Help a furloughed pilot decide

[chevyman]

There should be stable 60K jobs in DFW area that aren't involved in the topsy-turvy world of aviation. Is remaining in flying the number one criteria?

Let me guess,you have never been on an extended furlough. I have been,two,one 7.5 years and another 4.2 years and I can tell you from my experiences that 60K stable jobs are extremely hard to find outside of aviation. All you know how to do is fly airplanes and folks look at your furlough as temporary employment for them at best. Most are not willing to take a chance on you not going back. Although some get lucky but my guess is the majority have a really hard time.

I worked at Sears selling refigerators and freezers for a while and the manager of the store who had been there 30 years was only making 60K a year and this was one of the biggest stores in the district!

 

[luvn737s]

Let me guess,you have never been on an extended furlough.

Ok, you guessed wrong. 1991-1996.

 

[Phoenix]

Rumor has it that I'd be slotted in at RPA based on my APL seniority. Is this correct? I was never MDA if that makes a difference. If this is accurate then I suspect that would make a huge difference in QOL and may make this doable for me. I was leaning heavily towards not going there until this info was passed to me by a generous APLer.

Thanks

Found this on the pilot's website... "bidding seniority as compared to other furloughed US Airways pilots, but not to other pilots employed by the Participating Affiliate Carrier"

The way I read it your seniority relative others not on the APL will be based on your class date for Republic. Buyer beware. :unsure:

 

[Crzipilot]

I believe the slotted idea is what is going on at PSA under the J4J program, but trust me, you'll be on reserve over here, and it sucks...Line holder is a little bit better... But coming over, you'd be dumped at the bottom of the J4J's and they are all on reserve, albiet except for 1 or 2 based in TYS. Those that are slotted, do hold lines, but it's only about 40% of the J4J's here, and that number gets smaller as more guys leave...

 

[Swaayze]

Well I've heard this from another source now, didn't realize that APL seniority mattered, but apparently it does. What do they do with some guys that may have been there longer than some RPA Captains? Do they simply revert to their CHQ seniority at that point 'cause there's probably some that I'm senior to on the APL who are senior to some RPA natives? Anyway, still very tough to envision commuting to that job and giving up so much time at home. I seem to have absolutely no energy left for paying more dues to the airlines.

BTW, can't do PSA anyway as I forfeited that a couple of years ago.

 

[chevyman]

Ok, you guessed wrong. 1991-1996.

Still doesn't change my mind.

Ok, you guessed wrong. 1991-1996.

What did you do?

 

[WSurf]

Trust me on this...There is no promised land in aviation. Former Corporate, USAirways, Mesa J4J, MidAtlantic, Atlas, now back at USAirways.

Wow, now thats a lovely journey!!! Gotta love this profession!!!!!!

Hope it all settles down now for you Mike!!!!!

 

[careerfurloughee]

Still doesn't change my mind.
What did you do?

Chevyman,

He came back! LOL

 

[Breath_of_Fresh_USAirways]

Well I've heard this from another source now, didn't realize that APL seniority mattered, but apparently it does. What do they do with some guys that may have been there longer than some RPA Captains? Do they simply revert to their CHQ seniority at that point 'cause there's probably some that I'm senior to on the APL who are senior to some RPA natives? Anyway, still very tough to envision commuting to that job and giving up so much time at home. I seem to have absolutely no energy left for paying more dues to the airlines.

BTW, can't do PSA anyway as I forfeited that a couple of years ago.

Hi.

I've been reading some of the other comments and thinking a lot about your and your career, Swaayze.

Nothing is a guarantee.

So, if you don't have a college degree -- get one. Embry Riddle is famous for working with pilots and their sometimes "weird" schedules, and it has a great "on-line" degree program, and is still respected in the industry, too.
If you have an undergraduate degree, get your master's degree. It's not really as hard as it sounds. Embry Riddle and it's on-line MAS (master of aeronautical science) is one option. If you have to leave flying for any reason (downturn, health), a master's degree -- in anything -- distinguishes you from the masses and opens doors you didn't even know were there. A master's degree will cost you about $12K, but will get you $50K, minimum, more like $80K, almost anywhere (think Honeywell, GE, Boeing, the Airport authorities, TSA (not screeners), etc -- if you still want to have something to do with airplanes.) Anyways, at the very least, you can teach at the university level with a master's degree and supplement your income later in life.

Sure, it costs money -- but aren't YOU a good investment?

