Family and Flying
12-17-2012, 08:15 AM
#21
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,809
Originally Posted by MaydayMark
In my 25 years in the airline business I've only ever missed one Christmas and I never missed a Thanksgiving (missed many New Years but that's not very high on my personal list). In order to say that I had to fly some pretty crummy lines and a few of those were layovers at home; layover at home are OK).
I would bid around my son's sporting and school events, I was able to attend many (maybe most?) of them.
I'm not sure the family appreciates the sacrifices I've made to do my best to try to be there for important family events but I know I have done my best ...
And ... they got to live in a VERY NICE neighborhood with VERY good schools, and the wife will have a VERY NICE RETIREMENT if she chooses to stay married for a few more years
I would bid around my son's sporting and school events, I was able to attend many (maybe most?) of them.
I'm not sure the family appreciates the sacrifices I've made to do my best to try to be there for important family events but I know I have done my best ...
And ... they got to live in a VERY NICE neighborhood with VERY good schools, and the wife will have a VERY NICE RETIREMENT if she chooses to stay married for a few more years
12-17-2012, 01:13 PM
#23
Line Holder
Joined APC: Sep 2006
Posts: 48
Originally Posted by HercDriver130
I have been doing this flying thing (with a break or two) for the better part of 27 years. The wife has been there ALL the way..... pretty rare in this industry. I work at a Supp Carrier where we are gone 17 then home 13/14...... and for US... this is far better than any other schedule I have had. It works for us... certainly not for everyone. The wife has ALWAYS supported my desire to work in this industry and yes sometimes its difficult, but what situation isn't. I take extra care to spend time with my kids and the wife doing what they want to do when I am home. Good luck.
12-17-2012, 04:06 PM
#24
New Hire
Joined APC: Jan 2008
Posts: 3
Not the pilot....just the wife. Do you love your job? I know my husband does. Do I love Memphis? No, but I love my husband and my daughter more. We spent time in the military and time at the regionals. We had our daughter her in Memphis. (Just setting the record straight) The more you love what you do... the more we love you! Christmas is not a date but the time you spend with your family. Enjoy the benefits of both... the great flying and brotherhood and the family that supports you.
12-17-2012, 08:04 PM
#25
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2007
Position: 767 Trunk Monkey
Posts: 562
I live in domicile & love it. That allows me to get some excellent flying (aka avoiding the zombie a.m. hub turns) while still fairly junior (70% in seat). And--pretty hilarious--my spousal unit & I actually experienced "adjustment issues" due to my being around the house too much--compared to the previous 22 years on AF active-duty. Nice to have those problems, BTW.
[Note: In return for my wife's sacrifice to live in-domicile and make my flying career easier, every year or so I send her back home (out West) for a few weeks where she can enjoy the Rockies and truly cold water coming out of the cold-water faucet.]
For us, dates on a calendar don't define birthdays, aniversaries, and holidays. Our family council--and Mom & Dad's availability--determines which day is celebrated as Christmas. So Merry Christmas...whenever you celebrate it.
(Or Hannuka, Kwanzaa, whatever)
[Note: In return for my wife's sacrifice to live in-domicile and make my flying career easier, every year or so I send her back home (out West) for a few weeks where she can enjoy the Rockies and truly cold water coming out of the cold-water faucet.]
For us, dates on a calendar don't define birthdays, aniversaries, and holidays. Our family council--and Mom & Dad's availability--determines which day is celebrated as Christmas. So Merry Christmas...whenever you celebrate it.
(Or Hannuka, Kwanzaa, whatever)
Last edited by Dadof6; 12-17-2012 at 08:24 PM. Reason: quid pro quo
12-17-2012, 08:59 PM
#26
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2008
Posts: 204
To make the kind of money we make, I'd be gone a lot more than I am now if I had a non-aviation job. I don't understand people's attitude towards our job. I see and hear the attitude plenty. If your primary (spouse) wants you home more, move to a domicile or down bid and get real senior. I've made that offer plenty of times. "How much of a pay cut are you comfortable with to improve my home time." Easy. Beats being on deployment to the Persian Gulf in July (or these days, the sand box).
12-18-2012, 03:11 AM
#27
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2007
Position: 744 CA
Posts: 4,772
Originally Posted by 40atDOOR
Not the pilot....just the wife. Do you love your job? I know my husband does. Do I love Memphis? No, but I love my husband and my daughter more. We spent time in the military and time at the regionals. We had our daughter her in Memphis. (Just setting the record straight) The more you love what you do... the more we love you! Christmas is not a date but the time you spend with your family. Enjoy the benefits of both... the great flying and brotherhood and the family that supports you.
12-18-2012, 04:12 PM
#28
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Dec 2010
Posts: 3,090
Originally Posted by Dadof6
I live in domicile & love it. That allows me to get some excellent flying (aka avoiding the zombie a.m. hub turns) while still fairly junior (70% in seat). And--pretty hilarious--my spousal unit & I actually experienced "adjustment issues" due to my being around the house too much--compared to the previous 22 years on AF active-duty. Nice to have those problems, BTW.
12-18-2012, 07:37 PM
#29
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2007
Position: 767 Trunk Monkey
Posts: 562
Originally Posted by threeighteen
Reserve or a line?
Pre-4a2b, Reserve used to be great--work an average of 1 out of every 3 days, and able to shift or drop days fairly easily. Now, however, reserve stinks--truly indentured servitude since you can rarely (if ever) drop or move R days, especially during peak but even through a lot of the rest of the year. [Note: YMMV depending on your seat & base]. These days, R24 = Hotel Standby in MEM.
That leaves me with only one option--guess what?--if I really need to do something on a specific day with the family.
Unfortunately, it's been a long time since the MEC or Negotiating Committee have enjoyed the "privilege" of sitting reserve, since we have had movement on many other parts of the CBA, EXCLUDING reserve.
But I digress... What currently works for me is that most months I start with a terrible line, but rebuild by dropping and trading trips. (Again--a luxury I have due to living in domicile--not easy at all for commuters) I don't get a lot of sleep the first few days of Open Time, since our atrocious trip trade system is so extremely user-friendly and efficient.
And my wife hates that I hawk Open Time so much, but she deals with it. My $0.02 only...
12-19-2012, 04:11 AM
#30
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,433
Originally Posted by Dadof6
Unfortunately, it's been a long time since the MEC or Negotiating Committee have enjoyed the "privilege" of sitting reserve, since we have had movement on many other parts of the CBA, EXCLUDING reserve. But I digress...
But I digress... 
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