How is living in domicile in HOU?
10-17-2019, 07:11 AM
#1
New Hire
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Aug 2017
Position: KC-135 IP
Posts: 9
How is living in domicile in HOU?
Good morning,
I'm currently in the military and trying to find the best options for my midlife crisis/next career.
I have never lived in TX (long term) and I know nothing about HOU as a hub for SWA. I see some info about Dallas and tons about Orlando, but I don't see anyone posting about HOU.
- Is it a junior base? Could I hold it pretty soon after training?
- Is it a desirable base? If not, why?
- If anyone does live around the area, any recommendations on neighborhoods??
Thank you!
I'm currently in the military and trying to find the best options for my midlife crisis/next career.
I have never lived in TX (long term) and I know nothing about HOU as a hub for SWA. I see some info about Dallas and tons about Orlando, but I don't see anyone posting about HOU.
- Is it a junior base? Could I hold it pretty soon after training?
- Is it a desirable base? If not, why?
- If anyone does live around the area, any recommendations on neighborhoods??
Thank you!
10-17-2019, 08:37 AM
#2
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2013
Position: 175 CA
Posts: 1,544
Originally Posted by Zillamax
Good morning,
I'm currently in the military and trying to find the best options for my midlife crisis/next career.
I have never lived in TX (long term) and I know nothing about HOU as a hub for SWA. I see some info about Dallas and tons about Orlando, but I don't see anyone posting about HOU.
- Is it a junior base? Could I hold it pretty soon after training?
- Is it a desirable base? If not, why?
- If anyone does live around the area, any recommendations on neighborhoods??
Thank you!
I'm currently in the military and trying to find the best options for my midlife crisis/next career.
I have never lived in TX (long term) and I know nothing about HOU as a hub for SWA. I see some info about Dallas and tons about Orlando, but I don't see anyone posting about HOU.
- Is it a junior base? Could I hold it pretty soon after training?
- Is it a desirable base? If not, why?
- If anyone does live around the area, any recommendations on neighborhoods??
Thank you!
10-17-2019, 08:42 AM
#3
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Aug 2015
Posts: 805
Originally Posted by Squallrider
It’s junior. Not sure on desirability, it’s hot and no state tax ha.
HOU often has new hires, so it's junior. It's not top heavy like MCO either.
10-17-2019, 02:04 PM
#4
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2015
Posts: 104
Been in Northeast Houston for 15 years and it works just fine. Dont love Houston, but certainly dont hate it. Conroe would be a bit of a PITA being based at Hobby. Clearlake makes more sense. As for whats important, Hobby appears to be poised for growth over the next 10-12 years. I have been at SWA 3.5 and Im at 45% in base and can pretty much check the boxes that are important to me....weekday flying, no 4-days, etc. Flooding is no joke due to the “concrete jungle” nature of H-town, so if you do move make sure to look very closely at that.
10-17-2019, 02:35 PM
#5
New Hire
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Aug 2017
Position: KC-135 IP
Posts: 9
Originally Posted by TexasFlight
Been in Northeast Houston for 15 years and it works just fine. Dont love Houston, but certainly dont hate it. Conroe would be a bit of a PITA being based at Hobby. Clearlake makes more sense. As for whats important, Hobby appears to be poised for growth over the next 10-12 years. I have been at SWA 3.5 and Im at 45% in base and can pretty much check the boxes that are important to me....weekday flying, no 4-days, etc. Flooding is no joke due to the “concrete jungle” nature of H-town, so if you do move make sure to look very closely at that.
We were looking at somewhere in Greatwood or The Woodlands. Any insight into those places?
Thanks again!
10-18-2019, 06:36 AM
#6
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2013
Posts: 3,439
Long time Houston commuter here. We gave some thought to moving there. I fly with a lot of guys and girls who do live there and here are the unfiltered comments:
The base is relatively Junior for captains and FOs. That’s good, trust me. Right now you can bid reserve and sit on your butt or hang out on the lake for a good portion of the month. Our staffing is at a historic high level, though, due to the max grounding.
