New guy questions! (flame free!)
 

Hokay, so I have a few noob questions for everyone. Don't flame me I'm not looking to fight or start stuff, just to get my life in order.

1) When I'm not flying I'm playing the guitar, hopefully looking to start a band when I get off reserve. Right now I have an acoustic and an electric guitar here in STL but I have 4 more in Long Beach with my parents for safe keeping. Since I just got done with IOE I was wondering what the best way of getting those back out here would be? My idea was that I would jump home with the guitar bag (nicely padded but definately not safe for baggage handlers) and jump back say on an AA flight direct from STL to LAX. What would you do?

2) When looking for load information to J/S where do you look? How about when looking for just who flies what flights to where... I still really have no idea what to do and not to do when it comes to the J/S.

I dont think I have too many other questions but any advice you could lay on a new guy feel free to hit me with it!

Thanks a lot!

If they are worth alot of money....why not just ship them... with insurance of course.

My thoughts exactly. It's my understanding that most airlines have an agreement with FedEx for greatly discounted rates on express air shipping. I think we get 60% off. Cheaper to send something 2nd day air than it is to go economy ground and have it show up 4 days later (since the discount doesn't apply to ground shipments). I get a kick out of that fact.

As for finding flights, I use Flightlookup most of the time, FlyZed and Passrider are a couple more. APC has a page somewhere that does a good job of looking for flights, although it only goes out a day or two in advance.

Most airlines get a FDX discount. Look into it and ship them worry free.

careful though. if you use the discount, they will only insure up to $100. My friend shipped a PS2, they lost it, and wouldn't give him full value because he used the discount. if your an aiways express carrier, go to thehub and im pretty sure you can get discounts on shipping USAIR CARGO or something like that.

If your guitar is worth a lot or has a lot of sentimental value, I would definitely get a hardcase for it when you transport it. I was exactly in the same boat with a Martin D42. After I introduced myself to the CA/FO, I asked if it would be okay if my guitar could ride in the flight deck while I had a seat in the back. Of course I said feel free to play it anytime while its up there ; ) they laughed and said it wouldn't be a problem. Hopefully you'll have as good experiences as I have jumpseating with the crews. Worst case scenario, its in the cargo of the aircraft which is why I recommend a hard case. Fedexing a guitar even with the airline discount can add up.

buy a banjo

Question on the FlyZed site...i used to be able to get in there when i flew for Eagle but Im with RAH now and dont know how to login (if I even can). Where/how would one get a username/password for that site?