Love Flying, hate travelling

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bestrate
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Love Flying, hate travelling

Post by bestrate »

I've been instructing for little over a year and at the point where I can start applying for some 703/704 jobs.

My hesitation is that I really love the flying part of the job, but when it comes to the down time during a layover I get really discouraged. I've never been the type who enjoys travelling and sight seeing, etc.

not sure if this is something that I will learn to like or be able to deal with.

Anyone else go through this or know of any carriers that have very little downtime in their pairings?

Thanks
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digits_
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Re: Love Flying, hate travelling

Post by digits_ »

bestrate wrote: Wed May 16, 2018 9:51 am I've been instructing for little over a year and at the point where I can start applying for some 703/704 jobs.

My hesitation is that I really love the flying part of the job, but when it comes to the down time during a layover I get really discouraged. I've never been the type who enjoys travelling and sight seeing, etc.

not sure if this is something that I will learn to like or be able to deal with.

Anyone else go through this or know of any carriers that have very little downtime in their pairings?

Thanks
Perimeter / Bearskin out of Winnipeg are home every night
Any medevac operator if you live at your base
Some corporate jobs, I believe Syncrude? There are some topics about them
703 charter operators usually don't have that many overnights
Or stay at instructing and negotiate a significant raise. Now's the time ;-)
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av8ts
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Re: Love Flying, hate travelling

Post by av8ts »

OMG. I can’t even relate to this. If I was independently wealthy I think I would just travel, explore, sight see nonstop the rest of my life
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schnitzel2k3
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Re: Love Flying, hate travelling

Post by schnitzel2k3 »

bestrate wrote: Wed May 16, 2018 9:51 am I've been instructing for little over a year and at the point where I can start applying for some 703/704 jobs.

My hesitation is that I really love the flying part of the job, but when it comes to the down time during a layover I get really discouraged. I've never been the type who enjoys travelling and sight seeing, etc.

not sure if this is something that I will learn to like or be able to deal with.

Anyone else go through this or know of any carriers that have very little downtime in their pairings?

Thanks
I am finding this sentiment is growing stronger, my desire to be home or when on the road, places familiar to me.

Find yourself a light private jet/prop - pays good in the left - trips are usually short and stay continental most of the time.

Places you visit tend to be like home so no real desire to sight see, but if it happens to kick up you can always tour the city.

Good luck and don't stress, even at the airline level you can bid for domestic or transborder stuff.

Cheers,

S.
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C-GGGQ
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Re: Love Flying, hate travelling

Post by C-GGGQ »

As someone who has been l9ng haul trucking for close to 7 years now I get it. The shine of travel is gone at this point. All about home time and a personal life. Plus with trucking and flying the amount of legit "travel" you get to do is little. I always get asked what do I do or get to see on my trips or "oh you are going to New York? What will you do there?" Well seeing how you can't park very close have horrendous traffic and tight schedules and oh yeah I'm working... um nothing. I will see dark highway as that's the only way to mitigate traffic out there is to get to your shipper at like 4 am. Airline Pilots see a lot of airports and hotels. Unless its an extended layover
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20DMEYYZ
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Re: Love Flying, hate travelling

Post by 20DMEYYZ »

if medcom wants to keep you going on about 5% of your medevacs you'll duty out and O/N
also, some 703 charters repo you to sub-base or fire-base if MNR
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ditar
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Re: Love Flying, hate travelling

Post by ditar »

I got into this business 14 years ago to travel and see places. After living out of a suitcase for the last half of that, the novelty has wore off, and the reality is, like the last poster said, there is little time or opportunity to see anything when you’re stuck at the airport hotel, on min rest, after a 13 hour day. I’m throwing in the towel and hanging up the uniform. If I change my mind in 10 years there will still be planes that need flying. But I will never get those 10 years back of my kids growing up.
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justwork
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Re: Love Flying, hate travelling

Post by justwork »

bestrate wrote: Wed May 16, 2018 9:51 am I've been instructing for little over a year and at the point where I can start applying for some 703/704 jobs.

My hesitation is that I really love the flying part of the job, but when it comes to the down time during a layover I get really discouraged. I've never been the type who enjoys travelling and sight seeing, etc.

not sure if this is something that I will learn to like or be able to deal with.

Anyone else go through this or know of any carriers that have very little downtime in their pairings?

Thanks

Narrow body and single day pairings.
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Eric Janson
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Re: Love Flying, hate travelling

Post by Eric Janson »

bestrate wrote: Wed May 16, 2018 9:51 am I've been instructing for little over a year and at the point where I can start applying for some 703/704 jobs.

My hesitation is that I really love the flying part of the job, but when it comes to the down time during a layover I get really discouraged. I've never been the type who enjoys travelling and sight seeing, etc.

not sure if this is something that I will learn to like or be able to deal with.

Anyone else go through this or know of any carriers that have very little downtime in their pairings?