You can be a line holder right now inside of 3 months. Not sure about weekends off, but with the way people adjust their schedules, you can probably hold weekends off when you need them from the get go unless you are on reserve. I can bid for what I want in the base, but I often fly weekends by choice just because that fits my schedule better.
Living in base it is super easy to pick up turns and short notice stuff. You can basically write your own schedule and be home for dinner a lot. It’s a great base for open time and trip trading because there are so many commuters. Commuters tend to want to fly 3 day trips. That leaves a lot of 2 days and turns for the guys who live there.
The chief complaints?
The traffic. On the north side of town near the woodlands, it takes 1-2 hours to get to hobby depending on the time of day. South side is much better, but the neighborhoods and schools down there are hit or miss.
The weather. Hurricanes and flooding are not uncommon. Heat gets old.
Parking. It may sound like a small thing, but unless you have military plates (free garage parking in Texas airports), you will pay through the nose for offsite parking. Don’t even get me started on why we pay for parking as a professional pilot.
The Houston base is ok. The chief pilots are good. The lounge sucks, but if you live there you really have no reason to hang out there anyway.
If I had to choose a place and base to live in, Houston would definitely be in the top 3 or 4.
The base is relatively Junior for captains and FOs. That’s good, trust me. Right now you can bid reserve and sit on your butt or hang out on the lake for a good portion of the month. Our staffing is at a historic high level, though, due to the max grounding.
You can be a line holder right now inside of 3 months. Not sure about weekends off, but with the way people adjust their schedules, you can probably hold weekends off when you need them from the get go unless you are on reserve. I can bid for what I want in the base, but I often fly weekends by choice just because that fits my schedule better.
Living in base it is super easy to pick up turns and short notice stuff. You can basically write your own schedule and be home for dinner a lot. It’s a great base for open time and trip trading because there are so many commuters. Commuters tend to want to fly 3 day trips. That leaves a lot of 2 days and turns for the guys who live there.
The chief complaints?
The traffic. On the north side of town near the woodlands, it takes 1-2 hours to get to hobby depending on the time of day. South side is much better, but the neighborhoods and schools down there are hit or miss.
The weather. Hurricanes and flooding are not uncommon. Heat gets old.
Parking. It may sound like a small thing, but unless you have military plates (free garage parking in Texas airports), you will pay through the nose for offsite parking. Don’t even get me started on why we pay for parking as a professional pilot.
The Houston base is ok. The chief pilots are good. The lounge sucks, but if you live there you really have no reason to hang out there anyway.
If I had to choose a place and base to live in, Houston would definitely be in the top 3 or 4.
10-18-2019, 07:09 AM
#8
Line Holder
Joined APC: Oct 2014
Position: 737 pilot
Posts: 83
Originally Posted by e6bpilot
Long time Houston commuter here. We gave some thought to moving there. I fly with a lot of guys and girls who do live there and here are the unfiltered comments:
The base is relatively Junior for captains and FOs. That’s good, trust me. Right now you can bid reserve and sit on your butt or hang out on the lake for a good portion of the month. Our staffing is at a historic high level, though, due to the max grounding.
You can be a line holder right now inside of 3 months. Not sure about weekends off, but with the way people adjust their schedules, you can probably hold weekends off when you need them from the get go unless you are on reserve. I can bid for what I want in the base, but I often fly weekends by choice just because that fits my schedule better.
Living in base it is super easy to pick up turns and short notice stuff. You can basically write your own schedule and be home for dinner a lot. It’s a great base for open time and trip trading because there are so many commuters. Commuters tend to want to fly 3 day trips. That leaves a lot of 2 days and turns for the guys who live there.
The chief complaints?
The traffic. On the north side of town near the woodlands, it takes 1-2 hours to get to hobby depending on the time of day. South side is much better, but the neighborhoods and schools down there are hit or miss.
The weather. Hurricanes and flooding are not uncommon. Heat gets old.
Parking. It may sound like a small thing, but unless you have military plates (free garage parking in Texas airports), you will pay through the nose for offsite parking. Don’t even get me started on why we pay for parking as a professional pilot.
