Time away from the seat.

[YVRYEG]

What is the longest hiatus you have encountered in this business (specifically 704/705 drivers). Was it hard to get back into the swing of things and feel 100% after? Does the rust come off quick?

First furlough here...

[mbav8r]

3 and 1/2 years, jumped in a Navajo, 4 hours training and passed a single pilot IFR PPC. That being said, I was a training pilot and current on three types prior to the downturn, not sure if that would make a difference. Not sure what 704/705 has to do with it, are you saying they go easy on the 703 pilots?

[YVRYEG]

Not at all. My mistake, 703/704/705 drivers.

[Eric Janson]

What is the longest hiatus you have encountered in this business (specifically 704/705 drivers). Was it hard to get back into the swing of things and feel 100% after? Does the rust come off quick?

First furlough here...

6 months - A340. Switched companies so when I started again I had to learn new SOP items as well as review the aircraft.

2 Simulator sessions and a check - went fine. I did have 5 years experience on Type.

After the first 2 Line Training flights I felt 'current' on the aircraft again.

[complexintentions]

9th flying job, 5th layoff. But 1st since leaving Canada - the instability is why I left!

Longest period away from the industry, 8 months. But that was somewhat voluntary, I wasn't in a hurry to go back. Wasn't an issue with training as I was going on to a type new to me at the time (B737).

But been on my current type (B777/787) for 13 years so I don't think it'll be too bad going back if I do. Kind of enjoying the test drive of retirement, to be honest. I still enjoy flying airplanes, but the hassle factor has me mulling over whether I'll bother. Got lots of other interests to consider.

Fortunately I think we'll all have plenty of time to ponder such decisions!

[goldeneagle]

10 years. Got the pink slip that put me on the street Jan 1990. The next time into an airplane was April of 2000.

Everything was expired, so I basically started at the very beginning. Had to write a p-star and inrat, then do an IFR ride to get the ATPL valid again. I took the weekend IFR course that John Montgomery used to teach at Hudson General from Friday evening thru Sunday. Monday morning I went downtown and wrote the inrat, in the afternoon stopped by the flight school and wrote the pstar. Tuesday and Wednesday I did two sim sessions each day, then late Wednesday a trip in an airplane. Another jaunt in the airplane on Thursday, Friday morning I did the IFR ride, took all the paperwork down to 800 Burrard and left with a freshly issued ATPL. Sunday morning I was on an airplane headed to FliteSafety to take a course on the airplane. Insurance wanted that since I had not been flying for 10 years. After the course, I was on the road to go pick up the airplane and ferry it home.

[DHC-1 Jockey]

It was flying the Dash 8 at Jazz but left to give ATC a try. The ATC training didn't work out and I didn't even see the inside of another airplane for those 2 years until I got back in the saddle as a F/O on the 737. It was my first time flying a jet, and after my first couple IPT and SIM sessions, it was like riding a bike. After my 10 SIM sessions and PPC/LOFT, it was like I never took a break from flying.

[co-joe]

I was out for a number of years, the annoying part coming back was getting recency back. If this Wuhan shit show drags on, don't go more than 5 years without being either PIC, or SIC. Dual isn't enough. Writing the PSTAR was easy, the IPC was straight forward, and luckily now you don't need to rewrite the INRAT. The hard part was paying to fly a 172, and demonstrating CPL level standards for all flight test items.

[pelmet]

Best layoff was 8.5 months. Got a bunch of free flying on a bunch of cool small airplanes during the summer and due to severance.....lost only two weeks pay.