. Most likely I'd have to go to DTW or ORD, and slowly work back to the West. I could maybe eventually end up in California, after months of reserve and hopping, and then commute to LAX or wherever for another half a year. So I could hold west coast before I ever could with Skywest, and I could be in Phoenix before I ever could at Skywest. And I'm more or less used to waking up early and having changing schedules due to the variety of flying I've had to do while instructing. Plus, waking up that early means I can beat the traffic and get to PHX in about 25 minutes.