Nights at Home?
#11
New Hire
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Joined APC: Jun 2018
Posts: 9
Nights? That’s different than days. Probably 8-10 nights. A bad month is 15-17.
And becareful of how guys define a night ‘at home.’ Someone said he’d only been away for 1(?) night so far this year. So his method was to fly the 0200-0300 departures. That’s an 0100-0200 sign in. He’s counting that as a night at home?!? Not in my book.
And becareful of how guys define a night ‘at home.’ Someone said he’d only been away for 1(?) night so far this year. So his method was to fly the 0200-0300 departures. That’s an 0100-0200 sign in. He’s counting that as a night at home?!? Not in my book.
#12
When I was a junior regional guy, I was only spending 10 nights at home at times commuting to reserve. When I left my regional I was about 50% seniority in base driving to work with around 15-17 nights at home. Then went to legacy FO on a narrowbody with slightly fewer nights home while commuting. Now I'm switching planes (still commuting) flying international with the most nights I've ever had at home with a regular schedule.
Like others said, it can vary wildly within each airline, fleet type and of course along with seniority. It's a tough question to answer but down the road your significant other just might tell you go to back to work since you're home so much
#13
Disinterested Third Party
Joined APC: Jun 2012
Posts: 6,261
You may end up moving repeatedly to keep up with the latest "base."
#14
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Joined APC: Jun 2018
Posts: 9
Yet another pilot who doesn’t actually want to be a, eh, err, pilot. Pilots fly airplanes, which cover great distances, being away is part of the deal. You might minimize it, but it’s a fact of piloting airliners. It’s gonna be about 12-15 days a month. Yes, guys live in base, bid reserve and don’t get called, home 28 days a month. Pilots that are senior and fly long international trips may work only 12 days a month (then complain about jet lag, overnight legs). Others commute to reserve and are away 20 days a month. Military pilots deploy for 90-180 days, regularly. I flew 3-18 day trips in the C-5; 1-16 day trips corporate.
Get over it or become a CFI for a career.
GF
Get over it or become a CFI for a career.
GF
#16
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Aug 2009
Position: A320 CA
Posts: 295
Remember that every job has its pros and cons. Being a happy airline pilot is about keeping that perspective. You could get a nonflying job that you hate and be home every night and grumpy. You could get another nonflying job that requires you to travel out of town Sunday-Thursday every week and go in to the office on Friday. The airline lifestyle (especially if you live in base) allows you a lot of flexibility (after a certain seniority level) and usually more days off than your next door neighbor who is making comparable pay.
#17
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Dec 2007
Position: Window seat
Posts: 5,482
#18
Originally Posted by Sliceback
And becareful of how guys define a night ‘at home.’ Someone said he’d only been away for 1(?) night so far this year. So his method was to fly the 0200-0300 departures. That’s an 0100-0200 sign in. He’s counting that as a night at home?!? Not in my book.
That was likely me.
One hotel stay YTD and another coming up in a few weeks. Both will be actual “overnights” after day flying.
My “night” typically starts at 7pm, and I wake up 70 minutes prior to report which is generally happens between 0210-0330 for scheduled departure one hour later
Bottom line is I get to see my kids when they get home from school/sitter and have a family dinner, at the dinner table, with them and my wife practically every day.
I consider that better than a 1430 report with a 0030 duty-off, in which case Circadian rhythm is less disrupted but I’d not get to see my family nearly as much during the week.
My kids are young, that time matters to me, having the CHOICE is nice.
YMMV...
#19
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Thread Starter
Joined APC: Jun 2018
Posts: 9
That was likely me.
One hotel stay YTD and another coming up in a few weeks. Both will be actual “overnights” after day flying.
My “night” typically starts at 7pm, and I wake up 70 minutes prior to report which is generally happens between 0210-0330 for scheduled departure one hour later
Bottom line is I get to see my kids when they get home from school/sitter and have a family dinner, at the dinner table, with them and my wife practically every day.
I consider that better than a 1430 report with a 0030 duty-off, in which case Circadian rhythm is less disrupted but I’d not get to see my family nearly as much during the week.
My kids are young, that time matters to me, having the CHOICE is nice.
YMMV...
One hotel stay YTD and another coming up in a few weeks. Both will be actual “overnights” after day flying.
My “night” typically starts at 7pm, and I wake up 70 minutes prior to report which is generally happens between 0210-0330 for scheduled departure one hour later
Bottom line is I get to see my kids when they get home from school/sitter and have a family dinner, at the dinner table, with them and my wife practically every day.
I consider that better than a 1430 report with a 0030 duty-off, in which case Circadian rhythm is less disrupted but I’d not get to see my family nearly as much during the week.
My kids are young, that time matters to me, having the CHOICE is nice.
YMMV...
#20
Even with that you'd likely still be 200-300 hours short of R-ATP mins and have to build that time outside the university, either while as a student or as a new graduate.
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