DMBinHBurg

Any Eagle people have info on how the overnights are if you are based in San Juan? How about typical trips? Are they mostly day trips or do you get to stay at some of the islands?

If I make the jump to the regionals, I am really thinking of Eagle and asking for San Juan. The commuting would stink ( I live in Virginia) but flying the islands would be GREAT!

Any thoughts on San Juan? Thanks!

Killer51883

The overnights are usually short less than 9 hours. most trips are 2 two day trips in a row. there are some 3 and 4 day trips. The flying is incredible. the atr is a great airplane and youll see and do stuff with an airplane that will scare the **** out of you. On the other side though its a joke airline with executive. they make mesa look like south west almost. also san juan is not a nice place to be based in. going to the beach is great but getting shot at on the way home or ran over by lunatics in cars tends to ruin the day. if you want to know any thing else let me know i spent 6 months down there.

ERJ135

Friend of mine down there has the same impression as you... FWIW

Whacker77

How so. Just curious.

Killer51883

maybe i over spoke on that but the way the operation is run is pathetic. they treat the employees and passengers like JO treats his employees. Its what you would expect if you were based in a 3 world country.

flytank

Well. With all due respect to "Killer51883" I will somewhat disagree with what he says. First of all 6 months experience at SJU is hardly enough time to make the statements he's making (Culture shock, calling it a "rock", 3rd world country, etc.). Did you all know that over 80% of high school graduates in PR go on AND finish college?. As I will take no offense in those comments, I shall get back to topic. Yes, SJU is warm, all turbo-prop flying, and of course Puerto Rico is a mostly spanish speaking community. Bear in mind that IT IS NOT A 3rd World Country. It is in fact a U.S. Territory and U.S. Commonwealth, you can actually travel there from the mainland WITHOUT needing your passport. Puerto Rican born men and women are US Citizens just like ANYBODY else born in the mainland. In the 9 years I worked for Eagle as a Shorts and ATR Captain/Check Airman I had a chance to instruct and fly with kids like "Killer51883" and I'll tell you this. A lot of these kids come to SJU sort of "pre-disposed", allready wanting to leave before they even get there. If it is the commute that's understandable as I myself commuted when I was there. As to the flying I will totally agree with him. To this day I miss it every day, as you will shoot some very unusual approaches to about 2 dozen places in the beautiful Caribbean. I tell you guys, SJU is what you make of it. There's a lot of Spanish but all these guys/girls speak English as well. The lifestyle is very different from what you've seen in the Mainland. The airport is very close to the beach and it is right in the hustle and bustle of the tourist area so you will always see plenty of activity going on. Old San Juan is just a mere 10 minutes away and there are several malls in the Metro Area.

Now, as far as the "current operation" goes I can't tell you much since I've been gone from Eagle for 4 years. But by the time I left I was pretty much on a 1st name basis with almost everyone at the base and yes, while it can get busy with MOC and Ops I got what I needed almost all the time. But here in the Majors I can tell you that things get quite messed up here as well every now and then (the grass is not always greener... ) Remember of course that this operation flies to mostly international islands and therefore clearing Customs can be a nuissance especially when you do it a few times a day, folks, it is one long walk I remember that.

All in all San Juan is a beautiful place, lots of sightseeing to do, I knew F/O's that would kitesurf every day, others scuba dived, etc. The islands are incredible in beauty and as it has been mentioned the flying is fantastic and unlike anything you kids have done learning to fly over land here in the mainland. It will challenge you every day. As to the culture difference and comments about crazy driving, etc. I do layovers all over and that I see everywhere as well. After all that is part of being an airline pilot, cultural diversity, seeing and experiencing new places, is it not?

In closing, I'm not saying SJU is paradise because you will work your behind off and will give that right seat a lot of use!! Sometimes I remember I didn't stop sweating for hours (seemed like the temperature never went below 85!!!) ,but sitting on the beach in Grenada sunbathing in the middle of January when up here deicing is the rule certainly drew a smile to my face.

Hope this long post was able to help someone out. Remember, do your research and see for yourself, google is your friend. For all you folks wanting to have a change of scenery and wanting to do some supercool flying then a tour in San Juan (it is not a rock by the way) might strike your fancy and dont even get me started on the beautiful girls LOL !!

Take it from someone who was there 9 years instead of a few months.

freefall

Island flying is fun but filling those damn customs forms out 10 times a day would drive me crazy

DLAJ77

I think it would be the worst choice ever to go to eagle let alone pick san juan for a base...that would be a great commute

Aviatormar

Wait a min, if your young and single, why wouldn't you be all over this? Yeah, I bet it could be tough, and yes I understand it's hot. But are you kidding me? Latina women everywhere with tourtist sprinkled in (Your a super secert agent? ((as she bats big, wet eyes (yessah, tourtists they're the best!!!)), anyone ever herd of Bacardi's? (orginally made in PR and still is I think), and not to mention amazing sights? Explain again why this would be so "bad"?

Killer51883

for some of you you might enjoy it but i didnt. The beach and booze and women were fun for a bit but I actually grew out of the whole party scene when i left college 5 years ago. Im sure some people still enjoy that stuff and its great but i didnt. The cultural differences were nice. I enjoyed the food and the lifestyle. I didnt enjoy being singled out as a white person walking across the ramp and being questioned about it by the puerto rican tsa agents while puerto rican crew members were able to do what they wanted with out being harrassed. I didnt enjoy having to go next to the (african american) store when i went to get gas. I loved the flying and all the islands but there are more important things in my life and i left for them. If that makes me some imature stupid kid then Im sorry but I am happier now.