Do the 75/76 awards for DC area typically go more senior or junior? I realize it’s hard to estimate time frames but would a five year goal for getting that award seem realistic?

 

There will be plenty of 756 FO movement in DC during the next year. Should be able to bid it inside of 6 months.

 

I have flown with several guys who were hired into it in EWR.

 

One way to somewhat control your schedule on reserve is aggressive pickup. Pick up IAD, let somebody who waits to be called get DCA and BWI.

Joe

 

Its nice and quick. I would not dismiss bringing your immediate family out - wife, parents, and kids. Especially if you want to do some Colorado sightseeing for a couple days after class. Your family should be fully loaded in EmployeeRes for pass travel by the end of Indoc. On-line(UA) Travel bennies start right away, but paperwork takes just a couple days. Have those birth & marriage certs ready!

Space Available travel, only. So make sure the flights are open - including the return dates if you do invite them. Your Indoc instructors can give you guidance.

 

First of all, welcome to United. Lots of us have done the desert thing, so we feel your pain. (Remember, if you sleep 12 hours a day, you are only there half as much time!)
I'd recommend bringing the wife and kids during Indoc, or at least the last week or so, to include the wings ceremony and then a few days to play in the mountains after. It is a good way to introduce them to United, too. During sim training you will get as a minimum, by contract, two days off for every 5 worked. But that does not mean those will be on weekends. You will get a full sim schedule upon arrival for sim training. You will be busy studying, but that doesn't preclude some evenings going out to dinner, or having family there during your days off if you so wish to stay in Denver instead of flying home. You will keep the same hotel room for the entire training, so you can kinda settle in for the month. Upgrades would be only if you could sweet talk into that somehow.
BTW, your Shenandoah valley plan is a good one. IAD has a nice variety of flying. Taxes are less in WV, btw.
Again welcome!

 

Thanks for the great info everyone. As I await a class date I'm wondering about some things too. Any info is much appreciated.
After many years of commuting I also plan to live in base and I'm debating on EWR vs IAD. The plan for EWR would be to live in PA. Anyone have experience with the daily drive from the Delaware Water Gap area to EWR? Google shows 1:20 but I'm wondering what the traffic affects are and if thats realistic.

I'm currently flying a 75 and I'm wondering about eventually bidding into the 75-76 IAD based on the info above about primarily covering IAD. However, I understand the 756 does a lot of red eyes?

Thanks in advance

 

There are a ton of pilots living out in PA, though more live in the Lehigh Valley than the Route 80 Delaware Water Gap I think. You time sounds right with the anticipation that morning rush hour will add some time. For me, coming out of the Lehigh Valley it's about 1:10 to the EWR parking lot under normal time with rush hour adding 20min at most under normal conditions (accident or whatever, good luck). It's about 1:45-2:00 to LGA in non-rush hour traffic.

The 757/767 in EWR for the most part doesn't do any LGA flying and a lot of the trips start in the late afternoon early evening and finish before the afternoon rush hour.

 

Great info. Thanks!
Whats the parking/shuttle situation in EWR? How long do you plan for your total commute from the house to the briefing room?
I just realized that EWR folks have to cover LGA too. What about JFK...that too?
Can you drop reserve at United ( if so I assume there are restrictions)?

Whats this aggressive pick up I hear about? Can you pick up a trip while on reserve?

 

Parking Lot to the briefing room (should you chose to go there.. that’s another can of worms that people love to argue about here) is 15 or so I guess. Never really timed it actually.

No JFK flying at all for us. At least for now.

As far as reserve, it’s been a while so someone will come along to give better answers but you should in theory be able to drop reserve days or move them around some. Aggressive pick up means picking up trips on your reserve days instead of waiting to be assigned them. There is a pecking order to get them but in general it goes in seniority order for the pilots whose days available match the length of the trip. Makes life as a commuting reserve easier. Supposedly.

Which brings me to the next point. If you decide to go for the 756 in either base at the earliest opportunity you’re going to be sitting reserve for quite a while compared to the 737/320 fleets. Something to think about if you haven’t actually moved to base yet.