Your first flight as a regional pilot
03-24-2011 | 07:43 AM
#81
What’s it doing now?
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 726
Likes: 0
From: 190CA
Pilot to Bombardier
IAH to MLU in June. Saab with a forward lav. For those of you who don't know someone taking using it basically sits back to back with the FO in that plane. You can bang on the aft wall of the cockpit and get the seat to fall down. Someone took a heinous dump that went on for 15 minutes. I remember thinking "Why did I want this job again?"
03-24-2011 | 04:11 PM
#82
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 270
Likes: 0
Despite how life seems for us behind closed doors, it makes me very proud to wear the uniform in public. The prestige look on most of the public's faces as you stroll through terminal is hard not to feel good about. At the same time, I'm incredibly nervous about doing a good job and I know that despite all my preparations, I couldn't possibly be entirely ready for the responsibilities expected of me. Four months ago, I was flying skydivers and now I'm about to take the reigns of a 50-seat jet for REAL. The SIM was one thing, but the REAL thing is something I thought I'd never have the privilege of flying. I can't deny the pressure of knowing that ~50 lives are depending on me (not including everyone on the ground) to do my best...but, I take comfort in knowing that I've been trained well and I have a captain willing to teach me. Seems like yesterday, I was spending hours on my parent's computer, flying Microsoft Flight Simulator and dreaming about all of this. I know it's coming, but I can't imagine a day where I take this feeling for granted.
03-24-2011 | 04:20 PM
#84
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 937
Likes: 0
From: 747 FO
My thoughts on one of my first commuter flights was that I was now in the "big leagues" making a whopping $15 an hour. However, I made myself feel better when I figured it out to be 25 cents a minute.
03-24-2011 | 04:37 PM
#85
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,048
Likes: 0
From: Self employed
Whoa dude, those were some pretty encouraging words. Makes those who are still in flight training not want to give up. With all of the negative talk about how the industry has taken a nosedive and yaddi yaddi yadda, it's very welcoming and motivating to hear someone speak like this about their experience and etc.
His experience that he shared has nothing to do with the industry. After he got done with that first flight, and the next, and next, etc, he still earned about $20,000 for the year, and probably lived in a crash pad 21 days a month.
And his post is from Feb 2008.
03-24-2011 | 04:40 PM
#86
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,048
Likes: 0
From: Self employed
)
03-24-2011 | 05:39 PM
#87
Line Holder
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,832
Likes: 5
From: 737 Left
First trip was like a 4 day checkride! I had actually expected some mentoring to occur, but it was more like a bunch of criticism about everything I did wrong. I knew I was going to be behind, but I expected some pointers, direction and instruction. I went home and told my wife that I may have made a mistake with this job, and that if it didn't change soon, I was going to do something else. Second IOE captain was better, and the third was awesome. I remember him saying, "Now, they probably don't teach this in the classroom, but last leg home at the end of a trip, we don't do that cost index stuff. Just let the big dog eat and get me home!" It gets exponentially better once you get through IOE!
03-24-2011 | 06:58 PM
#88
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,114
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From: A320/321 FO
My first flight was ABE-PIT. In retrospect, it was one of the most nerve-wrecking flights in my career, but also one of the most rewarding. I had the pleasure of flying with one of the most relaxed, competent, and professional check airmen in the company. And I'm still friends with him to this day.
03-24-2011 | 07:50 PM
#89
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 3,142
Likes: 4
From: FIRE ALPA
My first thoughts, this shouldn't be a plane at a "regional" but it is a really nice easy plane (Avro). When I was first hired I had a blast working with my friends from college, going new places, meeting new people. Then my base closed, the company filed a sham bankruptcy and parked all the planes I flew, and furloughed me and my friends..... Things just haven't been as fun since.
03-24-2011 | 08:24 PM
#90
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 270
Likes: 0
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