7 Jul Class
 

OK, game on... who else is in?

45.9 years old
7XXX SS#

Considering the 756...

two questions...

Would you suggest having a vehicle during indoc? i.e. will there be time to use it?

When do you find out when aircraft training will be?

I'm in the Jul 7th class.

37.5 years old.

I really want Houston as a hub b/c I live in the Panhandle of Florida so I want the 757/767 or the A320.

It's really not needed. If you want a car to get away for a while...you can call Bill @ airline auto rental. It's right there in the Holiday Inn...adjacent to the Doubletree.

You don't need a car during BI... During sims it would be nice but not a show stopper. You normally get schedule for sims on week 2.

You won't get 756 or 76T in IAH. Only available in EWR. A320 in IAH could be very doable.

You won't get 756 in IAH, only in EWR. A320 very doable.

I heard UAL is moving the 737's out of IAH and building up 320's and 756's.

True?

Even if I don't get IAH right away, I'm just looking for the best chance to eventually get there.

If you want IAH go A320....

Unfortunately the June 16th class drop only has 1 x A320 and if the July 7th class drop is similar, that will probably leave me with the 756 or 737. It doesn't help either that I'm only 37.5, so I'm guessing I'll be in the bottom half of the class to select.

I'm in.
39 yrs old, Military C-5
Bay Area native so looking for anything that will get me to SFO.

Looking forward to it.

How times have changed. Pre 9/11 the "average" age of a new hire was 33-34.

A friend of mine was 35 when hired last year, they were the 8 ball.

one of the most recent 8 balls was 26....

Welcome Tank21! Looking forward to meeting you.

Welcome Freddie! Another military guy. Retiring or Guard/Reserve? I might be looking at SFO eventually as well. Currently in Pittsburgh, relocating to Denver.

So I've heard that if you choose the 756 you're "seat locked" for 2 yrs. Does that mean locked into the 756 or locked into the 756 in your domicile? i.e. will you be able to "try" and move around after a year or so, for example EWR to SFO after a year.

Sorry if the question sounds ridiculous. I feel like I'm trying to learn another language figuring this stuff out. I know indoc explains a lot, but it seems like you're asked to make a choice on day two that can really effect you for awhile. I'm trying to show up as prepared as possible.

I wonder if Rosetta Stone has "Airline" as an option. :cool:

I'm with you. Every time I ask a question the little voice in my head says "There are no stupid questions, just stupid people asking the questions."

Getting used to airline jargon is like a 2nd language to me right now after spending 14.5 years in the military.

I want to know this answer also...

in effect your seat locked in the aircraft type but not domicile (you can lateral if vacancy exists or trade)… unless you bid bigger equipment (which is highly unlikely)… thats why there is benefit to bidding 737/320 as you can bid within the two years to a 756/76T if its better option (domicile) for you...

If you're awarded the 756, you can move to any base that has the 756 without worrying about the seat lock. That is called a lateral bid.

If you're on the 737 or 320, you can bid the 756 at any time after you get your award. The reason being is that the seat lock doesn't prevent you from bidding a higher pay banded aircraft. However, once you get on the 756, you cannot bid down to the 737 or 320 until you satisfy your seat lock.

You are locked to the aircraft not the domicile. Technically you are not locked from bidding the 787, 777, 747, 350 if you start on the 756.

You can bid any vacancy or base trade for any 756 or 76T positions.

You are seat locked for 2 years in aircraft unless you bid up to a bigger a/c. So B737 and A320 are narrow body a/c. You can't bid one to the other for 2 years but you can bid up to the B756 (B757,B767. It's considered one fleet). If you get EWR B756 you can bid SFO B756 if your senority allows it on the next vacancy bid or do a base swap with someone willing to go to EWR. Welcome aboard! It's one hellava ride!

There are several different kinds of "freezes", but the one you are talking about applies to two years before you can bid into a lateral equipment or down. The equipment is sorted into three categories and 2 seats ( for a grand total of six bands). Narrowbody, 756/76T and wide-body. You can always build up, which is why the 737 and a320 guys are essentially not considered "seat-locked," they can bid up into the 756 from day one . So as a 756 first officer, if you can hold it, the 7-4, triple seven, or 787 are all yours for the taking :)

737 and airbus guys cannot bid into each other's fleet for two years either (except for a few provisions, like the opening of a new domicile i.e. DCA 737 this year). The reason the smaller airplanes go senior, his new hires try to get to the domicile they want, then bid the 756 when they are able to hold it in their geographic location.

As for age, it varies widely class to class. I am in my early 30s and expected to be close to the bottom, but there were five guys in my class younger and I managed to get an Airbus slot. A class a few weeks before us had an eight ball in his mid-30s and more than half the class above 45.

