flydiamond

Sounds a bit like you're new to 121. You are hired as a seniority list pilot, not for a specific base (unlike FAs here, who due to their shorter training window are hired for a specific base that has vacancies). First week of class you are allowed to bid in seniority order (based on last four of SSN, low numbers better) the vacancies pilots already on property had the chance to bid into but passed up. The remaining vacancies from what I remember off hand *at this point in time* are mostly in LAS, DSM, AUS, with a few available in ABE, IWA and GRR. However, say for example you want IWA, and so do others in your class who are more senior to you, but only two spots are available. The senior pilots in your class will take those spots, and then you'll have to bid for the base on the next vacancy (should be released every month or two from here on out) and hope enough spots open up for you to squeak in, either as primary vacancies (eg due to growth) or as secondary vacancies (eg an IWA FO took an upgrade in AUS). Depending how many pilots senior to you are waiting to get in it could take anywhere from 3-12 months, maybe even longer, to get in. Sometimes, for reasons such as seasonality, they don't backfill the secondary vacancies. You can not "refuse" a base assignment. Your only choice would be to resign. Until you get your desired base, you'll have to commute, which if you read the previous posts on this forum is a horrible existence due to our schedules (one day off between pairings, usually). If you're lucky, you will get your desired base in new hire training or on the first vacancy during training, likely with a move date right around the conclusion of training. The problem is no pilot can predict what the vacancies offered to new hires will be 3 months down the road. I suspect LAS, due to the sheer number of vacancies available, will stay available, but it is tough to say with the other bases. You can interview, accept the job offer, and get a class date and then see what becomes available closer to the class date. You'll be less disappointed if you can tolerate a few months of flexibility and have your heart set on more than Just one of our bases. You'll be less disappointed if say, you're wanting to move to Florida and can do either FLL, PIE, PGD or SFB.

TDY is just like commuting but with *a single* round trip positive space ticket at the beginning and end of the month, hotel, and per diem. If you are one of the junior pilot in say, IWA, you can expect to be TDY'd out in the slower summer months to a base such as VPS, which is busy in the summer unless more senior pilots volunteer to go. Sometimes they do, particularly if there is potential for them to be much more senior in the bases that need pilots and can get a rockstar schedule with 19 or so days off. Often they don't volunteer. It really depends. Company used the furlough as a method of reducing TDYs this summer, as they staggered vacancies of recalled pilots into the base du jour for the season in which they returned. I legitimately think the company is working to reduce the seasonality of some bases in the future, which may lead to fewer TDYs. For example, IWA flew a lot of the new SAN, SNA, and PDX flying this summer through "inside turns," which are four leg days that would follow a routing such as IWA BOI SNA PVU IWA.

flydiamond

if you aren’t living in an allegiant base or willing to move to one, absolutely don’t come here. But yes, the recommendation would be to rent a room for the 2-6 months spent commuting.

Margaritaville

Yeah, many do. The few true commuters, those waiting for their base to open up, those waiting for Delta or FedEx to call, etc. Problem is that our bases aren't in good places for that. Crash pads tend to be in major cities where other airlines have bases. Not going to find that in ABE or DSM. Florida is out of control for rent, especially during tourist seasons. Our bases are in expensive touristy places. Maybe you can find some weird old couple to rent you their guest room for 6 months at a time. Most apartments want a 1 year lease. Not sure what people do in DSM, GRR or ABE. Wouldn't want to be there, especially in the winter. LAS and AUS are also out of control for costs. Some pilots live in a camper in some bases.

Vettekid

[MENTION=67838]flydiamond[/MENTION] thank you. Yes, I'm very new... actually I'm still on active duty. I'll likely be retiring early 23 (feb), so I'm weighing my options. I know most airlines don't fit the lifestyle we are after. After 20 years of active duty deployments I don't want something that has me on the road a lot. My kids are young, I want to spend as much time as I can with them. But I do need to make money, and I do enjoy flying!

BTW, I'm at 5000+TT, 2300 multi, the rest is single turbo prop (pc12 & 208). I have my ATP, CFII and single engine commercial will be done soon and will add the 707 type rating before retirement. Not sure if that's really helpful, can't hurt.

Sent from my SM-G781U using Tapatalk

flydiamond

If you’re willing to move your family to a base where you’ll have some seniority and out or the tdy danger none, this is an amazing quality of life place. Even reserve is easy, except perhaps florida.

Vettekid

We might have some flexibility within the southeast. Florida, the Carolinas, maybe Tennessee, Birmingham, etc. But we really do like where we are for a variety of reasons. It's not an easy call. We will have to look at the options in the southeast and decide if we are willing to risk enough of them to make the gamble a little easier. Sounds like getting into VPS might be difficult. My last 4 start with 98... so pretty sure I'd be last using that method (seams a crappy way to do it really, but I don't know a better one... so). More than likely I end up with a contract job teaching 208s if allegiant doesn't pan out.

Sent from my SM-G781U using Tapatalk

Squeakygreaser

I think VPS is reasonably possible, but you just never know who is going to get hired ahead of you and what they will want. It's totally possible you could get it in your first spring. But if four people just ahead of you want it and never want to move, it could be years.

That's what happened with TYS to a few unlucky new hires.

Jim Rockford

It doesn’t take much to get creative, inexpensive housing, especially in the midwest. Rooms for rent, college areas, cheap studios, or even a nice mobile home area. Yes even a nice RV could do the trick and you could sell it back later to recoup costs. Oh what does the peons of these small towns ever do to find suitable housing at $15 an hour?! There is always a way.

Vettekid

Yeah, that's the risk. I'll have to talk it over with the Mrs and see if we can find a few other places we would be willing to accept. She is honestly the real bread winner (even at part time), but she can most likely find work anywhere. It's finding it in an area that we want to be, geographically, politically, education systems, economy, etc all get a vote there. I know a lot of guys are willing to go where the work is, but we are stable enough to be a little more picky.

The other problem is that IF we have to move we would really prefer that to be the last time. I'm not going to move to Charlotte and then back to Fort Walton a year later. So I guess the answer is that I'm still not sure the airline thing is for me at all. But I am at least going to pursue it as long as I can and see if there is an option there.

Sent from my SM-G781U using Tapatalk

Margaritaville

I'll take your word for it. I live full time in Florida, nice little place on a canal with a screened in pool and a center console fishing boat out back. Been here too long to worry about being forced out of my base unless the company shuts down or gets sold.

It's kinda sad though that you're suggesting airline pilots get an RV or live in a trailer park. I'm sure the legacy guys would have a field day with that. "Come work at a ULCC, live in a trailer in Iowa". Great recruitment line when literally every other airline is hiring.