Originally Posted by Cleared4appch

I’ve also learned as a regional pilot that I hate doing anything more than 3 legs. I like doing 1-2 legs. I’ve also learned that I prefer 1-2 long legs versus short legs. I think on that experience, I would like a job where I would fly one really long leg and be done for the day and have on average a significantly longer layover than just min rest or close to it each night.

I’m also a bit of a night owl, and don’t mind being up and flying on the backside of the clock as I’m sure there’s a lot of that at atlas. Some people tell me they would hate that. I honestly would love it lol. We’re all built and wired differently, and I think there’s something for everyone in this industry.

Originally Posted by 121again

You may need to adjust your frame of reference coming from a regional. The "1 leg" could be a maximum duty day and the "2 legs" might consist of several hours on the ground waiting to load and unload.

Originally Posted by Cleared4appch

Oh don’t get me wrong, I understand that part. I was more referring to 1-2 plane changes in a day flying 3-5 legs at a regional that I’ve learned to dread.

Originally Posted by JohnnyBekkestad

Very very rarely do we swap tails. And I’ve never had a tail swap the day of departure.

Originally Posted by C17B74

Unfortunately I did twice. Well, one of them was being dropped off at the wrong tail and us knuckleheads never noticed so that may not really count

If you ever do a tail swap, it's not like you need to drag through a terminal and/or have anyone glaring at you. Not quite the same, but I already had two tail swaps this summer on the Majors as a pax and that really blows having settled in. Absolutely blows...

Originally Posted by Droopy

A few years back at K4, got dropped off at a jet to do ANC-ICN. Full 4 person crew already onboard looks at us and asks if we're deadheading with them to HKG. After some confusion, we thank them for the well done preflight and flight deck setup before they packed up and headed to their aircraft... Still funny remembering the looks on their faces almost a decade later!

Originally Posted by Droopy

A few years back at K4, got dropped off at a jet to do ANC-ICN. Full 4 person crew already onboard looks at us and asks if we're deadheading with them to HKG. After some confusion, we thank them for the well done preflight and flight deck setup before they packed up and headed to their aircraft... Still funny remembering the looks on their faces almost a decade later!

Originally Posted by dera

At my regional there was a crew who took the wrong plane. Found out after passing 10k feet that the station had parked wrong plane at the wrong gate.

Originally Posted by Cleared4appch

Hello, been a long time lurker on the Atlas threads and occasionally posting here and there. Been interested in going to Atlas at some point in the future, though I realize that hiring has stopped for now and is expected to pick up some time next year more than likely. A question I have: how many pilots, or what percentage of pilots that go to Atlas, make a career out of it and decide to finish there until retirement?

I do understand that a good number of folks leave there for ‘greener pastures’ like the majors. But everyone seems to speak highly of the company and the experience they gained while working for Atlas. I have had some people, who I’ll mention that have never worked for Atlas, tell me don’t go to Atlas when I suggest it, and I ask them why, and they don’t seem to have a good rational answer as why I shouldn’t go there. They will say you will make way more $ at the majors. On that point I can understand the money aspect to it, and with better contracts as well. But I’ve learned after flying for a regional for 2.5 years now that I’m not necessarily money-driven. I don’t need to be making major airline wages to be a happy camper. There are several things that draw me to Atlas. The biggest draw are the schedules and how that would fit into my lifestyle. Commuting to work on gateway travel sounds REALLY nice, especially only having to do that 2-4 times a month vs 7-8. I currently commute to my regional base, and while it’s ok 97% of the time, I can’t see myself doing the commuting thing forever. I’m 35 right now but honestly I can see that wearing me out like a ragged dog if I were to do it for another decade or so.

On the other hand, moving to base isn’t really an option either as I have permanent family ties/connections that will keep me where I currently live. I honestly can’t ever see my family and I moving to an airline domicile, even where all the majors have them. We don’t like living in or near major cities, and where we currently live is like a hidden gem to us. Now it’s safe to say that yes, we are open to the possibility of changing our minds at some point, but we honestly can’t see that happening. I married a woman who has been 100% supportive of my aviation career and has been by my side the entire time. Honestly makes me wonder how she puts up with it (and me lol). We have talked about schedules at regionals vs majors vs ACMI and we both kind of agree that we would like and prefer the Atlas type of schedule a lot more. It would be nice to come home and have 2 weeks off (or more) and then head back to work and be gone for a longer stretch. Then come home and rinse and repeat with longer stretches off each time. I have had this type of schedule, well more similar to my stretch of days off vs days on at my regional several months here and there, and I like it a lot more than doing multiple 4 day trips back to back and commuting for it.

I am thankful for the experiences I have had as a regional guy, it’s helped to build a solid foundation of 121 flying, but there are gripes I have about it too, just like any job.

I’d like to hear thoughts from you guys on making a career out of a place like atlas. Both from pilots who have chosen to stay, and from those who moved on after only a couple years or so. What were the things you really liked about the job/lifestyle? And what were things that you absolutely hated? What were some things that you didn’t even know/hear about from anyone beforehand but learned afterwards (either good or bad)?

Thanks in advance!