rickair7777

Depends. There are several large hubs with multiple major airline bases and at least one regional base. If you live in one of those, and manage to get hired by on of the majors in question you could homestead (there's a risk as a major new-hire you'd get assigned somewhere else and have to commute for a year or two). As long as regional CA upgrade is fairly junior in the base in question it wouldn't slow you much or at all.

The NY metro area, ORD, MIA area, DEN, LAX, PHX, SEA, SFO area come to mind.

Obvious risk that you wouldn't get hired (or as quickly) by one of those majors, but it would be a nice plan A.

wrxpilot

Ah, there it is. Bingoed as usual! It’s amazing that some of you just can’t accept that some people can live a fulfilling life without children.

viper548

If you got on with one of American's regionals that have flow to American you have the guaranteed job at AA. For instance if you lived in the NYC area and got hired by Envoy, you could be based in NYC with Envoy then after you flow to American you could flow to American. You might be able to make Sacramento tolerable if you got on with a regional that has a SFO base then hired by a major with SFO or OAK base. I don't know about the work rules of United and if sitting reserve in Sacramento is possible or not. Oakland with Southwest is probably not a problem, but you'd need to see what Southwest's reserve rules are. The closer you are to base the more likely you are to bid to fly the shorter trips because you'll be able to be home more. Guys that live more than an hour away tend to bid the longer trips to cut down on the number of times they have to drive into work.

rickair7777

I didn't say you can't. I did say that someone's advice to generally NOT have kids was messed up. If for no other reason than when you're old, you'll want someone to be there to keep society running.

Or you can just go with the old tribal practice of leaving grandma alone on the tundra with enough firewood to keep the wolves at bay for a few hours.

wrxpilot

We have too many people in the world, and there are more than enough families with 3+ kids to offset childless couples. Not having kids is about the best thing one can do for the environment as well.

However, I do realize and respect that some people need children to have meaning and fulfillment in their life. I just don’t understand those that can’t also respect the decisions of people like myself.

PotatoChip

This is a thread about someone who already has kids!!!

Don’t turn it into your own soapbox. Glad you’re happy.

It’s a kids thread.

CAXON

When he replied with the ignorance is Bliss comment, it seemed as if he was just trying to say that it’s tough to know what your missing, if you don’t have kids. And equally hard to describe the fulfillment one gets. Maybe I am wrong, but I certainly didn’t interpret the replies as not respecting your decision. That said, if you don’t have kids, and are happy, keep this in mind: You can’t unhave kids :-)

Anyway, back to the topic, as a career changer, this is a very interesting topic for me! Thanks all for the great advice. I am in training at a 135 operator with a wife and two little ones at home and FaceTime has been huge.

mikeinflight

This is very interesting as I don’t post much. I was just looking for advice on some things. Kids or not is your own prerogative.




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kettlechips

I'm not a pilot, but I flew between sea and smf about 20 times in the past year, here are some observations I made:

1. OO and CPZ flights were delayed often (mostly sea-smf), and usually were full or had 1-2 seats open. Never saw a pilot js.

2. Alaska and sw flights tended to gave more empty seats and were on time more often

Whatever you do, try not to go through sfo especially if the winds are out of the south

PRS Guitars

Of course it’s better to not commute, but sounds like you will be for your wife’s job. It’s completely doable, and honestly with young kids less of a big deal than older kids IMO. Commuting is mental, embrace it and stay positive about it (it’s allowing your wife to earn a good income and live near family). Yes you are away more, but you are doing it for your family’s future.

Once you get on with a major and your kids are still young (12 and under) pick your favorite base and make the move while they are young.