Aging and commuting
08-07-2017 | 01:15 AM
#32
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 118
Likes: 0
Using miles later this year with award miles in confirmed business class seats.
08-07-2017 | 06:41 AM
#33
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 113
Likes: 0
From: A320 Left.
Look, I'm just trying to get some experiences here, not get in a debate (I never debate without a little bourbon...it loosens me up to listen better). The data provided by NASA studies are performed by people smarter than you and me, are thorough, and pretty darn conclusive. Their data does reference pilots vs the average population and the term breakdown was my term, not theirs (I'm trying to keep it layman's terms). Let's not treat this like advanced snowflakes whose feelings of sensitivity about age and mortality are a factor. You know how quickly rockets will fly sideways in these forums.
All I am doing is seeking the experience from commuting from professional pilots who commute before and after work, especially across multiple time zones (which often results in shorter overnights before the assignment begins than they have during the assignment). And to see the results of how it affects them as they age.
The simple fact is that if you take a group of 100 pilots age 30 and a group of 100 pilots age 50, there WILL be a difference in health and stamina stacked rather well in favor of the 30-somethings. Anyone who disputes this is in denial or just has to do a little studying. I don't care about people's red herrings, their little felings or whatever. Just the facts, the facts and nothing but the facts. There are 60 year-old men who can bench press more than many high school kids, does that mean we should put them on the gridiron to play football with them? Let's keep things factual and real here.
Now, back to the issue at hand....
All I am doing is seeking the experience from commuting from professional pilots who commute before and after work, especially across multiple time zones (which often results in shorter overnights before the assignment begins than they have during the assignment). And to see the results of how it affects them as they age.
The simple fact is that if you take a group of 100 pilots age 30 and a group of 100 pilots age 50, there WILL be a difference in health and stamina stacked rather well in favor of the 30-somethings. Anyone who disputes this is in denial or just has to do a little studying. I don't care about people's red herrings, their little felings or whatever. Just the facts, the facts and nothing but the facts. There are 60 year-old men who can bench press more than many high school kids, does that mean we should put them on the gridiron to play football with them? Let's keep things factual and real here.
Now, back to the issue at hand....
08-07-2017 | 04:59 PM
#34
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 324
Likes: 0
From: Q400, B-737
Bingo!
Commuting for seven years so far. Man, I can't wait to stop.
It's not a big deal, I approach it with a good attitude, and I've been able to rent my own room, have a local car, and generally feel like I sorta "live" in base too. So, it's not really stressful. Yeah, once in a while it goes sideways, but that's aviation.
What bothers me is when I look at my home life, and how much of that time I lose to commuting. I could spend sooo much more time at home if I were living in base.
So what's the problem?
Over the years, I've slowly lost the sense of continuity I had in my "home" life. The wife and I are fine, but the flow from one set of days off to the next for me has been damaged. I feel as if when I get home, I'm starting all over again. What project do I need to do, where is the new stack of bills, who are we seeing tomorrow?
I want that to end, and to feel that I can pick up where I left off, instead of being in the wrong bed, again, over sixty percent of the time.
49 years old, hope to be home based in about two.
Commuting for seven years so far. Man, I can't wait to stop.
It's not a big deal, I approach it with a good attitude, and I've been able to rent my own room, have a local car, and generally feel like I sorta "live" in base too. So, it's not really stressful. Yeah, once in a while it goes sideways, but that's aviation.
What bothers me is when I look at my home life, and how much of that time I lose to commuting. I could spend sooo much more time at home if I were living in base.
So what's the problem?
Over the years, I've slowly lost the sense of continuity I had in my "home" life. The wife and I are fine, but the flow from one set of days off to the next for me has been damaged. I feel as if when I get home, I'm starting all over again. What project do I need to do, where is the new stack of bills, who are we seeing tomorrow?
I want that to end, and to feel that I can pick up where I left off, instead of being in the wrong bed, again, over sixty percent of the time.
49 years old, hope to be home based in about two.
08-07-2017 | 05:46 PM
#35
At your mom's house
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 3,702
Likes: 469
From: cpt 737
Commuted for 15 years and now live in based for a month. Still can't wrap my head around it. I always feel that there is more to do. Although I feel that I'm still making up for commuting that long my body has already reaped the rewards. Lost 5 lbs for no reason and spend 4 more days with family. I'd never commute again even for upgrade.
09-09-2017 | 06:02 PM
#36
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 195
Likes: 0
10 years doing the 2 leg commute for a regional. My benefit airline didn't fly into my home town, so it was always offline. Regional schedules to boot, so my 10 days off a month turned into 6 or less. Definitely aged me more than I would have liked. Never thought of moving because of family situation, so I toughed it out. Now, my 5 hour drive seems like a dream to me! I always go home when I finish a trip. Even though I drive a long way, it is a totally different life.
Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
09-09-2017 | 07:30 PM
#37
On Reserve
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 146
Likes: 0
/winning
(p.s. minus the exercise part)
09-10-2017 | 01:29 PM
#38
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 183
Likes: 0
From: Discount Pilot
I commuted for about 9 months at the age of 44/45 when I started at Spirit and it wasn't the commute itself that made me feel old as much as it was the redeye flying that often came with commutable trips. A redeye leaves me reeling for a good day or two afterwards and trying to sleep in a crap-ass hotel between a 0600 trip finish and a 2000 show time was miserable to say the least.
That being said I currently live in base but am considering commuting again at the age of 46 because the base I live in (as well as the rest of our bases) sucks donkey balls.
That being said I currently live in base but am considering commuting again at the age of 46 because the base I live in (as well as the rest of our bases) sucks donkey balls.
09-10-2017 | 04:53 PM
#40
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,559
Likes: 0
From: A Nobody
The real problem with commuting is it this, it eats up time that one could be at home.
Consider the best commutes require a 1+ hour drive to the airport, park your car, ride for 1-3 hours in an airplane, and arrive 3 hours before departure time.
At the other end about 1 hour from block in to connecting commute home and reverse the drive to your door step.
The end result is a minimum of 4-5 hours of time from home to work and reverse.
Now include hotels the night before, sitting reserve, eating out, the stress of someone senior to you getting the jump seats and more.
So do us old guys suffer? Yep and so does everyone else.
Consider the best commutes require a 1+ hour drive to the airport, park your car, ride for 1-3 hours in an airplane, and arrive 3 hours before departure time.
At the other end about 1 hour from block in to connecting commute home and reverse the drive to your door step.
The end result is a minimum of 4-5 hours of time from home to work and reverse.
Now include hotels the night before, sitting reserve, eating out, the stress of someone senior to you getting the jump seats and more.
So do us old guys suffer? Yep and so does everyone else.
