I'd like to tag along to Sully's post and add that this airline's staffing situation is always in flux. What is true today may not be true when you show up to class. Plus you really have no idea what base & aircraft choices will be offered to you when you show up...so Sully can put a ton of work into his next post and it may not be applicable at all.

If you do some reading on this board, you can already get a feel for what airplanes are junior vs. senior and in what bases.

You will get a ton of info when you show up to class... so don't put the cart before the horse now. Just go with the flow....thousands of pilots came before you and figured it out without people posting our bids on a public forum.

 

Flare hit the nail on the head. Back in the old days (when I was hired) I showed up with minimal gouge, no letters of rec, and NO internet!

Flare is also correct that to anwser your first two questions completely would be a long process and kind of futile. Having said that here is some general info for the Feb bid period:

these numbers are FO only
ATL
76ER 474 lines 63 reserve
767 336 68
737 249 43
MD80 395 65

CVG
767 86 17
MD80 49 10

LAX
767 116 26

NYC
76ER 298 51
737 62 22
MD80 55 38

SLC
767 78 18
737 85 15
MD80 73 19


The new 737 catagories in CVG and LAX and the ER cat in LAX are too new to have accurate data. Ther is a projected manning chart posted on Flight ops that shows manning 6 months out. I wasn't able to get that info.

 

Sully606,
Thanks for your help! I don't expect anyone to predict what will happen, but it's nice to know what the current situation is...especially for those of us with mil background and so very new to the whole thing. I don't have as many years to give Delta as the great young guys and I want to make the best of them. I've read a lot of the posts, but thought I'd try to consolidate into one place and start a new post with the info so as not to hijack the JFK Commute thread. I'm definitely open to a move from TX, but want to make it a good one so I can settle down some compared to the AF days. Hopefully a list if what #s can hold what and where will help.
How do you like NYC? I think int'l flying would be great, but have never been to NY.

 

I spent 6 1/2 years as an FO on the ER in NYC and never got tired of it. I went to capt. on the MD80 in ATL and did not like it at all - I was spoiled. ATL wasn't bad it was the MD80 mission that I didn't like.

If you want to stay senior then NYC is the place to be. There are plenty of negatives that others can tell you about but over all for me I'd be happy to stay in NYC my whole career. I would think that most pilots don't have the same feelings about NYC as I have.

I live in Chicago so the commute isn't bad and I'm used to the cold and the big city life. For me the most important thing is to live where you want. If you want to live near your extended family or just love a certain place then that is where you should be. If that is not important then pick a base that suits you and move there.

Here are some thoughts about the bases:

ATL- You'll be able to fly any equipment and as long as Delta is around there will be always be base there. It stays Senior in the larger equipment catagories.

CVG- A crapshoot. Fairly small and senior. It will probably stay around if we don't merge. Long term growth looks bad.

LAX- It's not going to go away and it has been junior. Possiible long term growth if you believe managment. You have to cover three to four airports.

NYC- Junior. If you don't mind living in the northeast and don't want to commute this would be the best bet for a retired military guy. You will get to captain quicker and will be relatively senior in catagory throughout your career. Most pilots commute and the chief pilots office understand that. Long term viability looks good.

 

I have a question about pay. If your domicile is NY but you commute from say Atlanta, do you get hit twice on the taxes? Once for living in GA and again for "working" in NY? I am talking purely on state income tax. I wonder if I should live in Atl, NY, or Tampa (one of 7 states with no state income tax).
Also I didn't see anything on 777 lines or reserves.

 

Taxes are applicable for the state you live in, that's all.

There are no 777 lines yet in NYC. The category has been added but won't start flying for a few months. New hires wouldn't be able to hold it in either NYC or ATL though. At least for now.

 

Sully,

What about the MD88 missions do you dislike? The locations, flights, both or something else...?

 

JFK 7ER drivers or "have dones",

I live in Houston, TX and I wonder if it would be possible to sit the 12-hour call out from home..
I know it is a stretch and I wonder if anyone has done/doing it.

Thank you

 

Sully,

If you are going to be "a clown in the circus".....you had better be where the big top is

ATL is the big top...

Bill

 

Bill, do I know you? I'd rather be shoveling for the elephants under the stands in JFK.

To anwser the question about the MD80 : If you left the regionals because of the trips well guess what? You're still there. Every even numbered leg for two years was in to ATL. After a four day trip it would take me a couple of days to recover. Once the TRWs start up in the afternoon all bets are off. This of course is my opinion.
The ER on the other hand: Every even numbered leg is into JFK. That doesn't sound very good but you do it once a trip. For me international is much easier on my body. Two maxims of international flying: anyone can rally for one landing and the worst layover in Europe is better than the best Domestic. A couple of caveats; as a new hire it is going to take you much longer to get comfortable, and those international layovers don't look so good when you add Africa and the UK.

The second post asked about Houston. With Continental available it may be possible. I do ORD- NYC with no problem. Check a bid package and Continental's schedule and you should be able to find your anwser. I've never been called right at 12 hours but since the majority of the sign-ins are in the late afternoon you should be ok.