C17B74

Super emphasis items above that I missed and have cherry picked from Swakid8 (Good Work). Totally awesome to come home for a lengthy period and keep the hangar doors completely shut (or not, many folks here have their own planes). It’s pay to play at times no doubt, but I can actually finish projects or plan for events based on my lifestyle. Not a working for the weekend kind of guy, sometimes chilling with my wife til 3-4AM and sleeping past noon. I can stay up all night/am catch my Gateway flight mid morning (a bit tired) to my base and lights out til my wake up call 10-12 hours later, just something that works for me specifically.

Despite some other cargo outfits having a travel bank as my friends have mentioned, I always reply with: I can jockey for a specific flight/seat (like my friends) most of the time as the company books it, if the flight CANCELS, BREAKS, DELAYED for WX or whatever act of the Big Man Above = Teflon, Nothing sticks to me and they either rebook something else or I will await a call from a hotel or my house... (doesn’t happen often I know, but will you make it is never in question-who cares) Same goes for going home. If I need rest, they book me a room and I leave homeward bound whenever. Most of the time I jet home of course. Overall, at most places half of the pressure is just getting to your job as you know. I rant on this because it can be a big deal. If you live in base cuz that just happens to be your dream location, you win - always! Nothing more dangerous than a man with options.

It’s a big deal for me and I provide “Maximum Effort” when I use it, including as Alternate Travel, but that’s another story.

BrazilBusDriver

Forgot to mention earlier that Atlas covers hotels if you're on short call reserve, even in base/at your gateway airport - so no crash pads. That's a pretty big plus in the Atlas QOL column.

Celeste

It all depends on what you think QOL is. You will have 17 day trips. Some airframes will give you the option for shorter trips, but it all depends. Not having to jumpseat to work is a huge stress relief, however, if you're unfortunate enough to have a 2 or 3 leg commute you will lose a day off on the front end of the trip due to the fact we have to have 10 hours of rest after gateway travel before our first leg. If you're commuting in 3 times a month, that means you're losing 3+ more nights at home. And there's lots of extra fun to be had when your 17 day trip gets extended to 20 days, but if you're counting on picking up open time for money that probably won't happen as there's not much FO open time these days.

Don't come here for the money haha, unless that magical new contract happens. Last year I was a captain at my regional for the first 3 months, and here for almost 9 months and the W2s were within $500 of each other... and I'm gone from home notably more than I was at the regionals.

The flying is more fun/interesting than RJ Life. Right now with covid some destinations are really no bueno, but hopefully covid won't last forever. Not being locked in a hotel room (literally locked in a room like a prisoner in some cases) for days at a time would improve QOL quite a bit and make 17 day trips a lot more tolerable

AfriFO

Great info here. Curious if anyone has any info to share here or in a PM about working on the 747 or 777 but living abroad? Is it manageable? Any complaints etc.
Thanks in advance.

C17B74

COVID has put a damper on those living abroad no doubt. Like most everything, this too shall pass. We have numerous folks living abroad and from what I gather, when able they obviously bid trips that start closer East Coast or Left Coast closer to home. A gent who lives in Portugal and another in Luxembourg are based JFK so that’s relatively easiest for them and sometimes he manages to just end trips in Europe based on the bid they were able to obtain (Cancel last DH leg to U.S. from Europe). One of our guys gets tickets from Guadalajara Mexico to ANC being cheaper than from LAX so they take care of him. (Long flights, but free). Our fleet of folks residing in the Far East side of the Ring of Fire have had a tough run for a year like many others. Many locked out of their countries of residence for many many months. They managed quite well before this debacle and it truly opens your eyes to consequences/challenges living abroad. I myself do not and this 747 info is from what I have gathered flying with them. I debated about living abroad while still doing this gig - seemed very doable at that time.

Flydafe

the first year of pay 50 hours seems tough but second on some frames comes with a considerable raise plus more min guarantee hours. It’s tough to hear that you are gone more than when you was at the regional. Is that because you might be on the 777 or 747?

C17B74

Additional info regarding Gateway: Before the “RONA”, if I was able to find the right departure time on working day one, I could squeeze in a flight with 10 hr prior rest (provided the line of course) RONA chopped flight availability substantially... Now I leave on latest night flight before if not DH day 1, but definitely choose a line which arrives early enuff on the last day to have several shots of going home. Your trip can change no doubt, but our base ends up with quite a few lines ending between 0700-1300L last day. Ample time to saunter homebound.

Caveat - Remember the old adage “Seniority is everything” to get your preferred line. Seniority at this place does not hold the strength like at others, but it does have some merit.

*Extensions = I have been extended twice in 3 years. 1 full day and the other only by a few hours $. Maybe others are getting EL ScreewDoe, not me so much.

AfriFO

Thanks for the info. Yeah I figured it's hard to gage or predict what it will be like with Rona. I was curious for those living in the far east, as that may be my situation in a few years and I was wondering if it would be possible working on the 747 or 777.

yrbroom

Not OP but even the 767 now I was home more at the regional. 17-18 off vs 14 if I’m lucky here. Can’t complain because I’m happy to have found a soft landing during covid.

C17B74

Definitely doable on the 747 as I have met several living in the Philippines, Thailand, Shanghai, Hong Kong, etc. Probably Korea and Japan as well but I haven’t met any that I can recall - living expenses are much higher comparably but still doable.