777 IAD or EWR Reserve basing
 

Returning from an extended mil leave absence and need some advice on 777 flying from EWR and/or IAD. I plan on relocating the family to be within 2 hrs of either hub..we have family on the East Coast that we've been away from for a while. I think a Reserve lifestyle is probably something that will work, but I'm trying to figure out the upside/downside to each based on the Reserve/flying operation tangibiles. Relative seniority is about the same.

I have some decent inputs on IAD that make it sound good, but know nothing about EWR 777 ops. Also, IAD has a small 777 group...are there vulnerabilities with this HUB that I should be aware of? Upsides/downsides from any experienced 777 from these domiciles would be a great help.

We're pretty familiar with living in both locations...traffic sucks, aggressive drivers, taxes...but at least there is some escape within 2 hrs of these bases....so keep opinions based on 777 operations. Thanks

Definitely More trip variety at EWR... and much more of it. I question the long term viability of IAD 777... all I’ve seen past 2 years is shrinkage... and no open time to be had.

Thanks. I guess I should have specified. Personal goal is more time at home on Reserve (min guarantee) vs. picking up open time. Does the increased flying at EWR make it more likely for calls off Reserve?

Staffing levels (and therefore reserve utilization) will ebb and flow in any base, but some of my friends on reserve in the EWR777FO base don’t even know where their uniforms are. Not flying very much at all. Some strategic use of short calls and they rarely ever fly.

What also may be a consideration, IAD is not gate or weather limited.

Every time I fly the 777 into EWR, I wait for a gate. Now throw in some weather, and delays are cumulative. Frustration with the airport may enter into your analysis. IAD, not so much--if you can stand the terminal and temporary gates from the 60's.

Everything that was ever wrong with EWR is still there with really no ability to fix it. However it does seem that the flying at IAD has taken a back seat to EWR, but I don't see it shrinking much more beyond what it already has.

The wild card will be the IAD 787. In the Pacific, marketing can't decide which plane gets what flying. So the 777 flying has been rather unstable between the fleets. I do foresee a bit of that in IAD.

Good luck and welcome back!

Right now fleet is over staffed... reserve, if living in base, will definitely have you flying less per month than as a line holder IMO... but you won’t have any real control of days off other than the 6 HDOs. I’m in DCA and worked 70 days each last two years.... buds in EWR who work SCs had very similar. I don’t chase flying and happy with min line guarantee so this year I’ve been bidding a line with 18 days off so not a slave looking at CCS and open time for SC pickups... good to ha e that choice. But agree with post above... don’t bid on a plane based on today... things change rapidly here.

Yes... I think your plan is a good one... EWR or IAD would work based on today’s snapshot of fleet and seats.

Decide where you want to live. There will be widebody flying out of both bases for a local to sit RSV.

If you are senior to 9900 you will be much happier in Newark.

PBS awards come out much sooner in DCA