Originally Posted by
IlliniPilot99
awesome thanks for the info, although you were never in rome?? what do you mean?
ounds like pretty basic stuff that I was thinking about. This may be a stupid question but I did get a laptop for the job (wanted one anyway) what exactly will be using it for as pertains to the job (bob and simone sending us projects....?)
I was in NY only during the short training portion and after I got "dispatched," came back once or twice (for an oil change, since I was at a semi-nearby project location) during the entire season. You REALLY don't spend much time at Rome, so I think bringing a car is useless. unless you dont mind it sitting in a parking lot all winter.
Laptop is extremely useful... esp. for checking weather every morning and doing the daily report, among other things.
There is actually a lot of space for luggage. I had 5 bags.. a small roll-aboard, a duffel, a flightbag, a large tote, and a laundry bag of clothes. Looking back, I don't think I needed half the stuff I lugged around with me... just a packrat habit I guess. I had an M model, and the weight was fine (it probably helped too that I weight only 130 lbs.)
oh yeah if you're into gaming... a system of your choice comes in handy during some of those weather days.
Most hotels have a washer and dryer, if not there is usually a laundromat in town. I'd get one of those small "ultra" detergents in the beginning of the season.
Also a MUST in my opinion... GLOVES/hat/scarf/other winter gear. esp. if you get assigned in the NE during the winter. I was in the NE from Oct - Jan and having good gloves, scarf and jacket made a huge difference. Screwing/unscrewing all the camera ports take time, and sometimes when you have to clean them too. You get miserable real quick if you're doing this out in -10 degrees with no gloves on. Some guys also used an electric screwdriver to save time.
Another must-have... an ipod. Once you get used to flying the lines, you're gonna get bored real quick, as it is pretty tedious to fly straight lines for 4-8 hrs a day. My ipod really helped pass the time. I knew a guy who downloaded Family Guy into his ipod and watched it while flying his lines! lol.
as for reward points... it's one of the best perks of this job! Two of the nights I spent in Hawaii earlier this year were with those free points. SIGN UP NOW and make sure you get points for every night you stay in every hotel! enroll in Best Western crown club, Hilton HHonors, Wyndham rewards, Choice hotels, Mariott, Holiday Inn Priority Club, goldpointsplus, etc. etc. The company is paying but you can still get points because you get a credit card in your own name. I accrued tens of thousands of points on several different hotel chains in the course of one season. If possible, try to stay within 2 or 3 chains at most so your points arent scattered all over the place - for reward purposes, it's better to have 100,000 points with one hotel chain than 20,000 points each with 5 different hotel chains. oh and DONT FORGET... these rewards clubs often have promotions like, "stay between 12/1-12/30 and get triple points" or something like that. you usually have to check each hotel's reward website for that, because the reward programs dont give it out automatically.