Gary Kelly

At Southwest it would be better to be a senior narrowbody pilot over a junior narrowbody pilot.

However when we get the 797, I would go with senior 797 over junior narrow body.

Hawaii and Alaska will be ours at that point...maybe even JetBlue, depends how saucy I’m feeling.

AC560

In my 30’s and 40’s I did exceptionally hard core international business travel that would make 74F dawgs blush. I always thought the senior guys I traveled with were sissy’s. I have since realized they were just the product of breakfast in Brazil and dinner in Tokyo for too many years.

I do a few international trips a year now and always bookend a few days each side. On the destination side to actually see a few things (how many of us have been so many places but seen so little) but also just to not be a zombie. The return side is just so I can get back to taking my constitutional at the regular and enjoyable time. Everything changes when you are older, though my younger self never believed it.

I don’t know if I am better or worse for the experience. That is the funny reflective part of life. What I do know now is I can’t do it anymore, I am a real *****.

Blue Dude

Now reading "Why We Sleep" by Matthew Walker, because of this podcast. It's (ahem) eye-opening.

crewdawg

So you recommend the book even after listening to the podcast?

contrails

I read the book and listened to the entire JRE podcast.

The podcast was great, but you must read the book.

Anyone in this line of work should read it. It confirmed my personal policy of 'babying' my own rest. It's not something to be intentionally sacrificed more than 1-2 nights per month. I say intentional because if people have an infant etc. then stuff happens but to be routinely bidding a schedule full of 6AM reports on day one with a redeye to wrap it up, you're not-so-slowly killing yourself.

Blue Dude

Absolutely. The podcast was a great teaser, but the book is much more informative.

Spicy McHaggis

I switched from WBFO to NBCA last year and I'm 20% more senior as a NBCA than I was as a WBFO, so that should give you an idea of how desirable each job is.



That being said, I'm considerably better rested doing the domestic stuff vs the long haul, even flying 1-3 legs a day on the bus vs 1 ever few days on the 777. Sleep cycles just don't as messed up.


That being said, I'll probably revisit WBFO when I can hold three NRTs a month and have 20 days off at a time.

crxpilot

Drama much? If you don't sleep you die. If you don't eat or drink you die. Can I sell you a book to profit off your worries? Oh yeah let's not forget all you Dave Ramsey prophets, pay your bills and save your money. Your welcome!

Chakerik

So people that buy exercise books or healthy cooking books are "being dramatic " or someone else is "profiting off their worries "?

Lol...its called trying to take care of yourself...

contrails

By all means, go out and pull all nighters like a college kid.

If you're senior, it leaves me my nice afternoon flying.