DCA schedule and commute - possible?
08-07-2019, 12:42 PM
#1
New Hire
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Aug 2019
Posts: 1
DCA schedule and commute - possible?
I'm a military pilot coming up on retirement. I'm neutral on continuing to fly, but it's good money, so I'm considering it.
I've already bought my retirement house 3 hours from DCA. Would it be possible - after paying my junior dues on reserve - to consistently work out a schedule where I drive to DCA once a month, fly however many consecutive days necessary, crash at a DCA hotel between trips, and then drive home? How many days of flying do you need in a month to make your hours? Thanks.
I've already bought my retirement house 3 hours from DCA. Would it be possible - after paying my junior dues on reserve - to consistently work out a schedule where I drive to DCA once a month, fly however many consecutive days necessary, crash at a DCA hotel between trips, and then drive home? How many days of flying do you need in a month to make your hours? Thanks.
08-07-2019, 12:54 PM
#2
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Mar 2014
Posts: 3,092
Honestly? No not really. You can do something like that on the international side with seniority but not domestically.
Best case for you would be a 4-day trip with one day off, another 4-day. Then some time off (maybe 10 days) and another 4-day with one day off and then a 2-day. Then a few days off. But you'd need bidding power to get it and most trips are not droppable these days, which inhibits your ability to swap.
Best case for you would be a 4-day trip with one day off, another 4-day. Then some time off (maybe 10 days) and another 4-day with one day off and then a 2-day. Then a few days off. But you'd need bidding power to get it and most trips are not droppable these days, which inhibits your ability to swap.
08-07-2019, 01:09 PM
#3
You scratched my anchor
Joined APC: Feb 2011
Posts: 4,876
Originally Posted by Anon1234
I'm a military pilot coming up on retirement. I'm neutral on continuing to fly, but it's good money, so I'm considering it.
I've already bought my retirement house 3 hours from DCA. Would it be possible - after paying my junior dues on reserve - to consistently work out a schedule where I drive to DCA once a month, fly however many consecutive days necessary, crash at a DCA hotel between trips, and then drive home? How many days of flying do you need in a month to make your hours? Thanks.
I've already bought my retirement house 3 hours from DCA. Would it be possible - after paying my junior dues on reserve - to consistently work out a schedule where I drive to DCA once a month, fly however many consecutive days necessary, crash at a DCA hotel between trips, and then drive home? How many days of flying do you need in a month to make your hours? Thanks.
08-07-2019, 05:06 PM
#5
Banned
Joined APC: Jan 2019
Posts: 271
you are worried about a 3 hour drive to work? Geez.
To answer you questions, I think it is possible to string a lot of work days together. It takes a lot of time on the trip trading app but doing 6 day stretches is 100% possible. You have to get a day off every 7 so that is the limiting factor. Throw in a nice 31 hrs in Buffalo and boom you can keep stitching trips together. Then again, you could just drive the 3 hours home and come back the next week. Your decision making is lacking and I wouldnt even apply if I was you.
To answer you questions, I think it is possible to string a lot of work days together. It takes a lot of time on the trip trading app but doing 6 day stretches is 100% possible. You have to get a day off every 7 so that is the limiting factor. Throw in a nice 31 hrs in Buffalo and boom you can keep stitching trips together. Then again, you could just drive the 3 hours home and come back the next week. Your decision making is lacking and I wouldnt even apply if I was you.
08-07-2019, 05:30 PM
#6
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jun 2017
Posts: 659
Originally Posted by Anon1234
I'm a military pilot coming up on retirement. I'm neutral on continuing to fly, but it's good money, so I'm considering it.
I've already bought my retirement house 3 hours from DCA. Would it be possible - after paying my junior dues on reserve - to consistently work out a schedule where I drive to DCA once a month, fly however many consecutive days necessary, crash at a DCA hotel between trips, and then drive home? How many days of flying do you need in a month to make your hours? Thanks.
I've already bought my retirement house 3 hours from DCA. Would it be possible - after paying my junior dues on reserve - to consistently work out a schedule where I drive to DCA once a month, fly however many consecutive days necessary, crash at a DCA hotel between trips, and then drive home? How many days of flying do you need in a month to make your hours? Thanks.
There are tons of people working normal jobs who spend 1-2 hours per day commuting. 7-14 per week.
08-07-2019, 05:33 PM
#7
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,483
If you’re three hours from DCA how far are you from IAD or BWI?
And I’ll agree with the sentiment of other posters, you’re looking at this the wrong way. Plenty of guys at all carriers who would kill for a three hour driving commute.
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And I’ll agree with the sentiment of other posters, you’re looking at this the wrong way. Plenty of guys at all carriers who would kill for a three hour driving commute.
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08-07-2019, 07:26 PM
#9
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Dec 2013
Position: A320 CA
Posts: 2,297
First off, since you’re on the fence about the job, you need to stop thinking like an active duty military pilot. You’re basically saying you’d rather be away from your family for 14 days than do 6 hours of driving a week.
I occasionally back trips up together, fly home 2 hours, drive home 45 minutes and then fly back to my base the next day just to get a night home.
This job is way better than active duty, I can say that I enjoy my 4 to 5 hour commute better than any Monday morning driving 10 minutes to work while on active duty.
To answer your question though, you can back up about 6 days of work pretty easily. More than that is doable but get tricky because you need 30 hours off after about 6 or 7 days. There are trips with 30 hour layovers, that count, but not easy to bring all the pieces together, so count on just 6 or 7 days straight. You could do that twice a month...eventually.
I occasionally back trips up together, fly home 2 hours, drive home 45 minutes and then fly back to my base the next day just to get a night home.
This job is way better than active duty, I can say that I enjoy my 4 to 5 hour commute better than any Monday morning driving 10 minutes to work while on active duty.
To answer your question though, you can back up about 6 days of work pretty easily. More than that is doable but get tricky because you need 30 hours off after about 6 or 7 days. There are trips with 30 hour layovers, that count, but not easy to bring all the pieces together, so count on just 6 or 7 days straight. You could do that twice a month...eventually.
