Nights at Home?
06-26-2018, 10:58 AM
#21
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2013
Posts: 4,752
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
I REALLY REALLY REALLY wish that EVERY recruiting add had a picture of the pilot dragging their roller. Or at a minimum, right by their side.
A clear message of “look, there’s luggage!!! You WILL be away from home! It’s right in the freaking brochure and not even in the fine print!!!”.
06-26-2018, 12:53 PM
#22
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2016
Posts: 233
Mig,
Let a crusty misanthrope chime in. Your question is akin to the following:
> I'd really like to be a Baker. Will I have to be around flour that much? Because, I'm allergic to flour.
OR
> Sailing is what it's all about. I am going to BE a Sailor! Now, abut this "water" thing...
That said, I understand you are probably a young man ( 16-18 ? ) and good for you as you make your way by asking questions of people who have experience in the area you seek. I only wish these forums were available to me in 1972-76.
There are SO many variables to this that you will NEVER be able to plan out "nights at home".
EVER.
That's part of The Lifestyle.
I flew with a guy once who was angry one morning so I asked " Dude, what's wrong?" He replied: " I Love this job, I just HATE all the frickin' Hotels, and traveling, and being away from home ALL the time!!!!"
WTF ?
It was the first time I ever considered having a crew member removed from my aircraft for a loss of mental acuity. Seriously.
The Love (sickness ) of Aviation has to be greater than total control over your Life. If that is a priority there is a program called "Nine-To-Five" (which really is anything but..)
Harsh But True.
Good Luck to you on whatever Path you take and/or find yourself on !
STK
Let a crusty misanthrope chime in. Your question is akin to the following:
> I'd really like to be a Baker. Will I have to be around flour that much? Because, I'm allergic to flour.
OR
> Sailing is what it's all about. I am going to BE a Sailor! Now, abut this "water" thing...
That said, I understand you are probably a young man ( 16-18 ? ) and good for you as you make your way by asking questions of people who have experience in the area you seek. I only wish these forums were available to me in 1972-76.
There are SO many variables to this that you will NEVER be able to plan out "nights at home".
EVER.
That's part of The Lifestyle.
I flew with a guy once who was angry one morning so I asked " Dude, what's wrong?" He replied: " I Love this job, I just HATE all the frickin' Hotels, and traveling, and being away from home ALL the time!!!!"
WTF ?
It was the first time I ever considered having a crew member removed from my aircraft for a loss of mental acuity. Seriously.
The Love (sickness ) of Aviation has to be greater than total control over your Life. If that is a priority there is a program called "Nine-To-Five" (which really is anything but..)
Harsh But True.
Good Luck to you on whatever Path you take and/or find yourself on !
STK
06-26-2018, 02:07 PM
#23
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2007
Position: 744 CA
Posts: 4,772
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
06-26-2018, 04:15 PM
#24
Disinterested Third Party
Joined APC: Jun 2012
Posts: 6,261
I don't like travel. I don't like leaving the country. I'm afraid of heights. I've spent a big chunk of my life doing fire, and I'm afraid of fire. I dislike flying instruments. I hate sitting for long periods. I used to do atmospheric research, specifically working inside of thunderstorms. I don't like them. I really, really don't like them. Not a big fan of fighting, or loud noises, but my hearing is shot due to gunfire and radial engines, and I've spent a number of years in combat zones. Powerlines scare the hell out of me, but I've been paid to fly under them and close to them and around them, and I have.
Because it's the job. I don't have to love all aspects of what I do, and I don't. And it's okay. Largely because there are things I dislike more.
Being unable to fly. Spiders. Spending too much time at home. 9-5. Jobs without aircraft. An ordinary life. Lines. Driving. Advanced math. Office windows.
And because there are are things that I love too much to go do windows and 9-5 and over the road and offices and crawling around in attics and under houses.
Things like flying. I've been flying since I was a teen. I love the smell of smoke in the cockpit. I love the way morning breaks across an ocean. I love the curvature of the earth and I love the way night overtakes as a big black arc. I love cloud canyons and flying through them, and I love flying through rock canyons, too. I love the way a runway materializes in front of me out of a cloud at the bottom of an ILS. I love the way a takeoff feels, and that moment in the landing between approach and tires kissing the tarmac, when the airplane is feeling for the runway. I love the smell of fuel, the feel of a rivet gun, snap-on trucks, the smell of cordura and nylon and the feeling of stepping out the door of an airplane in flight. I love round engines and the pain they bring and the work they cause and a lifetime of oil because of them. I love learning a new aircraft or a new operation.
There's a lot to love, a lot to not love, some to fear, and some fears to overcome, and there are simply things we do in life in spite of...we often love those closest to us not because of, but in spite of as we learn to live with and overlook differences, to work beyond them. Flying is not different. Deal with it, move on. Remember, if the kitchen is too warm, ventilate, stand it, or bail.
Because it's the job. I don't have to love all aspects of what I do, and I don't. And it's okay. Largely because there are things I dislike more.
Being unable to fly. Spiders. Spending too much time at home. 9-5. Jobs without aircraft. An ordinary life. Lines. Driving. Advanced math. Office windows.
And because there are are things that I love too much to go do windows and 9-5 and over the road and offices and crawling around in attics and under houses.
Things like flying. I've been flying since I was a teen. I love the smell of smoke in the cockpit. I love the way morning breaks across an ocean. I love the curvature of the earth and I love the way night overtakes as a big black arc. I love cloud canyons and flying through them, and I love flying through rock canyons, too. I love the way a runway materializes in front of me out of a cloud at the bottom of an ILS. I love the way a takeoff feels, and that moment in the landing between approach and tires kissing the tarmac, when the airplane is feeling for the runway. I love the smell of fuel, the feel of a rivet gun, snap-on trucks, the smell of cordura and nylon and the feeling of stepping out the door of an airplane in flight. I love round engines and the pain they bring and the work they cause and a lifetime of oil because of them. I love learning a new aircraft or a new operation.
There's a lot to love, a lot to not love, some to fear, and some fears to overcome, and there are simply things we do in life in spite of...we often love those closest to us not because of, but in spite of as we learn to live with and overlook differences, to work beyond them. Flying is not different. Deal with it, move on. Remember, if the kitchen is too warm, ventilate, stand it, or bail.
06-26-2018, 08:40 PM
#25
Prime Minister/Moderator
Joined APC: Jan 2006
Position: Engines Turn Or People Swim
Posts: 40,038
There are "locals" available in the airline world. As mentioned, they typically go senior. They might also be low credit, which would mean you'd work more days each month (but that might be OK if you're home every day). Such trips would typically be "AM" or "PM" trips, ie start early/end early, or start late/end late. So you could probably drop the kids off or pick them up, but not both. It would be rare but not impossible to find locals which align with a typical 9-5 schedule.
But you will almost certainly have to pay dues before you get the seniority to hold such trips. You'll also need to carefully research airlines and bases to ensure you get into a situation where such trips will be possible eventually. Even then, things might change before you get there.
So yeah, it's possible, even likely if that's your priority but there will be a price to pay.
But you will almost certainly have to pay dues before you get the seniority to hold such trips. You'll also need to carefully research airlines and bases to ensure you get into a situation where such trips will be possible eventually. Even then, things might change before you get there.
So yeah, it's possible, even likely if that's your priority but there will be a price to pay.
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