I’m considering a career change and trying to gauge what life would be like working as a regional FO without seniority. Please let me know your thoughts on a week in the life of a regional FO:

While flying, do you generally feel fatigued and burnt out? Or, enthusiastic and 100% focused?
Do you find the actual flying engaging or boring?
Do you generally like most other pilots you work with? Do you think some pilots are jerks?
What is it like on a day off? Despite being a walkaway job, do you need time to decompress and feel like a normal person?
Do you have time to explore the cities you fly to?
How many legs do you fly per day?

Let me know any other thoughts on being a regional FO.

 

I'll take a stab. This is just my short take.
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
Great.
Nah. Soon as I'm in my car driving home I'm feeling good.
Sometimes. Depends on how long your overnight is.
Where I'm at, 2 to 6 legs per day, with 4 being typical.

Short answers, I know, but that's my take so far. You'll get the full spectrum of experiences. If you're with a good crew on a good trip with desirable overnights it really can be quite fun and you look forward to similar experiences.

Get stuck on a trip with people you're not especially fond of, and in sucky weather and the worst overnights, then you'll be ready to get out of the plane the moment the door is popped open and disappear till report time, but that isn't a frequent experience for the most part.

Your personal attitude about work/life/people, as always, plays a big part on how you experience it.

 

A Day in the Life (Regional)

Here is a pretty good write-up.

 

If you live in base your regional experience can be good. I enjoyed my time. Mostly you'll enjoy the friendships you create at the regional level. Once you get to the majors the fun is usually gone and it becomes more of a profession then a job.
Living in base will make your regional stay a ton more enjoyable.

 

I've found that living in base makes this the best job I have ever had. I commuted to reserve prior to getting awarded my home base.. and it really is as bad as they say.

 

Sometimes enthusiastic, sometime bored. 2 to 4 legs per day. Sometimes 5. Overnights can be good if they're long enough and they're in a good place and your hotel is in a good location. Other pilots are generally good. Flying the plane is kinda fun.

 

Got a quick question about this. For a new hire, what is the process of being on reserve if you don't live in the state where you're based? Do they let you bid a reserve with a longer time to show up so you have some time to get there? And if not do they put you up in a hotel the night before? Just trying to get an idea of how this works.

 

Flying the line can be monotonous, especially going to the same airports over and over. To me, it's a job. The novelty of flying a jet has worn pretty thin. Dealing with weather, having abnormal and emergency situations definitely makes the job more interesting and stressful.

 

Where you live is your business, but the commute is your problem. Show times for trips or reserve response time isn't customized because you live away. That's why commuters complain about the extra time away spent commuting. Commuting comes out of your free time.

GF

 

Most airlines don't care where you live and it is your responsibility to get in place for reserve. Seniority holds longer call outs, typically 2-hour callout for junior reserves so you need to be in base (or close) for the entirety of the reserve period. If you plan on commuting long term look into the commuter rules and commuter hotel policies at your airline choices. Some pay for a limited number of hotels for the month -- and some commuter policies are more generous than others. I would also favor the one leg commute with multiple runs for the day. Good luck, hope that helps.