Is the regional life really that bad for single guys/ladies?
07-10-2008 | 08:00 AM
#41
Prime Minister/Moderator
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 45,137
Likes: 797
From: Engines Turn or People Swim
As to the original question...
I think that a young, single, lineholder at a better regional airline can have a pretty good lifestyle (at a bottom-feeder, it's going to blow any way you slice it).
That said, there's a catch...
Most folks enjoy it for the first year or so. After that, things change...if you are family and friend oriented it gets a little harder.
The ideal person for the regional life would be a bohemian wildchild who can find friends and fun wherever he/she happens to be. Of course these folks often have conflicts with the requirements of the airline job (responsibility, drugs).
The problem is that the personality traits that lead one into flying usually mean spouse and family are in the future. What happens if you get stuck at the regional? Well if you're senior enough, wife works, can live in domicile, and hold locals/standups it might not be so bad...until your regional loses the domicile, loses the contract, furloughs, etc.
Since there is no longer any reasonably safe assumption that you will advance beyond the regional, you have to carefully consider MULTIPLE career paths, how likely they are, what you have to do to get there, and if you would even want to do them:
- Regional Lifer
- Major
- Corporate/Fractional
- Unable to progress beyond regional, change careers.
I think that a young, single, lineholder at a better regional airline can have a pretty good lifestyle (at a bottom-feeder, it's going to blow any way you slice it).
That said, there's a catch...
Most folks enjoy it for the first year or so. After that, things change...if you are family and friend oriented it gets a little harder.
The ideal person for the regional life would be a bohemian wildchild who can find friends and fun wherever he/she happens to be. Of course these folks often have conflicts with the requirements of the airline job (responsibility, drugs).
The problem is that the personality traits that lead one into flying usually mean spouse and family are in the future. What happens if you get stuck at the regional? Well if you're senior enough, wife works, can live in domicile, and hold locals/standups it might not be so bad...until your regional loses the domicile, loses the contract, furloughs, etc.
Since there is no longer any reasonably safe assumption that you will advance beyond the regional, you have to carefully consider MULTIPLE career paths, how likely they are, what you have to do to get there, and if you would even want to do them:
- Regional Lifer
- Major
- Corporate/Fractional
- Unable to progress beyond regional, change careers.
07-10-2008 | 08:07 AM
#42
Banned
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 6,929
Likes: 0
From: A-320
Yeah, it seems as though day trips are the only way to make extra money. Unfortunately, its much harder to do when you only do 3+4 day trips, as I do. Thats a good idea about the RA days however. I just so happen to be in that very situation for August. Perhaps I'll do that.
07-10-2008 | 08:58 AM
#43
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 125
Likes: 0
From: 787 FO
I think the fact that I can hold day trips is whats making me really max my pay. I have line #606 fo August in EWR, take a look at it, you will see where I am able to make a lot of extra cash. its 95hrs of flying with 15 hrs of DeadHead.........
Also if you bid a line with a lot of flying in the beginning of the month, but you flew a ton at the end of the month, you will have those days turned into RA days, then pick up flying after the RA days so they can't put anything on those RA days, so you get paid 3.75 or whatever it is for th RA days.......I had 3 RA days last month I was not used.
Also if you bid a line with a lot of flying in the beginning of the month, but you flew a ton at the end of the month, you will have those days turned into RA days, then pick up flying after the RA days so they can't put anything on those RA days, so you get paid 3.75 or whatever it is for th RA days.......I had 3 RA days last month I was not used.
07-10-2008 | 09:21 AM
#44
Banned
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 698
Likes: 0
Max flight time for the year is 1,000 hours. typically scheduled around 80 a month. That lets you work 15-20 overtime for most of the year before you time out. It still will require a base of around 42+ an hour. What regional are you at?.... or, where did you learn to do math?
07-10-2008 | 11:04 AM
#45
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,615
Likes: 8
From: Bus driver
07-10-2008 | 11:16 AM
#46
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,534
Likes: 1
From: A320 CA
07-10-2008 | 12:19 PM
#47
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,899
Likes: 0
From: Leftof longitudinal
07-10-2008 | 01:21 PM
#49
Line Holder
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 91
Likes: 0
From: fo
Note: I didnt read through 5 pages of everyones storys..heres mine though.
Im 26, single with one car payment that is really cheap. Have the basement of my parents house...doesnt really matter im never home. ok maybe one day a week just to wash clothes pay bills catch up on a few little things. Otherwise im with friends in Iowa or Texas just chillin drinking large amounts of beer. I make enough money to live and still have a tad bit left over each month to save. Life is pretty good. Im on reserve but pretty senior so i dont fly all that much. I have 11 days off but feels more like 20.....knock on wood. The only thing that sucks is crew scheduling calling, the thought of not having a job, and the stupid $9hr employees we have.
Im 26, single with one car payment that is really cheap. Have the basement of my parents house...doesnt really matter im never home. ok maybe one day a week just to wash clothes pay bills catch up on a few little things. Otherwise im with friends in Iowa or Texas just chillin drinking large amounts of beer. I make enough money to live and still have a tad bit left over each month to save. Life is pretty good. Im on reserve but pretty senior so i dont fly all that much. I have 11 days off but feels more like 20.....knock on wood. The only thing that sucks is crew scheduling calling, the thought of not having a job, and the stupid $9hr employees we have.
07-10-2008 | 06:52 PM
#50
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,615
Likes: 8
From: Bus driver
That's roughly 1400 hours of credit. I repeat.. How?
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