The Houston base is ok. The chief pilots are good. The lounge sucks, but if you live there you really have no reason to hang out there anyway.
If I had to choose a place and base to live in, Houston would definitely be in the top 3 or 4.
The base is relatively Junior for captains and FOs. That’s good, trust me. Right now you can bid reserve and sit on your butt or hang out on the lake for a good portion of the month. Our staffing is at a historic high level, though, due to the max grounding.
You can be a line holder right now inside of 3 months. Not sure about weekends off, but with the way people adjust their schedules, you can probably hold weekends off when you need them from the get go unless you are on reserve. I can bid for what I want in the base, but I often fly weekends by choice just because that fits my schedule better.
Living in base it is super easy to pick up turns and short notice stuff. You can basically write your own schedule and be home for dinner a lot. It’s a great base for open time and trip trading because there are so many commuters. Commuters tend to want to fly 3 day trips. That leaves a lot of 2 days and turns for the guys who live there.
The chief complaints?
The traffic. On the north side of town near the woodlands, it takes 1-2 hours to get to hobby depending on the time of day. South side is much better, but the neighborhoods and schools down there are hit or miss.
The weather. Hurricanes and flooding are not uncommon. Heat gets old.
Parking. It may sound like a small thing, but unless you have military plates (free garage parking in Texas airports), you will pay through the nose for offsite parking. Don’t even get me started on why we pay for parking as a professional pilot.
The Houston base is ok. The chief pilots are good. The lounge sucks, but if you live there you really have no reason to hang out there anyway.
If I had to choose a place and base to live in, Houston would definitely be in the top 3 or 4.
10-18-2019, 08:44 AM
#9
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2013
Posts: 3,439
Originally Posted by Duke Beamer
I actually like the lounge there, better than Dallas anyway. And easier to get to than most. 
but otherwise, I’ll agree with e6 on HOU. It’s a great base, I loved my time there and commuting there was a lot easier than OAK and most other bases. I’m partial to DEN now, but HOU is a great base.
but otherwise, I’ll agree with e6 on HOU. It’s a great base, I loved my time there and commuting there was a lot easier than OAK and most other bases. I’m partial to DEN now, but HOU is a great base.Come on, man. The Denver lounge has a massage chair that requires a masters degree to operate, huge windows with views of the mountains and an Alaska 737, and a butler that greets you and shines your shoes while you relax getting your foot massage.
In Houston we celebrated when we finally got chairs without crotch stains a couple of years ago. We have 1985 lounge furniture and a non functional sleep room. They have the same 3 tables set up for 500 pilots that they did for 300 6 years ago. We have to go to the ground ops lounge to get water and ice.
I don’t know what the chief pilots are doing with the upgrade money that the rest of the lounges get, but it definitely isn’t spent on upgrades.
10-18-2019, 10:11 AM
#10
Line Holder
Joined APC: Oct 2014
Position: 737 pilot
Posts: 83
Originally Posted by e6bpilot
Come on, man. The Denver lounge has a massage chair that requires a masters degree to operate, huge windows with views of the mountains and an Alaska 737, and a butler that greets you and shines your shoes while you relax getting your foot massage.
In Houston we celebrated when we finally got chairs without crotch stains a couple of years ago. We have 1985 lounge furniture and a non functional sleep room. They have the same 3 tables set up for 500 pilots that they did for 300 6 years ago. We have to go to the ground ops lounge to get water and ice.
I don’t know what the chief pilots are doing with the upgrade money that the rest of the lounges get, but it definitely isn’t spent on upgrades.
In Houston we celebrated when we finally got chairs without crotch stains a couple of years ago. We have 1985 lounge furniture and a non functional sleep room. They have the same 3 tables set up for 500 pilots that they did for 300 6 years ago. We have to go to the ground ops lounge to get water and ice.
I don’t know what the chief pilots are doing with the upgrade money that the rest of the lounges get, but it definitely isn’t spent on upgrades.
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