170k per year? What kind of math is that? 112X78X12=114.2 Just like you said. To make 170K you would have to fly 1459 hours or get credit for 122 average per month. You can do that at SWA. I know Net Jets and companies like that look real good on paper, 7 on 7 off and you don't fly much but how great is it sitting in a hotel room waiting for a phone call? You can only eat so many burgers and fries!

 

Another issue is while we may fly more hours in a year, on average, we don't work either longer days or more days per month or year than other carriers. That has been proven many times. Seeing our yearly hour totals guys from other airlines tend to freak but they freak because they are applying our hour totals to their work environment.
When we go to work we fly. We don't sit two hours everytime through a hub or change planes as often as the other guys.
What is important to me is how many days I work, not how many hours I fly. Once at work, I would rather fly than sit around an airport. Sitting around is more fatiguing than flying.

Another important benefit is the ability to fly as much or as little as one wants. I have done both extremes at different times of my career. It is a great quality of life feature to have that flexibility.

 

I agree, mostly...TAFB is a better indicator than just flying hours. Excessive airport sit generally sucks...but I do enjoy a 1.5 hr sit at mealtimes.

Also, some aircraft/airlines do offer more choices than either 6-7 legs a day OR airport sit. You probably know the FedEx deal...but my bro at CAL flies the 757 and his 4 day trips are mostly 6 leg 4 days...5-7 hour legs of reading a book/newspaper...not much airport sit at all...more time at hotels. Some of his destinations are pretty exotic.

Each his own...SWA is ideal for a lot of guys--especially ex mil guys who have seen the world already. Not sure a straight civilian guy who spent his whole regional life flying short domestic would enjoy doing nothing else...Each his own. Again, SWA is an excellent job!

 

Holy Shiza--flying 85 hours a month. YGBSM. I may have blocked 85 hours in 4 months one time at FedEx, but I'd have to do the math. Yes, it was flying at night---doing those really tough night hub turns out of Indy. One leg in (45 min), one leg out (45 min), and 18 hours off. Doing that four nights with a week off and then another 4 nights + 4 Dead heads I never used. That night flying really kicked my butt! So did the 22 days off that month.

 

OK. From now on when we talk about schedules and pay maybe we should start out with a disclaimer. It could sound something this:

"The following discussion excludes cargo pilots. We, meaning us lowly passenger pilots, all recognize that cargo pilots, expecially UPS and FEDEX pilots make more money, fly less hours, have more days off, have better benefits and their companies earn higher profits than any passenger carrier. You as a cargo pilot are much cooler than any passenger pilot because you don't deal with flight attendants or passengers. You have life so good and we all wish we were you or could be just like you. Our lives suck at our respective passenger airline and we just wish we could have been hired by UPS or FEDEX."

Now is the part where you accuse me of cargo pilot envy or something like that. LOL.

S.B.

 

SB,

You forgot the part about us losers feeling like we contributed something to the bottom line and how us koolaid drinkers would do it for free. Oh! I forgot we are doing pretty well! One thing I always remember when I got into this business was the statement "boxes don't care." The next time some low life passenger tells you that that was "the best landing" they have ever had, remember that your brethren at the boxhaulers don't get stroked enough.

Oh! then remember that we get to see some fine looking women (not that I get to touch) who appreciate our expertise. Then remember (as I do) how many of them wanted to be at the lowly pax airlines but couldn't quite get through the interview!

I am amazed how making the big bucks makes those box haulers feel so good about living on the other side of the airport. We should all remember how fortunate we are to just be alive!

 

Just heard what sounds like to me to be complete craziness but thought I'd ask anyway. Has anyone heard of Southwest funding an expansion project of an Atlanta area airport away from Hartsfield to begin operating from similar to the situation they have in Dallas? A flight attendent(based in ATL) on a flight I was recently riding on swore up & down it was definitely in the works. I personally thought the whole thing was a crock but figured I'd ask before telling the guy he's a complete moron.

 

kinda like comparing apples & oranges.......that pax v. freight flying, right? low block months v. high utilization of the pax a/c. pax a/c don't generate any $$ sitting around most of the day. call me crazy.

 

I've heard this before. I remember someone mentioning Marietta, GA, but I think the locals want all airline travel through KATL.