My wife punched herself in the face and called the cops saying I hit her. I reminded her that I'd probably lose my job if I went to jail. Realizing her mistake, when the cops got there she explained that she had accidentally hit herself while opening the cupboard and mistakenly thought that I had rigged it that way. That's what you call synergy. I'm still happily married and happily employed.

 

Wow…………..

Filler

 

To everyone who responded, thank you. It sounds like time and seniority fixes everything, so we just need to be more patient. I’ll also keep working PBS to try and get the best schedule I can at my seniority. We are very thankful to have the airline opportunity, but we’ve got other irons in the fire that are very enticing and we are trying to not just look at now, but 5, 10, 15 years in the future to decide which opportunity we want to pursue as a second career. It’s easy to focus on how life is as a new guy and extend that out and assume that it will always be the same. As some have said, airline flying isn’t for everyone and we are trying to figure out which camp we fall into. I can’t really defer either opportunity, so whatever we commit to now is likely to be a long term decision that shuts other doors.

 

Respectfully, just out of pure curiosity. What were you doing before United, and what skills do you have where you can make more money with less effort than United? (If you are an NBFO you will be above 50% in nearly every base in the next year). Genuine question...

 

I was AD. I’ve got job opportunities with defense contractors that pay around $200/yr, working 4/10s, holidays and weekends off, the work is enjoyably and easy, and no work follows you home. Yes, you get more time off with United, but it’s a zero sum game. If I’m sitting on a beach in Aruba, not working, then my wife is working her butt off at home chasing 4 kids. Frankly, it isn’t about the money. Could I make more money elsewhere? Yes. To others, money is their primary (or only) consideration. For me, it’s pretty far down the list. I am chasing lifestyle where I can spend as much time with my family before all my kids grow up and leave the house. I only get one shot to be a husband and a father, and a job is merely a mechanism to maximize my family time. Some don’t agree with that, and that’s their prerogative.

 

Dude, good on you for exploring all options. You’re right, you do only get one chance to be a father and clearly family is important to you. The one thing in all your posts you have never said is that you want to be a pilot. Yet here you are, awaiting OE and moving to base with other “irons in the fire” and trying to figure out how to fly as little as possible and wondering why your 401k spillover goes to a tax-free account.


It sounds to me like you will be miserable here and will be miserable to fly with. You’re probably a great dude and smart, but you sound like an SOS DG looking for an angle. I just don’t think you’ll ever end up satisfied with this place as your end state for the next 20 years. I hope you and the family find a solution that makes you happy though.

 

And you call ME a troll?!?!

Thanks Fadec I laughed pretty hard reading that!

 

I feel for the OP.

It’s definitely and adjustment coming off active duty military where if you’re not deployed, most holidays and weekends are off. Add to the fact it seems he may be a drone pilot which means he didn’t deploy away from home and had consistent quality family time.

I found that airline guys consistently oversold
the pay they were making and downplayed the fact that when junior most weekends and holidays we have to work.

With that said, this is a phenomenal job and I really think living in base will be a game changer for you. Be patient and don’t do anything rash like give up a multi million dollar job for a contracting job that could disappear over night. Good luck

 

And once again you’re trolling….

 

That alone will result in a tremendous change in QOL. I realize not everyone can make that move, but if you can it makes all the difference

I am sitting at 60% as a 756 CAP in ORD. Because I am willing to take the early checkin or late checkout trips that no commuter wants, I have worked 0 weekends in the last two months. I had 10 days of vacation in Dec, but outside of that I worked a total of 7 days with 2 nights away from home, for 46 hours of flying. One of the one days was a PPU 100% trip (ORD to SFO, DH back) that I was able to get because I am local. So, being local can allow you to take many trips that are more productive that would be unpalatable for a commuter. The same applies to trip-trading, so you may see greater success in that arena as well.

I don't know what fleet/seat you are in, but my experience over the last 20+ years is that living in base takes a bunch of the pain out of being junior. Back in the day as a 727 FE as a new hire, the first month I held a line, I got my second choice (old line bidding before PBS). The guy one senior to me get my first choice. The next two junior to me got my 3rd and 4th choice. All 4 of the lines consisted of RSW or MCO turns in the afternoon/evening, so a commuter would have been buying a bunch of hotels. As a local guy it was 14 days of work for 77ish hours and no nights away from home. Those 4 lines, were the final 4 lines awarded, so truly one man's garbage is another man's gold.

Not sure what the Misses does for a gig (if anything) but you will also have the benefit of being able to bid reserve if needed for specific days off. That coupled with a more normal staffing level can mean a good number of unused SCs and more days at home than any lineholder. That can be tricky depending on your family circumstances, but if the unknown aspect of whether or not you will be home is workable, reserve as a local dude can mean many more nights in your own bed. I have done many months of reserve in which my wife's family was not convinced I still had a job!