Originally Posted by CX500T

By hour commute, I'm assuming you mean hour-ish flight.

I live in Virginia Beach, VA and commute out of Norfolk (ORF).
Pre-Covid we had one stop to MSP, DTW, ATL and NYC

Currently, we have ~7 a day to NYC, 6 to ATL, 2-4 to DTW depending on day, and very rarely a direct MSP (not daily)

From here, if sitting NYC Long Call, there's about a 2-3 hour window (closer to 4 unless you are AT THE AIRPORT) where you cannot make a 12 hour callout. but the drive is 6-7 hours. I (off probation) will sit long call at home and judge the likelihood of being used vs not, plus road conditions and base my decision to drive accordingly.
ATL is a 10-12 hour drive. DTW is similar, but across a mountain range (so bad wx considerations)

That said, we are looking at leaving the area eventually. The resort area isn't that fun once you've lived here more than a season, and while there is everything you "need" here I find myself driving substantial distances to do anything but the beach. We moved back here from Wyoming ( I was working an oilfield engineering job) when I got a "live anywhere" overseas contracting job because we owned a house here, and my reserve unit was here. Now I'm retired from the reserves, a lot of my wifes friends have moved away (support network for her when I was in Afghanistan/Africa for 3 months at a stretch flying King Airs was a prime reason to leave Wyoming)

Example.. Wife needs to go try on a bridesmaid dress for a friends wedding.. Yep. Closest place for that chain is Richmond (100 miles)

If I want to shoot long guns outdoors, the nearest range is still close to an hour, and $1250 a year for just you. Close to $2000 for you+spouse.

Dirtbikes: Closest legal place to ride is an hour, no traffic but has very random hours. Like they say they are open, you go there, and gate is locked. Closest "open everyday" place is 93 miles one way. A nice MX race track that is open weekly for practice on Wednesdays, is 84.

Mountain Bikes: Actually not horrible if you ride for training/fitness. I live on a rail trail that becomes paved single track 2 miles in, then unpaved jeep road/single-ish track that I can do a 15 mile out and back on where 10 is off pavement. But, that is the only long trail and god help you if the rangers or karens see you off the one marked trail. It can be made into a 24 mile out and back but the extra miles are all the Va Beach Oceanfront Boardwalk bike path.. So full of tourists that don't realize they are on the bike only path, and the boardwalk (where you can't ride) is RIGHT THERE 10 feet away. There are a couple smaller city parks with OK MTB terrain, but not much worth riding more than 2-3 times a month. Any "Fun" Trails are an hour drive or more inland.

Road Bikes (pedal). Virginia Beach has a fairly large bike path setup. Problem is they don't connect to each other well, leaving you with miles of riding down surface roads and cyclists getting hit is daily here. I stick to the MTB and minimize road crossings here. Norfolk is more Urban Cycling, with all the pluses and minuses that entails.

Beaches. We have them. I'm a block off one. I go maybe 2x a year. Wife goes weekly during season.. Beach season is roughly May-Sep here.. With random days in April and October that are hot and sunny.

Now, without knowing what your family does for fun it is hard to recommend a base/fleet for you. If you love 4 seasons and snow stuff, BOS 320 when it opens or any NYC fleet has the ability to have the best seniority for that fleet type, and close to the mountains (as in, drive there on your days off, if not live there close)

Total SoCal Surfer/Beach Bum crowd? LAX if you can afford it.

Florida Beaches/Disney? ATL in theory is the easiest commute, but there's a lot of FL types that go to NYC. Not short, but a lot of options, not just on us.

Originally Posted by StartngOvr

Three hour deadhead middle seat in coach. If there’s a way to not deal with the passengers I’d love to know the secret!

Originally Posted by ancman

My headphones go on the minute I take my seat on a deadhead / commute, and only come off when I deplane. I haven’t had more than a 15 second interaction with a passenger on a deadhead in years.

Originally Posted by PetRock

Applied in late July. Got one "fix it" email for a 35 day gap on address history that I missed, which I promptly fixed.

Have a 2yr degree, working on 4yr with graduation in June 23. Captain at a regional.

Hoping I haven't been put in the invisible penalty box.

Also hearing 4 Letters of Rec are min required, 10 recommended?

Keeping the torch lit, but wishing I had heard more by now.

Originally Posted by PetRock

Applied in late July. Got one "fix it" email for a 35 day gap on address history that I missed, which I promptly fixed.

Have a 2yr degree, working on 4yr with graduation in June 23. Captain at a regional.

Hoping I haven't been put in the invisible penalty box.

Also hearing 4 Letters of Rec are min required, 10 recommended?

Keeping the torch lit, but wishing I had heard more by now.

Originally Posted by Expat007

Don’t worry about the letters of Rec, I only have 2 on file and received the assessment and the invite to interview.

Originally Posted by PetRock

Applied in late July. Got one "fix it" email for a 35 day gap on address history that I missed, which I promptly fixed.

Have a 2yr degree, working on 4yr with graduation in June 23. Captain at a regional.

Hoping I haven't been put in the invisible penalty box.

Also hearing 4 Letters of Rec are min required, 10 recommended?

Keeping the torch lit, but wishing I had heard more by now.

Originally Posted by PetRock

Applied in late July. Got one "fix it" email for a 35 day gap on address history that I missed, which I promptly fixed.

Have a 2yr degree, working on 4yr with graduation in June 23. Captain at a regional.

Hoping I haven't been put in the invisible penalty box.

Also hearing 4 Letters of Rec are min required, 10 recommended?

Keeping the torch lit, but wishing I had heard more by now.

Originally Posted by LeineLodge

This plus incognito uniform if at all possible. Much easier in the winter with a pullover, but I’ll even do it if headed to a hub with a sit in the summer. Try to smash your shirt as little as possible while changing into a polo. Pass an iron quickly over the shirt at the next crew lounge as needed. Beats 5 hours of answering “hey captain shouldn’t you be up front?”