FlyingChipmunk

No need to image unfortunately.. Got real fun when water got in between the panes and you got the lava lamp effect..

NightIP

Memories!

alpar80

Do any of you 9k guys have info on crashpads in SJU

JaxUAviator

I know that Cape Air has a pretty unique way of scheduling, so I have a few questions. How do pilots bid on trips? What is the length of most trips (how many days)? How much flexibility do you have in your scheduling (i.e. how hard is it to drop trips on days you don't want to fly and pick up trips on your days off)? How long does one generally stay on reserve? How is the schedule for a typical reserve guy (again how easy or hard is it to drop/pick up reserve days)? Any commuters out there: is the way Cape Air structures their trips conducive to good QOL if you commute?

Thanks!

Speedbird172

Cape is a different lifestyle compared to other regionals; we don't have typical month-to-month bidding for trips. First you will bid base, typically there are two base bids a year, with various vacancies in between depending on the amount of shuffling around that goes on (attrition, flight schedule changes ,etc) but bottom line you bid where you want to be. After you're in base you will then bid for your schedule. This is the schedule you will have for as long as you're in base, unless in-base seniority changes and you can try something else but because it is mostly outstation basing you'll be flying basically the same routes every day and you'll be home (in base) every night.

The exception to this is in the hubs (ie HYA, BOS, STL, SJU etc) where there are a number of 'backup' lines available. It's sort of Cape Air's version of reserve. You'll have a monthly schedule, (that can be changed to certain degrees), but in general you'll find out your assignment for the day the night before. Some standing by and some covering sick calls etc, and also some TDY assignments to cover vacationing/sick pilots in the outstations. That's just a quick and dirty explanation of that.

Dropping and picking up days is available; dropping just depends on if there is coverage available to cover your day, or if someone else decides to pick up the flying you are trying to drop. And if someone else is trying to drop a day it may be available to you to pick up if you choose to do so. Again just a quick explanation.

Commuting is not recommended, and can be quite difficult if you choose to do so, and if you do end up in an outstation (which being junior you most likely will) you're looking at a least a two-leg commute as it is, with one being on the 9-seat 402 which may or may not fill up quick. Hope this sheds some light on life at 9k!

FlyJSH

Do you folks ever hire dedicated "floaters" (pilots who have no base, rather they are always covering sicks or vacations)?

Speedbird172

Not that I know of, but the backup folks can keep pretty busy with tdy assignments but everyone ultimately has a base.

rocketman3746

Yeah if you bid an SVT (sick/vacation/tdy coverage) line in a hub like BOS, and let the crew schedulers know that you love TDY, they can keep you busy. I think one of the BOS TDY guys this month has something like a week in SLK, then a week in OGS, then a week in RUT. All those hotel points and per diem checks start to add up! And for what its worth, the SVT lines are almost always junior, so if you want it, you can pretty much have it year round.

Spicoli

I think Island Airlines is better than Cape....

powers

Is BM still the owner?