Regarding the camping trips...

Most regionals require a minimum rest and a hotel on a stand-up, ie no camping trips. The reason for this is that true redeye operations are totally incompatible with the regional lifestyle...you normally end up back in domicile, which means you go home every day to try and sleep. Try doing five redeyes in a row, then two days off...when you attempt to switch cycles to enjoy your family you destroy yourself.

Major airline redeyes frequently layover somewhere else, and they work fewer days and get more days off. It's a lot easier to stay on cycle in a nice dark hotel room than to go home to your family and attempt to sleep.

I did both good (east coast w/ hotel) and bad (LAS camping trips) standups...there is no way that you can possibly have a life doing camping trips...I was walking zombie and by the time I got re-adjusted and started to feel good, it was time to go back to work...

Only a true night-shift person could thrive in that environment...I have never met one of those in the airline business. Most pilots have families, friends, and lives...most night-shift types do not.