Apokleros

Interesting...are new hires doing initial ground on the Dash and thence immediately upgrading into the jet? What is CQF? Sorry I have never heard of that term before.

What happens if one gets the jet for initial and then wants to upgrade?

I am nearing 31, and won't have 1000 SIC until early 2017. I see potential in C5 and don't want to wait two more years to upgrade at my current shop.

Eugenelee1987

New hires are both jet and dash, mostly jet.

You can upgrade into either fleet as long as opening is there. More preference into jet as dash is a dying breed.

CQF is captain qualified FO. Basically youre qualified as captian but bid as cqf to fly as FO. You can have good line instead of reserve but being that youll be low on seniority as a newhire id rather get paid captain pay on reserve than have crappy line or reserve as FO. You can pick up captain flying if youd like.


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Apokleros

I see, thanks. Are the reserve schedules manageable for commuters? I'll be coming from Chicago if so.

Eugenelee1987

Sorry not sure never sat reserve. Its usually dependent upon seniority and you will be able to commute on one end. Bidding late afternoon starts should let you commute same day.


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No Lies

CommutAir will buy you 4 hotel rooms every month if you need one for the commute. Most lines are AM or PM lines from what I saw. You will either be able to commute in the night before and get off in the afternoon on the last day or commute in on an early flight and spend the night on the last day and then commute home the next day.

From ORD to IAD you should be good with several flights a day, but it is hub to hub and they will be full.

N6279P

Do yourself a huge favor and choose a regional with a Chicago base. The hub to hub commute will be miserable. Don't do it.

FDX8891

I'm doing a hub to hub commute...

They paid me $15000 to do it.

They immediately upgraded me to do it.

They gave me a line (a commutable one at that) right out of upgrade to do it.

They offered me the CPP to do it.

They gave me commuter rooms to do it.

If I had not taken this opportunity, I'd be a 5 year FO with no upgrade/career progression in sight, but hey I'd be living in base!

Different strokes for different folks man. IMO, short term pain=long term gain.

DO WHATS BEST FOR YOU.

joe hokie

I do a United hub-to-hub commute. With the 4 free commuter rooms, it's a none issue for me. Plus with the commuter clause in our contract is solid. If I have trouble; the company has even has positive spaced me a couple of times.

But to each his own. Living in base is nice.

To my mind; there are many positives to offset the commute.

Whoop

True, United Hub to Hub can sometimes be tough, but there's also American (16 flights per day ORD to EWR between the two airlines- for a Tuesday I checked in January) and if you go out of MDW- Southwest to EWR.

Also truthful, only United flies nonstop to IAD and way fewer flights per day. However, I know of people who will sometimes commute into/out of DCA.

So like someone else said, to each their own. It has to be right for your situation.

CommutAir does allow you to take other airlines into account for your commute.

Like many places, there are great people here!

Personally, I'm commuting from the Midwest for a quick upgrade. I have at least 3 regionals I could've applied to driving distance from my house with no commute. However, I'd also be a First Officer for another 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 years. Due to 9/11, contract negotiations and airline bankruptcy- I already have 5 1/2 years 121 FO experience- I didn't want any more). Here, I got called for upgrade even before my FO IOE was scheduled (some are being called in ground school- timing varies).

You definitely have lots of options.

Feel free to PM me if you have more questions.

Whoop

stratocoaster - PM sent.

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