If this person displaces to a 737 or 320, they will likely get SLC which is not a bad place to hang out, even in training. Again, no seat lock either.

A month on VA never bothered me. Lots of running and time spent at the GO fitness center and no redeyes. Its not like the time there is challenging anymore. I was always able to make it home for two days during my career, quite often had 3 days off between 4 on. In many ways with PS it was better than being on the road and working.

This person should fly the 757. It will be the last plane they ever get to fly with 200 pax that climbs at 4000 fpm in the teens. Its the best airliner we have ever had, its downhill after that (systems engineer/programmer). Everyone needs to have flown the 757 once.

 

Yawwwwn. Who the heck cares? Does anybody really get a kick from their VSI? Or by getting to cruise in 15 minutes instead of 20? It’s a transport category aircraft, it’s not going to be thrilling based on performance.

Also, you are just as much a programmer on the 757 as on any other fleet.

Bid an aircraft for base, pay, comfort, trips, or seniority. But do not bid it for “performance.”

 

I enjoyed flying it when I did. Roomy, reliable, 767 destinations etc. I recently jumpseated on a 757-300 and realized how archaic the flight deck was and that's a perspective from a 737 driver. I realized the thing I enjoyed was the variety like pro team charters, Europe, Asia (gyoza at the spiral staircase) efficient transcon trips, Alaska, Hawaii, Caribean etc. not manually setting speed bugs on a round dial.

 

Absolutely. Comfort, charters, and destinations are great reasons to enjoy an airplane. A number on a VSI is not.

 

That said, speaking as a guy who's flown the 7ER, 73N and 320, it is nice to be able to comfortably climb above weather in the 7ER that I would be getting beat up in waiting to get lighter in the 321.

Or being able to meaningfully impact arrival time without riding right at the overspeed warning.

757 has a much wider mach band it's happy in at normal operating weights. Planned for cost index 40? Crazy EDCT or deice delays? 80 or 100 will usual shave a good chunk of that off on a transcon while still being able to land above planned fuel. 757 doesn't seem to really get crazy with the gas burn until you go above .81

But its also happy flying at CI 0, down at .74.

 

flown 75/73. I would drop all those in a heartbeat for the comfy 320 flight deck. Unfortunately they do the preponderance of red eyes out of lax. Sucks

 

Is reserve going junior on the ER? As much as I would love to fly the ER, I think commuting to reserve would be a deal breaker.

 

A couple points of order.

They may or may not get SLC for an IQ as everything I had seen was they would be doing CQ only in SLC. Obviously that could change down the road.

I’ve done two long schools and two short schools in my time at Delta. In both of the long schools (month long footprint) I could make it home 3 or 4 times in the month, but for never more than 36-40 hours per visit. One short course was a 5 lesson 7 day long footprint which I did not make it home during. The other short course was 9 events (including DCLC) and a 14 day footprint. I could only make it home for one period of 30 hours. And I am one who always goes home even if it’s only for 30 hours. This is why VA sucks. You basically don’t see your family for a month.

You are correct in saying what we are there to do is not challenging anymore, but that had/has very little to do with the Virginia Ave suck factor. Me personally I would never choose an airplane that is going to knowingly force me back to a month long training event in a couple of years. The ER flying out west isn’t even on the same planet of coolness that it was 5-10 years ago, and it’s going to quickly continue to wind down out west.

And also be warned you have very little control over the scheduling during that month. At least now with the new monthly AEs you have a real good idea as to when that month will be.

To the OP:
Welcome to Delta! You are going to love it! I just want you to be aware that our training footprints leave something to be desired and historically are much worse for West Coasters. By picking the ER, you will guarantee yourself a second month long trip to the school house in your first couple years.

 

Flying 10 hours to eat gyouza at the spiral staircase is a culinary crime against humanity. I don’t get the unsophisticated food palate of people who fly all over the world/country - to some of the best food cities in the world. There are places all over Japan (around Narita nonetheless) that hand-make gyouza. And yet people rave about the all-you-can-eat frozen gyouza that you can actually buy in the USA, from the same company that the spiral staircase uses, even at Costco. You only need to go to the spiral staircase once to know that you just wasted a meal opportunity in Japan. If you aren’t going to bed disappointed after the spiral staircase then I implore you to venture out and expand your horizons. There are some seriously good food places in Japan. The spiral staircase is not one of them.

 

I never said I was sophisticated and yes, I liked the gyoza at the spiral. I've had others too. The texture was a real treat. Just the right amount of crisp on the fry without loosing the rest to over steam cooked. And the price was right. My brother in law is Korean, he liked it too. Sorry for the enjoyment. I'll do better to find distain in the usual haunts. Is it OK to still eat cheese from the bakery across from Notre Dame? They only serve 4 fresh cut varieties not like the snooty shops on Rue Cler. Oh, and the price...is...right.