DCA base info
 

Looking for insight into the DCA base as a new hire from the perspective of living in domicile there and not commuting. I understand I may not get it out of training but it looks like it can be held relatively quickly? What are the trips like? How are the crews? Chief pilot? Overall feel? Do you cover trips at IAD also? Anybody live to the west in Loudoun County? I know it is a smaller narrow body base but little else. Thanks for the info.

One of the coolest bases in the system. It's a small base, so everyone gets to know each other there. You should be able to hold it at the next vacancy which should be effective in June. We've done some hiring into DCA recently and some of those guys have bid out. The Chief there is one of the best in the system. Very fair guy. You'll also cover IAD and BWI. It's a Domestic status so no international stuff except Canada and maybe some Mexico fly through flying. It's a great place to be if you live local.

Thanks. How much of the work is out of IAD or BWI vs. DCA? Is that seasonal?

It depends. On RSV, it's anyone's guess. Once you get to a line you can preference bid DCA trips. I only spent a month there, but I did one IAD trip and the rest were DCA. It's year round out of all 3.

The departure airports depend on what equipment. I'm 320, so almost always DCA. I try to bid IAD trips (I live a 15 from IAD), but have only gotten 1 trip in 3 years. Never had a BWI trip in that time, even on reserve. I've heard the 737 trips originate from all 3.

I live in Loudoun. The prices here are outrageous for real estate and taxes, and keep in mind small towns add their own taxes on top of that (town of Leesburg is the big one). Traffic sucks pretty much around the clock. But there is a reason people are moving here in droves.

PM me for more info.

I also live in Loudoun about 10mins north/west from IAD. Ashburn/Leesburg area. Currently a 737 CA always trying to fly IAD trips and actually I’ve been quite lucky in getting at least half of my awarded trips out of IAD every month, at 70% bid status. The IAD flying has remained stable, it’s a very small percentage of the total flying but there are some decent lines. We lost Miami early this year but they put a 737 on the early am to CLT and the last flight back to IAD so we stayed consistent.
AA flies out of IAD to DFW, LAX and CLT.
When on reserve you will cover all 3 airports. Majority of flying is DCA followed by BWI then IAD. I’d say it’s a 65/30/5% split between the three. Much of the open time (when there is open time, lol) tends to be out of BWI, for some reason those trips pop open all the time. Beware the 0500 departures out of BWI and DCA...ugh.
Good luck, you’ll hold DCA base fairly quickly if not right off the bat, it tends to go to new hires every so often. Great base, great Chief and great folks.
House prices in Loudoun, that’s a different story. Better start saving up! :D
Schools are fantastic. Lots to do with the family. Love living here.

Fingers crossed I can get all those 0400 reports out of bwi. Live in Millersville MD. Not qualified on the bus yet, but bid for a schedule for dec. 15 bwi trips and was awarded zero at 70% looks like about 20 pilots are moving on to other things on the dec and march vacancy bid. Let the Movement get fn bonkers!!

I think we might be neighbors!

Ssssuuuup!

Just curious,
You were looking for info on the Sim instructor side of the house, here you talk like you are a pilot new-hire.
Take the flying job, way better money if that is what your goal is.