goobscoob

I’ll cut straight to it:
Is it possible/likely to be an airline pilot hauling passengers and spending 90% nights at home in my own bed beside my wife?

If you feel like reading for more context:
Almost finished with PPL and trying to figure out my long term career goals, what type of flying I want to do. The high level professionalism, safety and relative stability of the airlines appeals to me, but when I search the web (that’s really the only source of airline specific information I’ve got at this point) the majority of what I see is guys hating the qol, namely because of how much time they spend away from home. Totally understandable. What I want to know is how much better does it get when you’re in the majors if your objective is maximum time with the family? Are you still spending 3+ days a week in a hotel/crash pad? I understand that during he first 5-10 years with no/low seniority it’s tough but how much time do senior guys who live close to the airplanes get to spend with loved ones? Thanks to those that took the time to read and reply.

BoilerUP

You asked about hauling passengers, but at UPS I only spent 13 “nights” in hotels in 2017 at roughly 70% seniority fleet/seat/domicile.

YTD 2018 I’ve spent one night in a hotel.

Live in domicile and bid predominately morning turns (out-and-backs).

goobscoob

My understanding is that the main gig for US domestic cargo haulers was almost all flying at night and sleeping in the day. Is this correct? If that’s correct how does that schedule jive with loved ones? Is there a lot of variability there?

PotatoChip

If you want to be an airline pilot, you have to accept you’ll be away from home. Period. PERIOD.
Anyone who plans it out otherwise is bound to quit and/or hate it.
Is it possible?? Yes. But you can’t plan on it.
Allegiant is great for that lifestyle, but you can’t guarantee you’ll ever be hired there.
There are way too many variables, and ultimately you have be okay with the fact that you will often be away from home 1/2 the month in your quest for better.
And as for “senior guys”, you’re talking 15- 20 years+ at the company.

AirBear

There are corporate jobs out there where you don't overnight very much. And when you do sometimes they'll let you bring the spouse along if it's a nice location you're going to. But there's no guarantee you can get that kind of job. If spending half the nights a month away from home is not doable then you're taking a big chance going into aviation. You could be stuck as a Flight Instructor at your local airport.

kevbo

Very few decent paying M-F 9-5 pilot jobs out there. The most commonly available jobs will leave you in a hotel most of the time. Your spouse has to be rugged enough to handle everything while you are gone. At that point you become more a meal ticket than anything else.

JohnBurke

I just spent two months at home, with pay.

The only nights away were with my wife, in a hotel at a resort. Two more weeks before I have any responsibility besides honey-do's.

Typically at least half the year home (not all at once). Compared to the eight days off a month that most 9-5'ers in an office cubicle get, that's a lot better. The six months at work may not be at home, but when I am home, I'm home. Not at work all day and then home for a few hours. Home around the clock.

There are certainly charter jobs where you can be home every night, but many of those keep you on a leash. Do what works for you.

The longer you stay in the business, the better your options become. Don't expect home every night and a lot of days off initially; like most things in life, that comes with time, as do higher wages, better equipment, and better jobs.

BoilerUP

Sort of, not really.

Yes, there is much domestic hub sort stuff, ie. leave the hub at 0200-0430, get to a gateway, "dayover", come back on duty at 2000-2200 the next evening and rinse/repeat.

However, with turns (out-and-backs) you don't lay over anywhere in the system.

The morning turns I typically fly generally report between 0200-0330. Fly one or two legs out of the sort, then one leg back in, and duty off between 0900-1130. I go home, walk the dog, go for a run, then have a little down time for projects or whatever before the wife gets home from work and the kids get home from school/sitter at 5pm. I typically have dinner on the stove by that time, so we are able to have a family meal at the table and clean up the kitchen before I have to start getting ready for bed, which typically happens 1900-1930.

I do that Tues-Thurs every week, or Tues-Fri three of four weeks during each four week pay period.

Some people HATE that kind of flying, but I find I sleep better in my own bed and doing this I get to see my wife and kids every day and get weekends off. The net sum is I'm more a shift worker than a traveling spouse/father.

Again, for some it doesn't work for whatever reason, but it suits my family well.

rickair7777

If we're talking airlines, it all depends on which airline, base, equipment, and seniority. You can find niches where you can be home every night, but it will probably involve some seniority, so it's not going to happen right away. And you will have to live in base (obviously).

Actually I believe skywest's junior base in DTW does a lot of day trips and they go very junior. You'd be working 5-6 days in a row, with probably 2-3 off in a row but you could be home every night, and could also upgrade into the same schedule very quickly (as soon as you have 1000 hours in 121). Most of the DTW pilots are junior commuters, new-hires or new upgrades, who don't want to do inefficient locals. So that would get you through the regionals, but I don't think locals go junior at any major.

goobscoob

Thanks very much for the info fellas. I greatly appreciate it