Good luck, although being away from home and learning a new airplane is never "fun," it is pretty damn bearable here at United

If getting IAH is my goal, bid the 320 and if that's not available, bid the 756?

Just double checking.

Ahhhh... Well there are bumps being forecast out of IAH on the 737, and quite a lot of them, so I would avoid that seat if at all possible.

Sorry just replied to you in another comment. Yes your logic is sound for getting IAH. A320 then 756. Unfortunately IAH could be a bit of a blood bath with the bumps coming off the 737, but hopefully the A320 growth there will help. Welcome to UAL!

I'll be there for July 7th class as well. I'm 40, but I'm a LUAL returnee. Looking forward to meeting you guys!

So that means first pick for you correct? What's your poison? It'll be nice having some experience in the class. Keep all us blind guys from walking into each other.

It does unless someone senior to me comes in. I'm also looking to get to IAH. I live in SAT.

Haha. I will do my best, but I will probably be just as blind.

Let me rephrase a bit... is there "time" to do anything during indoc. If the days are long and there is studying to do at night, then no real need for a vehicle. If there isn't any work to do outside of class and the days are 8 hrs, I'd consider having a vehicle.

Might do a little house hunting (or at least "area" hunting). Just trying to get a better feel for the place. Haven't lived in CO in over 25 years, and it wasn't for that long. A few things have changed.

Lets see....open ipad test that will be corrected to 100....yes, study every waking hour and avoid going to the bar to get to know your classmates.

I would devote absolutely zero time studying in Indoc. They tell you everything you need and the Indoc test is an exercise in using the search function of the iPad to ascertain obscure references in the manuals.

I would spend all your free time getting to know Meghan down in the bar.

Tank-

Not true. (or maybe not any more, as the movement has already happened)

However, they have enough 737 FOs in IAH to staff a much larger 737 presence than IAH has these days (it is even worse in the 737 Captain seat) Currently the company is "forcing" flying into the IAH 737 domicile by making longer and, for the company, less productive trips. by staffing that flying in IAH it costs the company money, so they don't like it. So, there will almost certainly be a displacement of many IAH 737 Captains and maybe some FOs (though I doubt that part)coming at the end of July.

That will mean a number of Captains need to find a new seat, most of whom will likely choose the 787 or 777 FO seat in IAH. There may be another round of displacements, but hopefully the planned delivery of 787s and 777-300s will allow most of the excess in the 737 fleet to be absorbed in the widebody fleets at IAH with out too many additional casualties. I would strongly doubt that it would get all the way down to the A320 FO seat.

Unfortunately for the IAH 737 fleet in IAH, I don't think it will stay at the level they bump down to. I think that it is likely that they will continue to let IAH 737 shrink down to around 350-375 pilots in each seat through the natural process of pilots bidding to other airplanes. So, that would mean it will be quite some time before there would be any need for new 737 FOs in IAH. (currently there are about 550 Captains and 420 FOs)

While some of that drawdown in need for 737 pilots in IAH is due to actual reduction of demand and thus flying, the other (an larger) reason they are so out of balance is the moving of airplanes around the operation. The movement of the 737 flying out of IAH has been ugly for those based there on the 73, but there has also been the benefit of A320 flying moving in.

The movement of A320 flying into the IAH base has happened and that base is, if anything, a little understaffed to where the company would like it to be. Once the IAH displacements (and likely displacements in DEN on the 757/767 and potentially A320 fleet, both of whom have the same "forced flying" issue as above)) happen you will then see bids to fill in the gaps that remain in staffing. Barring something really strange in the displacement process, that will mean there are opportunities for movement into IAH as an A320 FO.

So, the opportunity for movement into IAH is much higher on the A320 than it is on the 737 in the near term.

The final caveat is - the long range planning committee meets twice a day, so be sure to check back tomorrow!!

27 bids no bases yet.

Thank you, this really explained a lot for me. Much appreciated!

Or actual number of each aircraft...

Any idea of aircraft breakdown?

See above...

When did you guys/gals in the 07 Jul class interview and get the CJO call?

I interviewed Apr 30th and got the call May 7th.

I was invited to the Jun 16th class but had to slip it to Jul 7th.

Very good rundown. I'll tell you as a new hire on property who just started my 3rd year that 90% of the IAH 73 FOs who are displaced will bump to the Airbus. Maybe more. Every one I've talked to wants to stay in IAH. The bottom 50 73 FOs have been there 2 years. Do the math. With this coming displacement I don't think IAH is a reasonable expectation for a new hire. It's not DEN but it's gonna get worse really soon. There will be Bus FOs who get bumped out by more senior 73 FOs.