CLEPILOT

I was just curious how the schedules are constructed at Delta. I know this varies from aircraft to aircraft, but are schedules predominantly 4 day trips or are there 2 and 3 day trips available too?

Thanks!

tsquare

On the 7ER, we have everything from 1 to 6 day trips. Mostly 3 and 4 days though. In SEA and DTW they have longer 14 day Asia trips. It is a nice smorgasbord. In NY though the flying has been chopped up so much that it is mostly domestic flying these days.. 1 to 4 day trips domestically, and 3 to 4 with a few 6 day international.

Somebody else can speak up on other categories. I think some of the small busses have 5 day trips too..

Razorback flyer

On Domestic fleets, trips range from 1 to 5 days in length. (5 day trips only on former "north" metal - i.e. 320, DC9.) I would say 3 and 4 day trips are most common on former "south" metal. (73, M88) Day trips and two days tend to go senior in bases with a large number a pilots living there (ATL, MSP, etc.) "Short leg" aircraft (DC9/MD88,) tend to have between 2 and 5 legs per day, with the longer legged aircraft (320, 73, 75,) tending towards the lower end of that range.

forgot to bid

Just to give some flavor, at least on the domestic side, here is how it breaks down for the 320 by trip length (1/2/3/4/5):

• DTW 8% / 10% / 30% / 19% / 34%
• SLC 14% / 12% / 22% / 26% / 26%
• ATL 24% / 17% / 27% /23% / 10%
• NYC 13% / 13% / 45% / 22% / 8%

And for God's gift to us, the MD88:

• ATL 14% / 17% / 31% / 38% / 0%
• CVG 12% / 12% / 32% / 43% / 0%
• MSP 26% / 2% / 17% / 56% / 0%
• NYC 9% / 9% / 32% / 50% / 0%

And 737:

• ATL 20% / 16% / 16% / 49% / 0%
• CVG 5% / 33% / 32% / 23% / 0%
• LAX 2% / 14% / 17% / 67% / 0%
• NYC 11% / 9% / 29% / 51% / 0%

Crazy Canuck

So can someone help me to understand what a typical new hire schedule is like at Delta? How many days per month are you home? Assuming you live in base. How about a 5 year FO? Junior capt?

Just looking for an average idea of how many days worked per month and how many nights spent away from home vs at home (again, assuming you live in base).

Thanks!

cni187

I got the new hire angle for you. Live in base for reserve, that's the best. I commuted from SFO to NYC first and then ATL on the MD88(wife was still in the Air Force at Travis AFB in Cali). Reserves are on call 18 days a month. The guarantee has changed with the new contract from 72-80 hours a month. I put in to fly while commuting so I was busy and life sucked. Then I moved to Atl and got to sit reserve at home. As a new guy you are usually on reserve on the weekends. The winter you don't fly very much. Last Jan I flew 5 days or so. The summertime is where you'll fly your tail off on the 88. Then I got displaced to the 757/767 in NYC. Reserve on this plane is better. I am back to commuting to sit short call in a crash pad for 24 hour periods, which blows. However I usually get a trip after my short call has ended. I flew only 50 hours in June. About to hit 3 yr pay which on the ER and this new contract is nice. Jan 13 we get another pay raise.

FlyingNasaForm

Thanks for all the info guys, keep it coming.

Scoop

Guys,

A couple of things to think about:

The most important thing about DAL is that there is a huge variety of flying and with a little seniority you can pick your poison. 1 day turns to14 day international trips.

During the past decade we had all kinds of movement, stagnant, backwards, non-existent etc - you get the picture. Once hiring starts the movement should be fairly rapid. If all goes well (which it usually does not in this industry) new hires will be able to decide fairly quickly if they want to chase QOL or money, and it will have a huge impact on the type of flying you do.

I believe New hires will have a one year seat lock in equipment (but not base) so it may take a year to get what/where you want but I anticipate new hires being able to fly in any base at the 1 year mark. For reference the last time we had any serious movement (2000) new hires were being awarded AE's for the 88 before their rating ride as FE on the 727. I was able to get to LAX in month two as a FE.

lets look at two scenarios for new hire QOL, Good and Crappy (typical).

A (good): New hire gets M88B. Plenty of movement. Can bid any 88 base within 2 months. In a junior base (NYC) he gets a line in 3 months. If he bids to a more senior 88 base he might be on reserve for 10 months or even the whole year.

B (crappy): New hire gets 7ER (doubtful but it has happened before, but remember it is just a hypothetical to show extremes). Typical (stagnant) movement. Can not get out of new hire base. Sits reserve all year. After lock is up, he bids to 88B and gets base of choice. Sits reserve at senior 88 base holds a line in junior 88 base.

All of the above is speculation on what may happen, we will know a little, more when we get the early retiree numbers next month and a lot more when hiring starts.

Good luck to all potential DAL new hires!


Scoop

MrBojangles

I know we have some 8 day Africa trips in NYC on the ER. Most of the trips seem to be 3 or 4 days, though (lots of redeye too). On the bus you'll get mostly 4 and 5 day trips. These are pretty good if you're a commuter. Reserve here is pretty good if you can sit long call at home-even better if you can live in base. The 24 hour short call for int'l sucks, but it's going away with the new rest rules.

acl65pilot

Move forward to 2014. I suspect we will see new hires once again getting the 7ER or 73N in ATL. Go to 2017 and beyond. You will probably see new hires in almost every jet.

7000 pilots in ten years. I know myself and I am going to be watching retirements and be bidding most junior seats due to the quick moveup, but not doing so initially. We literally will see entire categories retiring in a given year. Pilots will go from the plug to top 25% within their seat lock time frame. Bidding corrects so that you can move up right when you lock ends will be key. It will also be one way guys will get frozen out of opportunities if not done correctly. (Of course this is on present day size, scope and entity)