I am considering an airline pilot job but have some questions about how much time I can expect to be away from my family. (I'm at about 550 hours now and instructing, so hope to get my ATP in the next year or two)

How probable is it to fly for a regional airline and be away less than 7 nights a month if I do not commute? Are there certain airlines that are better for this than others? I'm assuming that the less you are away the less money you'll be able to make (in picking up trips, etc. ).

I would appreciate any advice concerning the time away aspect. I know the pay is low for the first few years, but hopefully with a military retirement I can make up for that.

Thank you!

 

On reserve. You will usually be free only 7 days.
Line Holder. Unless you're senior to have day trips or two days, you will be off from 12 to 17 days.

That's a general rule, now just depend which airline and where are you going to be based.

 

Total for the month 7 days off? Really?

 

I don't commute and it really isn't all that terrible. On reserve, as long as you aren't airport reserve, you spend a lot of time home with the family. If you figure that you have 11 days off a month, you'll be in your bed an additional 4-6 days on the last days of reserve/trips at a minimum. Contracts vary as well. For some regionals, it is a stipulation that you cannot spend more than 4 consecutive nights out of domicile.

 

Living in base is KEY. I'm very junior at my airline, just finished training in March and I was actually only gone 7 nights during the entire month of June. That is not always going to happen tho. Between the mix of not getting called on reserve a few times and getting day trips or 2 day trips when called, I was only gone those 7 nights last month. The month of July I will be gone 14 nights as I have a line now. It just varies but living in base is a must if you want to see your family as much as possible. The month of May I was gone 14 nights and the month of April I was gone 8 nights. Those months were on reserve too. You'll get a guaranteed 11-12 days off a month on reserve depending on your airline.

 

Picture this: You're home on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday each week. Then, as your wife is ramping up for a sunny summer weekend with friends, you leave, and come back the next Tuesday.

 

A couple of things from a gray area retiree...

First, your military retirement pay will be more than your regional pay for the first few years (assuming you retired from active-duty military). If you can, live on your retirement pay alone. I am living on regional pay plus a small pension from a previous employer. My National Guard retirement pay kicks in at 60.

Second, as a new-hire, at any level, you will likely be on reserve. The duration depends on the hiring rate at your carrier and how long it continues after you are hired. I only did two months of reserve as a new-hire. At my previous carrier, it was seven months as a new-hire.

Third, most regionals have a reserve guarantee of 75 hours. You'll be paid 75 hours if you don't fly at all or fly 74:59. Above 75, you get straight hourly rate in most cases. When you are on duty, you will receive expense pay of $X.XX per hour/ time away from base (TAFB). Think of this as BAQ/BAS but much less. If on an overnight, it's usually tax-free.

I commute, but have been able to get overnights at home. I had one trip with three consecutive nights at home. That was nice. Commuting sucks, but the alternative is unemployment which sucks a lot more. If you have the chance to be based where you live, take it. I will be transferring soon (I hope!) to a city where I can commute and drive, if needed. I did this at my previous carrier and that wasn't too bad but still not as good as living where I was based.

Good luck!

 

Divorce...

 

This^^^^^

It can make the difference between not ever being home and actually having a decent family life no matter how junior you are.

 

Where do you want to live? And is your family willing to live there as well?

ORD, MSP, IAH,...

Do you plan to sit in the right seat of an RJ for however long it would take you to have a similar schedule in the left seat? Do you plan on staying at a regional airline or are you hoping to get to a Legacy? If the latter is the case I'd start seriously reconsidering the profession if minimal time away from home is your goal.