Couple of questions for Delta pilots
 

Hi everyone!

I had a couple of questions for Delta pilots:

1. What is a typical schedule like? (Days off/on)

2. Is it possible to have a family life? If I would end up at Delta (and was able to get DTW), my family would be living very close to me. Do you think it's possible to have a happy marriage with kids if we lived near our parents? Anyone have any advice on this?

3. Is it common to miss Christmases and Thanksgivings?

Thank you!

To be a Delta captain, you have to be divorced, drive a pickup and have a failed side business.

You said in another thread you are 19 and working on the instrument rating. Keep that up, and pursue the commercial next. You'll have to get at least an ATP and depending on which route you go, it'll require 800-1500 hrs. Don't focus too early on a legacy. If you go the civilian route you will most likely have to work at a regional airline first. That wil give a taste if domestic flying. Most domestic flying at any airline is typically 1-4 day trips. If you are junior then yes you probably will miss Christmas or Thanksgivings. It all depends in your seniority in base on type. As for the family life question, are you married already? You're really young and there is plenty of time for starting a family later. IMO, finish your flight certs/ratings, get flight instructing or find a way to build time, and get an ATP for the regionals. The pay is low and I wouldn't recommend trying to start a family at the stage you're at right now.

One ex-wife for domestic narrowbody upgrade, two ex-wives for widebody upgrade.

Thank you very much for your excellent advice! I'm not married yet, but I hope to one day and I would like to have kids. However, I dont want them to be raised without a mother, but I don't want to give up my dream either. If you dont mind me asking, are you married or know any pilot couples that have made this work? (Just out of curiosity) Thank you again!

Everyday is a holiday in the airline world. :)

Yes, I married when I was at a regional and we didn't have our baby until I was starting 2nd year pay at a LCC airline. I'm a guy so I can't give too much info on the woman side of being a pilot. But there are plenty of pilots that make it work. Just know that you will be gone about half the month, eg, 15 days off in a month and 15 days of work. Living in base helps tremendously but not everyone can do that. At a regional it isn't worth moving around as bases open and close, but once you get to a major the bases are pretty big that you can pick one that is likely to be around.

Melissa,

The most important thing about working at an airline as big as DAL including United and American is the "variety of options." There really is nothing "typical" about anything.

My schedule for November is three 4-day trips working a total of 12 days. Others may work ten 1-day trips and not spend a single night in a hotel. An international pilot may work one single trip from 9-12 days straight while a reserve international Pilot may not be called at all and not fly once all month.

There is a huge difference between flying a wide-body internationally and flying a narrow-body domestically. There is also a huge, perhaps even bigger, between being junior in category and senior.

All of this variety equals options for any DAL Pilot. As long as there is movement you will have a lot of control of your quality of life. If you get hired at the beginning of a hiring boom and bid for quality of life you may never have to work a Christmas or Thanksgiving. If you get hired at the end of a cycle and/or bid for $$$$ and quick upgrades you may work every holiday for years in a row.

As to being happy, that probably depends more on you and your outlook on life then Delta. I work with plenty of people that are very happy and a very few that never seem to be happy - I seriously doubt an occupational change would greatly affect most of them one way or another.

Good Luck! :)

Scoop

Thanks Scoop! That was the most concise explanation of airline life I've heard yet

Another male perspective, (captain obvious)
 

Physically being home does not equate to being home. Going in and out of your kids life (working trips), it is harder to build the relationship. There has to a consistent effort to care for and be apart of their life. I know many non aviators who are physically home, but not apart of the "family" life. This issue is not unique to aviation.

Spouse support is critical. Your future spouse needs to be loving and patient with the kids while your gone. Especially young kids. While you are gone they are a single parent, which is very challenging. They need to be understanding of your schedule. When you get home from a trip, you are very tired….but so is your spouse! Kids are tiring and hard work! As mentioned above, delaying upgrades and dropping trips helps immensely. Keep that in mind when developing your financial plan!

Living near parents helps, if they are able to support you. I think this is a key factor and wish I had that option when are kids were younger!

I have an acquantence that is an excellent mother and pilot. But her husband allows her to be. The right spouse is important in life, not just an aviators life!