Ameriflight
03-10-2020 | 07:49 AM
#5211
On Reserve
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
The above is a reply to a question I had last summer about commuting as a 500 hour FO. It looks like I would have to spend a lot of time away from my wife and family to get to a Captain position. How often would I be able to go home if not on the weekends? We just purchased a beautiful new home two years ago and have no desire to move.
Next; Once I make Captain and start flying a BE99, how would that change my ability to live at home?
We are considering taking out a loan to cover costs and get me back up to speed with my IFR (IFR proficiency check 1994) at a much faster pace, but want to know that there will be some decent quality of life with my family in the foreseeable future.
Next; Once I make Captain and start flying a BE99, how would that change my ability to live at home?
We are considering taking out a loan to cover costs and get me back up to speed with my IFR (IFR proficiency check 1994) at a much faster pace, but want to know that there will be some decent quality of life with my family in the foreseeable future.
03-10-2020 | 08:12 AM
#5212
Ameriflight
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 318
Likes: 0
The above is a reply to a question I had last summer about commuting as a 500 hour FO. It looks like I would have to spend a lot of time away from my wife and family to get to a Captain position. How often would I be able to go home if not on the weekends? We just purchased a beautiful new home two years ago and have no desire to move.
Next; Once I make Captain and start flying a BE99, how would that change my ability to live at home?
We are considering taking out a loan to cover costs and get me back up to speed with my IFR (IFR proficiency check 1994) at a much faster pace, but want to know that there will be some decent quality of life with my family in the foreseeable future.
Next; Once I make Captain and start flying a BE99, how would that change my ability to live at home?
We are considering taking out a loan to cover costs and get me back up to speed with my IFR (IFR proficiency check 1994) at a much faster pace, but want to know that there will be some decent quality of life with my family in the foreseeable future.
Our schedule doesn't leave room for commuting. Our pilots must live within 1.5 hours from the base they agree upon in their offer letter.
Of course, you can skirt around that by renting a place close to the base and then trying to fly home as often as possible, but it won't give you a great QOL that way.
The majority of our pilots either already lived near a base or relocated. So with our schedule (Mon-Fri, morning to evening, regional flights), they are getting nights and weekends at home. That's the goal!
Without relocating, for you to get home it would be flying home on the weekends or putting in for vacation.
As a Captain, the schedules are the same and the situation would be similar.
This does not sound like an ideal situation for you.
03-10-2020 | 10:02 AM
#5213
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 181
Likes: 0
Ask around... remember CFI trucking had a flight department and remember them looking for locals in Springfield and Joplin. Ask around....you might be surprised.
If you happen to live in an location where a freight pilot is NEEDED, or are willing to relocate, flying cargo can be pretty good, with lots of time at home. If you try to commute....there might be better options unless you are young and willing to mover every few months. Good luck!
Freight is definitely an option, but it might be more about finding the right route, since most companies try to find a local or a person who is willing to move due to QOL and fatigue issue....have done runs 5 hrs away from home, driving home for the weekend Saturday afternoon, leaving Monday am...it's doable, but honestly, it wears you out after a few months.
03-14-2020 | 11:32 AM
#5214
On Reserve
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
Hoping to help on this one.
Our schedule doesn't leave room for commuting. Our pilots must live within 1.5 hours from the base they agree upon in their offer letter.
Of course, you can skirt around that by renting a place close to the base and then trying to fly home as often as possible, but it won't give you a great QOL that way.
The majority of our pilots either already lived near a base or relocated. So with our schedule (Mon-Fri, morning to evening, regional flights), they are getting nights and weekends at home. That's the goal!
Without relocating, for you to get home it would be flying home on the weekends or putting in for vacation.
As a Captain, the schedules are the same and the situation would be similar.
This does not sound like an ideal situation for you.
Our schedule doesn't leave room for commuting. Our pilots must live within 1.5 hours from the base they agree upon in their offer letter.
