RyanP

I just posted this in another thread like a week ago but I'll put it here too. I'm Also at Envoy.

(Living in base is worth more than you can possibly imagine in time off, stress, and job satisfaction. Commuting is miserable and a waste of life. Even with a short commute you will waste at least 30 hours a month commuting. Waiting hours for flights after you finish work, getting bumped, waiting hours for the next flights, leaving home to commute to work 6+ hours in advance before your show time. That 2pm showtime would be great if you live in base, but since you commute it turns into leaving your house at 0500am for a commute and turns into 20+ hour day. Or imagine finishing a 4day trip at 4pm in the afternoon after an 11 hour duty day, but you can't just drive home like a normal person, you have to commute so you end up getting home at midnight and exhausted (another 20 hour day). This is the life of a commuter. Then you are Constantly worrying about getting a commutable schedule every month, and when you don't, being junior or on RSV, you end up commuting on your days off, so you basically get no days off for the month. RSV living in base, you get to sit at home when you don't get called. RSV living in base can be better than holding a line IMO. Commuting to RSV? Haha.. enjoy that hell.

Plus living in base gives you a lot of opportunity to make extra money if you need it anyway, since you are already there, if you want to drive in to pick up some 200% OT for a few hours one day, its easy to do. Drive in, Drive home. DOn't get called on RSV? Free paid day off to do your own thing if you are living in base.

Your family/friends won't even recognize you anymore because you will never be there as a commuter. I have spent over 7 years of my time at the regionals commuting to various bases across the country and I hated every second of this job when I was commuting. Every time I have lived in base, I actually start to like the job again.)

PilotJ3

I commute from FL to ORD. It's double, but Im senior FO not on RSV.

I used to live in Ord for 2.5 yrs until I got tired of the cold WX. Living in base vs commuting is wayyy different.

Living in ord I used to hop on the Blueline and get to my apartment. Now I'm expending at least 10-12hrs extra a week commuting. I was Miami base, I could either drive or fly. It was awesome and it was about 3 hrs from my house to the gate.

Times changes and we might get back MIA. Hopefully...

Good luck, it's a good company.

RyanP

If you have any questions about living in DFW vs ORD, just ask. You can likely pick whatever base you want. I have lived in both.

Flyhayes

MCO-IAD

filler

Skyooopilot791

As everyone has said, if you commute you will be miserable. I would pick a base in a city they currently run. Don't pick a place and hope it comes. From what I have heard from pilots jumping on my planes is if mia comes back it will go super senior and most likely you will not get in that base for sometime anyways and still end up commuting.

As a example for when I was thinking of Republic awhile back and hoping for the mia base I was told at best it would be 1 year that I would get it after joining.

Go where your happy and this whole regional job thing will not make you rage quit when you don't get to home after a ******** trip...

AcesHigh

Guys thanks for all the feedback and replies, you've all been a great help.

My buddy said it best "Chicago is the Miami of the north" Which in many senses is true.

I actually like Chicago quite a lot. Not too fond of winters these days though, but oh well.

I do have a bike and may quite possibly be purchasing a second one and maybe I'll just have one stay in Florida and commute there to visit as one of you guys were saying.


I feel like there might be more to do in the Chi than in Dallas but who knows...

Lanesuzza

I had the easiest commute. PHX to ONT. Flights every hour to and from. I was short call reserve a year prior to being furloughed... That said, commuting still was horrible. Sitting in a crash pad with 7 other guys waiting to be called, while my wife and kids were in another state was too much. Do yourself a favor and move to your base.....

RyanP

Chicago is a lot more of a fun city with a lot more to do all the time but it does cost more to live there. More activities, more events every week, summertime always has something going on, Chicago sports/social is great year round with co-ed sports leagues being huge there. Fanatical sports city. Many different neighborhoods around the city with different vibes but all right next to each other and walkable, endless supply of fun non-generic places to hang out, No car needed, easy public transit around the city and to the airport via the blue line. You can walk or bike anywhere, you won't be doing that in DFW lol. North Beach in the Summer. More active city by far if you like to keep in shape and that kind of thing.

Dallas is better if you like strip malls, the Dallas Cowboys, chain restaurants, fire ants, driving forever to do just about anything, generic chain bar/grills, or have a family and want to live in a nice house in cookie cutter suburbia for cheap. Uptown/Deep Ellum and part of Ft Worth are ok for fun areas but they are small isolated areas and equivalent to ORD housing prices to be in those areas. There is literally nothing to do in DFW if you live in a suburbia area (which is 95% of the huge sprawling area) but sit around with others and drink beer, watch football and go out on the lake occasionally if you or a friend has a boat. There are some really pretty girls around DFW but the ones in ORD are much friendlier and not as stuck up and materialistic, IMO.

Single, Active = Chicago
Family ready to settle down in suburbia and put the kids in a good school = DFW

I miss Chicago. Winters are long and it sucks, but you can still have fun at least, just indoors. lol.

AcesHigh

Chi town it is. I think you sold me.

RyanP

Early 30's and single.. easy choice!

Wicker Park/Division/Bucktown area around Milwaukee/Damen/North ave intersection is a great area for someone that works at the airport. Walk just steps to the Damen Blue line, 35 minutes you are in the terminal. Super easy to get anywhere you would want to go from there, tons of restaurants, bars, nightlife right there within a few blocks. Walkable, or super easily bikable to North beach and park areas for sports at Lakeshore Dr down North ave, just a few stops on the train to get downtown. Easy bus trip over to Lincoln Park area and Old Town, but still closer and much easier to get to work without a double train connection.. Lots of the Eagle guys do Chicago Sports and social club leagues. We did Football, Softball, Indoor sand volleyball in the winter, beach volleyball in the summer, kickball. All teams sponsored by a local bar so after the games you all meet up at the bars afterwards. They usually provide some appetizers and a few free pitches to the teams after the games. It's a great way to make friends and meet cute girls there if you join the co-ed leagues. Tons of ex college, young professionals that move to the city are involved. Lots of ex college athletes looking to stay active. They take their sports seriously in Chicago, this is no joke!! lol. I have not seen anything similar anywhere near as popular or fun in any other city.