I do the guard thing at ADW and still live in DC and commute up to EWR. From the DC the commute is easy because I can always drive it if need be (about 3.5 hours 4 in traffic) or take the train. At least living here with those options everything is commutable. So yeah, live in one or the other (in base or with guard reserve). On a side note, I have heard that RDU is one of the tougher commutes to EWR. I flew with a guy recently who commutes out of there. He has had to drive it on occasion (about 7 hours). Just keep that in your hip pocket.

 

SJ - I'm in a very similiar situation to you. I'm in the ANG and commute out of RIC. Commuting absolutely, positively blows - but with that in mind, I would never give up flying a fighter for my military job nor the piece of mind of having that military job to fall back on in case of hard times. I'm currently 60% percent and change in the 737 out of EWR.

I did the crashpad act before going on full time orders for a while. EWR is a trash can, but it's much cheaper to do the crashpad deal than a hotel. More often than not, especially as a junior pup you're going to have trips that are not commutable and you'll need that crashpad. Price ranges from 150 to 350 bucks a month - give or take.

There is an age old debate about whether to live in your airline domicile or your ANG base hometown. I'd say - especially flying a fighter - the best option is living by the ANG. It's much easier to have a set schedule with the squadron and know which times you're going to fly your sorties for the AF and commute to the airline than the other way around. At least, as I said, for flying pointy jets...for fatties, I'm not sure...

My .02...good luck!!!

 

Not trying to hijack but....

New hires: Was your interview sim on the MD-80 or 737? Just trying to see who I should use for the sim prep. I'm worried I'd prep on the MD-80 and check on the 73. I hear they're switching them over. Recommendations are GREATLY appreciated.

 

The md-80 sim is long gone. They are only doing the ride in a 737.

 

-500, -300, -300EFIS, or -800?

 

They prefer the -300 for the interviews but it breaks from time to time and then they have to go to the other variants of the 737. However, they let you use the flight director so it helps no matter which one you are flying.

 

Yeah, FD on, AP/ATS off. CPT and Higher Power out of Dallas are the two prep companies that seem to be recommended most. I used CPT. I felt thoroughly prepared.

 

FTI is also a good prep course. Some of CPT's sim evaluators are also CAL pilots which may help if you do well.

 

I read the retirement articles on here a couple times, but my brain is fried from training. So am I understanding correctly that the B plan percentage is the percentage of your pre-tax yearly pay that the company will contribute to your retirement? Please correct me if I'm wrong.

If it sounds too good to be true... it usually is.

 

Really? No takers on that one?