Originally Posted by
Request20Right
Is variety something really improtant to consider, or is an airplane an airplane at the end of the day?
Only you can answer that. I like the Guppy at UAL because we do a mix of flying, from short hops to transcons to Etops (Hawaii) and Central/ S America (if you're IAH based.) Personally, at about the five hour mark, I kinda want to be off the airplane, so our Hawaii and transcon flying is perfect for me. But we're all different. Some guys love the WB flying and some can't handle the circadian rhythm adjustments. Personally, once the excitement of a new type wears off, I think an airplane is generally...an airplane. But you might feel differently.
Originally Posted by
Request20Right
What I value the most is schedule flexibility
Then you should stay right where you are. I was at SWA for a hot second (left for UAL in the middle of training) and I'm amazed at how much control my forner classmates now have over their schedules. We have plenty of trip trading at UAL but it's not anywhere near as game-changing as ELITT/ etc.
Originally Posted by
Request20Right
and the ability to make great money for the most time off.
I never cease to be amazed at how little flying my WB buddies at UAL do. A few good friends are junior Triple FOs on reserve, and they're making Year 2-4 FO pay while flying one trip a month (or less.) One of my buddies hasn't flown an airplane outside of landing class (sims) for the past 6 months. Me personally, I'd be bored out of my mind sitting at home. And when you do get a trip as a junior WB FO, you're a bunkie...so you're not doing the takeoff, landing, or really much of anything in terms of actually flying the airplane. That existence, for some, is paradise. Me personally, I'd be bored ****less. But, the point is -- no matter the type of flying you want, we have it here at UAL.
And, of course, since you're only 30, you'll have plenty of time to get more senior and be able to hold a decent flying line on a WB. This, of course, pretty much means that you're gonna need to either live in, or commute to, SFO or EWR.
If you were one of my former SWA classmates with only 7 months on property, I'd say 'come on over, the water's fine.' But just realize that if you apply today, and are hired, you will be giving up *a ton* of seniority at SWA. Currently at UAL it's about 6-8 months from CJO date to indoc, so if you applied tomorrow and snagged a Dec/Jan interview, you're looking at fall of 2025 before you'd be on property. That's not a decision I'd be too eager to make.
But if you really want to do the longhaul stuff, then you've gotta apply. Is it worth the hit to your seniority? Only you can answer that...