Of course, you can skirt around that by renting a place close to the base and then trying to fly home as often as possible, but it won't give you a great QOL that way.
The majority of our pilots either already lived near a base or relocated. So with our schedule (Mon-Fri, morning to evening, regional flights), they are getting nights and weekends at home. That's the goal!
Without relocating, for you to get home it would be flying home on the weekends or putting in for vacation.
As a Captain, the schedules are the same and the situation would be similar.
This does not sound like an ideal situation for you.
I figured we could live with me being away a lot for that first year or so while building up to captain, but figured as captain I could commute with an 18-12 kind of schedule . Did it change or did I misunderstand someone?
03-14-2020 | 11:37 AM
#5215
On Reserve
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
when I was flying a USPS run, would go to the Grove airport (from Joplin) for MX....flew over that lake many times.
Ask around... remember CFI trucking had a flight department and remember them looking for locals in Springfield and Joplin. Ask around....you might be surprised.
If you happen to live in an location where a freight pilot is NEEDED, or are willing to relocate, flying cargo can be pretty good, with lots of time at home. If you try to commute....there might be better options unless you are young and willing to mover every few months. Good luck!
Freight is definitely an option, but it might be more about finding the right route, since most companies try to find a local or a person who is willing to move due to QOL and fatigue issue....have done runs 5 hrs away from home, driving home for the weekend Saturday afternoon, leaving Monday am...it's doable, but honestly, it wears you out after a few months.
Ask around... remember CFI trucking had a flight department and remember them looking for locals in Springfield and Joplin. Ask around....you might be surprised.
If you happen to live in an location where a freight pilot is NEEDED, or are willing to relocate, flying cargo can be pretty good, with lots of time at home. If you try to commute....there might be better options unless you are young and willing to mover every few months. Good luck!
Freight is definitely an option, but it might be more about finding the right route, since most companies try to find a local or a person who is willing to move due to QOL and fatigue issue....have done runs 5 hrs away from home, driving home for the weekend Saturday afternoon, leaving Monday am...it's doable, but honestly, it wears you out after a few months.
I thought AMF was the way to go.
03-14-2020 | 02:59 PM
#5216
Mmmm wine
Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 1,786
Likes: 350
From: The Jet
Thanks Zippy. I'll start checking it out. My problem is needing to be Part 135 as I only have a little over 500 hrs. and it's hard to build hours around here without my own plane... nobody rents out planes around here unless I go up to Joplin (which is what I am currently doing).
I thought AMF was the way to go.
I thought AMF was the way to go.
03-14-2020 | 06:53 PM
#5217
Line Holder
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 667
Likes: 2
From: Any
This is really disappointing... I've been thinking about joining Ameriflight for over a year now after seeing a recruitment video on YouTube. The recruiter said you could work for Ameriflight if you lived within an hour of an airport w/ at least 2 airlines and that once you were a captain you were typically on 18 and off 12 (with some variation) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXE4pPLg1Do ; but you're saying that captains do Monday - Friday (or Sat) like the FOs?
I figured we could live with me being away a lot for that first year or so while building up to captain, but figured as captain I could commute with an 18-12 kind of schedule . Did it change or did I misunderstand someone?
I figured we could live with me being away a lot for that first year or so while building up to captain, but figured as captain I could commute with an 18-12 kind of schedule . Did it change or did I misunderstand someone?
03-15-2020 | 07:03 AM
#5218
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 498
Likes: 0
I live in a small town in NE Oklahoma. An hour from Rogers/Bentonville/Fayetteville, AR; Joplin, MO; and about 1.5 from Tulsa, OK... about 3 hours from Kansas City and 5 hours from Dallas and St. Louis. We just bought a beautiful lake home not far from my parents (in their late 70s) and do not want to move. I have a local friend who commutes to Dallas to fly for American and another that flies for Omni Air. I understand being away from home for a week or so at a time is normal...
03-21-2020 | 12:28 PM
#5220
Ameriflight
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 318
Likes: 0
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