I'm a CJO recipient with a proposed class early October...

I have several friends in the 3 May class, and know what their class drop was - all 737; EWR went high followed by LAX and SFO. Based on previous proposed dates/airframe's, I'm fully anticipating the same options.

I've posted previously that IAH is my domicile of choice as I near military retirement - I will be commuting from KSAT and trying to research the best options until I get into IAH. I'm sure my questions are similar to others just starting out...

1. Looking for crash pad info for those 3 locations.

2. Commuting ability - any known headaches/tips one should be aware of?

3. Best trips

4. Quickest to line-holder

 

First of all congratulations!!!

I can provide info primarily about SFO. There is some good and some bad. SFO is definitely the most junior base overall and most junior lineholders right now for both the bus and the guppy. Good flying.. nice mix of transcons and short haul. Junior FO lineholder in May got 17 days off.

However.. the SFO commute can be a hassle.. lots of guys doing it and always subject to the whims of ATC GDP's. Your commute can look great and 5 minutes before pushback you get nailed with a 2 hour delay. Crashpads in SFO are near non existent right now.. hotels average around 90-100 a night. Not ideal.

I was LAX based in a previous life.. decent commute.. lots of guys but lots of flights. It is very junior as well on the guppy.. less so on the bus. Crashpads and hotels aren't that much better down there.

Can't tell you anything about EWR.

In the airline world fall is infinitely far off though and lots could change.. once you have a class date in hand I would reask these questions as it could be a lot different by then!

Hope that helps.

 

This is the best advice.

I'd also temper your criteria....as a new hire you have zero ability to preference the "best trips." The bottom 20% of flying in every base is remarkably similar (it's the stuff nobody else wants to fly) and hopefully you be in IAH before it's even a consideration.

 

EWR & DCA are both easily commutable out of IAH and have descent crashpads.

Start thinking longer term to get IAH as your domicile. I'm going on 1 year on the -320 and still am not senior enough for IAH. Best bet to get to IAH quicker is the -737.

Good luck!

 

It depends on where they decide to staff the new 319s and 737s out of. IAH airbus might grow. by OCT they will be hiring into the 320s again.

Ask again in OCT

 

Is October the soonest start date for recent CJO recipients?

 

Sounds like aggressive mildrop is in your future. SAT/IAH to SFO commute for 2 years would probably cure me from this thing....

 

no idea......OP said they quoted him OCT.

 

28 April CJO. Told to expect Sept/Oct class date.

 

EWR: is pretty junior. I'd 3rd most junior behind LA and SFO. Coming close to a year and I'm about 74% on the guppy. Held a line within 4 months here. I can get commutable on one end but not the other although as a line holder you may get lucky and find a good trip trade. My lines consist of a painfully early show on day 1 and usually a decently early release on the back end of the trip. Lots of good Caribbean flying on this side with some nice layovers. I can't seem to get less than 88 to 89 hours of credit here and 13-14 days off even though I try for less credit. It looks as if most junior guys are getting the same.