Thanks
I'm away from home for 25 days in a row every 2 months. That's three blocks of 6/7 days off on the other side of the world.

I have books/music/films with me to keep me entertained if I don't plan on doing anything. I started doing some online gaming as well - works well as an escape.

The secret is to find something you enjoy to fill your time.
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confusedalot
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Re: Love Flying, hate travelling

Post by confusedalot »

bestrate,

At the end of the day, you can even choose a stay at home airplane and schedule even at big red. Take the 737 or embraer or whatever, and, not right away, but after a couple of years, you can write your own ticket as far as scheduling goes.

You would be in the fortunate situation of actually having a clear shot at a stay at home schedule, the majority keep bidding bigger, faster, and farther, all you have to do is take the easy fruit that everyone overlooked.

Having said that though, the feeder airlines are a bit bizarre....short haul flights but you end up in hotel rooms for a significant time in your month.
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Xonga013
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Re: Love Flying, hate travelling

Post by Xonga013 »

I know what you mean. The hotel life of the Regional flying isn’t great either. I found flying Medevac up north gave me a good schedule, probably had 5-7 nights away from home in a year, the drawback is getting called at 2AM to go flying... ideally you can find a local operator that does mostly day trips, day cargo feeder or instruct.
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FOD_Vacuum
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Re: Love Flying, hate travelling

Post by FOD_Vacuum »

Looks like you bit into the wrong chili. Once you take the bite, its hard to avoid the hotness of it. Unfortunately, flying will always have some sort of travelling-its part of the career. If a doctor loved to do open heart surgery but hated hospitals, well, what ya gonna do? You can find certain 604 corporate carrier that don't advertise positions, so word of mouth and knowing the right person is the right first step in acquiring such a job that lets you stay home pretty much every day.

Pasco offers a great schedule, with only about 2-3 overnights a month for junior drivers in a 15 day work month. If you can make rotational gigs up North and the wife likes the outdoor lifestyle, then move up there and make it your home so you don't have to commute for a two week on medevac gig, if you don't mind waking up in the middle of the night for flights. That way, after your flights you get to go home instead of a shitty crew trailer or apartment.
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Re: Love Flying, hate travelling

Post by MarkyMark90 »

Sunwing goes back home almost every night. If you want to fly some 737 and be home, it's your dream job.
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igorcanuck
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Re: Love Flying, hate travelling

Post by igorcanuck »

Anyone else has an idea of which companies offer single day pairing? Is that possible at Jazz, Encore, Porter, Pasco, etc for new drivers?
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iflyforpie
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Re: Love Flying, hate travelling

Post by iflyforpie »

I got into my medevac gig because it allowed me to have the home life that I’ve been used to my entire career. One overnight a month maybe. No on call. No nights. Lots of short flights. Decent places to hang out while waiting.

We’re looking for first officers if you’re interested.

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=132021
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Geez did I say that....? Or just think it....?
Roadrunnersmother
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Re: Love Flying, hate travelling

Post by Roadrunnersmother »

iflyforpie wrote: Mon May 20, 2019 12:51 pm I got into my medevac gig because it allowed me to have the home life that I’ve been used to my entire career. One overnight a month maybe. No on call. No nights. Lots of short flights. Decent places to hang out while waiting.

We’re looking for first officers if you’re interested.

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=132021
No clue what you're talking about. Medevacs are 24/7. Night calls are the norm. How you get away with telling boss you aren't doing night calls when sick people are in need is beyond anyone's guess.
You're a lightweight.
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porcsord
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Re: Love Flying, hate travelling

Post by porcsord »

Roadrunnersmother wrote: Mon May 20, 2019 4:07 pm No clue what you're talking about. Medevacs are 24/7. Night calls are the norm. How you get away with telling boss you aren't doing night calls when sick people are in need is beyond anyone's guess.
You're a lightweight.
I don't work for Carson, but I do believe they only have one night medevac base: Vancouver. So if you're based literally anywhere else, there is no night flying. You need some new material for trolling, this lightweight thing is getting old.

To the OP,

I'll second what IFFP said, in that some medevac gigs are actually pretty good, and thanks to the pilot shortage, conditions are rapidly improving.

PC
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iflyforpie
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Re: Love Flying, hate travelling

Post by iflyforpie »

Roadrunnersmother wrote: Mon May 20, 2019 4:07 pm
iflyforpie wrote: Mon May 20, 2019 12:51 pm I got into my medevac gig because it allowed me to have the home life that I’ve been used to my entire career. One overnight a month maybe. No on call. No nights. Lots of short flights. Decent places to hang out while waiting.

We’re looking for first officers if you’re interested.

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=132021
No clue what you're talking about. Medevacs are 24/7. Night calls are the norm. How you get away with telling boss you aren't doing night calls when sick people are in need is beyond anyone's guess.
You're a lightweight.

You’re a lightweight.
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Geez did I say that....? Or just think it....?
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