Sorry if you've already got too much on your mind, but just something else to think about -- especially if you have the TIME to do it...

 

[imca85]

Swaayze -
I was an 18 year F/O and commuted to PHL on RSV.
After the new LOA came into effect and RSV senority meant nothing I just could not take it any more. I was ready to go greet the guests at Walmart. As a RSV commuting I think your life would be miserable. Your 11 days off don't really mean too much because you would be called on most of those days ( except IMM days) if they are short. The rest of your 11 days off would be spent on the plane holding on the ramp waiting for release to PHL/DCA. I have 2 kids at home and was missing everything, and what pay was left was just not worth it. They would not give me a LOA so I had to quit. Getting to know my wife and kids is a lot more important than flying the big silver plane now. I do miss my buddies that I flew with but thats about all I miss now. If I were you and you really want to go back to LCC I would put it off as long as you could. You don't want to commute to RSV at LCC. Things have changed a whole lot since 99.

There were many things that just cooked the goose.

"we promise not to go into BK if you give us the DB retirement"
"don't call in sick if you get stuck commuting. We won't penalize you in any way"
"You're going to be a C/O in 2 years with this new contract. We are going to buy more airplanes than God can count"
"Weve got 70 new AB on order"
"We have to have that 20% ( xx million from the pilots) or US wil be in BK again"
"We trust you and know your sick and all, but we need a Dr's excuse to show the CP now"
"We're short right now and your vacation is canceled"

I could go on but you've probably seen it here before.
If the GAG is ousted things might get better. Good luck to all still at LCC. I don't hang around this blog too often but if you want to see those 2 young ones grow up I don't recommend LCC.

If you don't have a degree and you're near DFW I know oilfield laborers starting around $25 / hr. no experience, home every night.
-B

 

[furlopro]

I am currently a A-320 Captain at USA3??? (113.00 HR)
I can't to go back. Long Term is it.

 

[chevyman]

Swaayze -
I was an 18 year F/O and commuted to PHL on RSV.
After the new LOA came into effect and RSV senority meant nothing I just could not take it any more. I was ready to go greet the guests at Walmart. As a RSV commuting I think your life would be miserable. Your 11 days off don't really mean too much because you would be called on most of those days ( except IMM days) if they are short. The rest of your 11 days off would be spent on the plane holding on the ramp waiting for release to PHL/DCA. I have 2 kids at home and was missing everything, and what pay was left was just not worth it. They would not give me a LOA so I had to quit. Getting to know my wife and kids is a lot more important than flying the big silver plane now. I do miss my buddies that I flew with but thats about all I miss now. If I were you and you really want to go back to LCC I would put it off as long as you could. You don't want to commute to RSV at LCC. Things have changed a whole lot since 99.

There were many things that just cooked the goose.

"we promise not to go into BK if you give us the DB retirement"
"don't call in sick if you get stuck commuting. We won't penalize you in any way"
"You're going to be a C/O in 2 years with this new contract. We are going to buy more airplanes than God can count"
"Weve got 70 new AB on order"
"We have to have that 20% ( xx million from the pilots) or US wil be in BK again"
"We trust you and know your sick and all, but we need a Dr's excuse to show the CP now"
"We're short right now and your vacation is canceled"

I could go on but you've probably seen it here before.
If the GAG is ousted things might get better. Good luck to all still at LCC. I don't hang around this blog too often but if you want to see those 2 young ones grow up I don't recommend LCC.

If you don't have a degree and you're near DFW I know oilfield laborers starting around $25 / hr. no experience, home every night.
-B

Why would you anwser your phone on your days off?

What are you doing now?

The only oil field laborers I know of that make $25 per hour are out in the Gulf 2 weeks at a time.

I have an aquaintance who is a Int'l reserve out of PHL and commutes and averages 15 days of a month.

Not trying to put you down,just trying to understand. I agree,family comes first. Good luck with your new career.

 

[imca85]

Chevyman,

Your aquaintance isn't exactly jr if he/she is doing int'l RSV.

 

[chevyman]

Chevyman,

Your aquaintance isn't exactly jr if he/she is doing int'l RSV.

He has been the # 4 or # 5 person from the bottom on the entire pilot seniority list for the past 4 years according to him . He did say he has been displaced a lot though.

There are 47 767 Int'l PHL F/O reserve positions left over on Bid 07-03 and about 6 on 767 domestic.

 

[BoeingBoy]

The big difference is that reserve on the 330 or 76I in some ways is not anything like reserve on the 320 or 737.

Jim