If you live in base it might not be that bad. You could go weeks without getting called best case.

But that's very dependent on staffing for the equipment, domicile, and season. Unfortunately new-hires don't usually have a lot of choice, if any, as to where they get based.

Once you're off reserve as a junior lineholder, you'll probably do four days until you get enough seniority to hold standups or locals. Once you're senior enough (>40% might be a good guess) then you can bid all locals and be home every night, assuming your domicile has a typical amount of locals.

But it will take some luck to get into a reserve situation where you don't get called much as a new-hire.

 

Good idea, doing the research before putting the bikini on. The reality of this business is its unpredictable nature. Things will change, domiciles will open and close, scheduling software will change, work rules as well. If you have a wife/girlfriend, prepare for a change unless they are very forgiving/understanding. Think every birthday, holiday, family event will be missed on average. You might get the 4th off but miss your wife's birthday as well as others. This job cost me my longterm(15 year) girlfriend,and most of my friends are airline employed. Most people don't understand this business and when you decline the 9th party invite, they just stop coming/asking. Make no mistake this job is more than 9-5, it is a lifestyle, and it is not for everyone. If it works for you, then well welcome to the circus!

 

The word, "starter wife" comes to mind!

 

If you do not commute like you put in your post, then once you become senior enough, a lot of airlines have "fly me last" for the reserves. You could go a long time with out spending a night in a hotel. It's been since April for me. Your mileage may vary.

 

Given how short the regionals are on pilots now, you will be flying on reserve. The shorter airlines are on pilot, the more reserves they will have. You will be looking at 11 days off, 10 at some regionals. That means they will be flying you the other 19-20 days of the month. Again, as they are short on pilots and will be for the forceable future, you may not be just sitting at home like some of us got accustomed to-they will fly you a lot. Im seeing this now as a 4 year reserve, being used every single day, spending 18-19 nights away from home. This is the new reality in the ugly regional industry.

 

My bad... 11 days off.

 

That is true at YOUR regional but not true at all. I have friends on reserve at various regionals and they hardly get used at all. Other regionals, you'll be on reserve a short period of time and be holding a line relatively shortly following IOE. It also depends on which base you go to. To say that all regionals will have you 18-19 days away from home is actually ridiculous. Even if you have a brutal contract which allows you to be away from domicile for 6 days straight, you'll only overnight 5 of those days. As an absolute WORST case scenario, assuming you fly 18 days, you'll be at home and in your bed an additional 3 nights. That means, at the very least, if you don't commute, you'll be in your bed 14 nights each month. That number goes up if you end up back in domicile more.

As an example, next month I have 12 days off and will be in my bed 20 nights. That doesn't take into consideration that on 4 of my trips, I'll be home before 11 am.

 

Commuting to reserve, you get about 4 to 7 days at home a month depending on what the commute is. As a senior lineholder living in base, about 250 hours away a month.

 

From a bunch of my buddies at Trans States, I heard the most recent bid had 11-12 days off for nearly everyone despite seniority.

When I was there, and had gotten "senior" as an FO, then upgraded to Captain it was rare that I got more than 15 days off/month...15 days off a month is awesome...the odd thing though was thinking that I spent half a year on the road...And that was the BEST of times...averaged closer to 12 days off a month.

 

Sfitz,
Living in base is the key to being out of your own bed as little as possible. That said, if you don't think you can handle living out of a suitcase for 15-20 nights a month, you will NOT last long as an airline pilot. The job description is simple: travel. That means a lot of nights in hotel rooms, a lot of nights waking up and having no clue where you are; walking into walls on the way to the bathroom; not getting home when you planned; missing family time, and on and on.

I don't usually try to dissuade people, but you will be years away from this kind of schedule, and that's if your company--when you are eventually hired--even has them. FAR 117 has made it much harder to schedule these kinds of trips, so if for some reason you don't want to be away from home more than 2 nights a week, or can't be away from home more than 2 nights a week (say, if you have a special needs kid, an elderly parent that needs help, etc.), you need to consider another line of work. Even in the airlines, there are jobs that don't require travel.

If I may be so bold, is this question based on a genuine need, or is this just something you prefer?