I had already checked in and paid for a hotel in LAX by the time I got the trip.

2Stg, what did you do? Eat the LAX hotel and Uber across town? Or are you going to try your luck tomorrow?

With an 0500 report, you're probably already off the net, haha

Character building trip. Sounds awful, who builds these rotations?

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https://www.wanderu.com/en/bus-ticke...us-ca/ontario/

https://www.rome2rio.com/s/Los-Angel...Ontario-CA-USA

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What, what builds these rotations?, it's neither human nor pretends to be. It is a computer algorithm that has no concept of time or body. It dutifully crunches numbers to the most efficient solution for the given parameters. The parameters are FARs, no more and no less. Quality of life isn't even a concept because life isn't a concept and quality is a subjective judgement applied by humans. There is an equation and a result, period.

Well, I scheduled an airport van service for a 3:35 AM pickup. Waking up at 3 am for a 4 leg day is making me miss my trans-con commute. And getting in after the last flight out of ONT at the end of the trip will feel just as good :D

You might call the guys who work crew rotation team for ALPA. Chat with them a bit and report back. You will find the above statement false almost all the time.

Hi-ho, Hi-ho....
 

Correct. Rotations are constructed by a team of malicious dwarves, living in a cave under Virginia Avenue. It all started when some pilots participated in a dwarf-tossing competition at a sleazy bar, and brought down a curse upon us all. :D

So you're saying humans took away 1 and 2 day trips and built less commutable front end and back end trips for the sake of productivity and continue to do so? Not buying it. The RCC can make requests all day but if the staffing doesn't support it we are SOL.

The optimizer wonkulator will always build for efficiency, not human factors. The slow degradation of trips since 117 shows the real effect on QOL. Mid-rotation redeyes with a 10 hour day stay, 5 days on domestic narrow-bodies, international trips with domestic days on both ends etc. So many examples of the "staffing crunch" forcing efficiency.

Please name these "people" so I can thank them in person when I come across them.

Send this Delta dude an email and request a subscription to his B-737 study guide. It's not the same as the D.C. Guide fir the 75/76, but it's a great tie together of Boeing stuff with DL proceedures. Used to be free, but I think he may accept donations [email protected]

For outhouse trivia ( and some great tips to store in brain RAM) Google the 737 technical site. It's U.K. based, but plenty of input from U.S pilots too. The dual engine flameout tips are verified accurate by me in a 737-800 ( simulator that is). Great fun for extra sim time.