Velocipede

That backside/frontside of the clock thing can be a killer. Unless you can sleep pretty much on command, it is a tough lifestyle. Although, I have heard that the advent of "next day air" has got a lot of UPS/FDX flying shifted to daylight hours.

cma2407

It's all a matter of perspective.

With FX/UPS, you spend your early years/months flying nights. Then, many just fly primarily days as seniority allows and their careers progress. (At FX roughly 40% of the flying is days now.)

With passenger carriers, it's the opposite: When you get older (i.e. more senior), that's when you find yourself out over the Pacific in the middle of the night. That's where you'll find guys in their late 50's, high on the list, trying to get thru the backside of the clock deal.

Not that it's ever a picnic, but you could make a case that it's probably easier to adapt when you're in your 20's & 30's than later in life. IMHO

ftrplt18e

Hello everyone..this is my first post and may very well be my last. While I think this site is very good for informational purposes, the crazy ramblings that go on here have taken their toll in the few short months I’ve been reading the forum. But I have to express my feelings on one particular subject.
JUMPSEATS! First and foremost, if you are eligible to fly on my jumpseat, you may do so….no ifs ands or buts. However, if you are one of those self-centered jacka$$es(and you know who you are), that hoard your jumpseat like a little girl on the playground, and I find out about it, I will personally take you to the back of the plane and beat the pi$$ out of you. You guys truly make me sick! I have several buds at the Blue, all of them current or ex-military, and neither they nor I have spent the last 17 years fighting for this country so you can play your little power games based on your warped perceptions and try and keep some guy from putting food on his table. None of you are obviously ex-military or you would have had many blanket parties in the past or just tossed over the side of the ship. You are like those guys you hear about in flight school who keep all the gouge to themselves and only pass it around to their buds. I know you all have streets named after you i.e. ONE WAY…but get over it. Who the hell do you think you are…we are all part of the same brotherhood just trying to get by.
Now, I’ll admit I’m new to this whole civilian flying, and the whole union argument and all, but am I in America…or did this place suddenly change to communism while I was deployed? What happened to a free-market economy and capitalism? What happened to Joe Schmo being able to start a company and be able to live the “American Dream”. Have you guys ever started a company before? If you were willing to pay $400 for a job that you could get done for $100, I’m sure you weren’t in business very long. Am I afraid that VA or Jet Blue, might take more market share and in the long run my job with a Major airline might go away? Sure. But it’s no different than any other industry. The Ford plant in Norfolk is closing because someone else can do the job quicker and better. In the Navy, we are trimming costs everywhere and doing more with less. If you, or your company can’t compete with that, than you will lose. And the company I’m with may go out of business, but I’m not going to be childish and petty and keep good, honest, hard-working people JUST LIKE ME, from riding a jumpseat. In closing, I have to say that I am truly ashamed that anyone in my profession would/could be so utterly selfish. God knows I never would have gotten where I am without the help of others before me, and I will ALWAYS be there to help when I can. JUMPSEATS for all my friends.

dudemize

Good post ftrplt18e!

It is funny that a lot of people on here are very pro capitalism EXCEPT when it comes to their flying jobs. Apparently, companies like VA and JetBlue are scum because they provide a better service for cheaper and make money while they're at it.

I worked as a consulting engineer for several years and was probably compensated in the mid to upper range of my peers at other companies. I guess the ones who were paid less were scum that should have been shunned for lowering the bar.

We live in a free market society, trying to change it by having a jumpseat war is ridiculous.

bluechunks

FYI, the last year that JB reported an annual net profit was 2004. Sadly, cheap does not equal profitable.

dudemize

OK OK, you got me there...

bluechunks

Great first post!!

Two Quick thoughts:

1) Jumpseat games are stupid and accomplish nothing; fellow pilots are not the enemy.

2) At the same time we all need to take a deep breath and recall that jumpseats are a privilege and not a right (there is a difference.) Many pilots worked long and hard via their unions many years to accomplish this reciprocal privilege and ultimately it remains at Captain's discretion.

crgok9

Hey Metal, no problem. It just wasn't for me in the end so I made my choice. If you have the opportunity for one of the two...go for FDX. Overall, I feel that they treat their people better. Some people find the night side of things workable. If you go for that side of the house I hope that it works for you.

Velocipede

Exactly right, chunky. I find it laughable to be lectured by a Navy "fighter" puke who has no clue about civilian aviation.

Listen, "MAV"...come on out in the real world for 10 years or so. Keep your trap shut and eyes open and MAYBE you'll earn some respect for your opinion from those of us who were "haze gray and underway" while you were in 2nd grade.

Linebacker35

I think Karl Marx has risen from the dead and taken the form of a green guy named Velocipede

Like really you actualy get angry and take it personal when someone isnt all gung hoe about unions.

You always talk about decades of hard work that airline pilots have put in to get what they got.... well pilots from JB and the other start ups need time to earn what they deserve to.... SO instead of attacking them maybe you should offer support!