asa and IAD

[aeropharoh]

hear it is going to be only about 7 overnights and mostly 4 day trips and a bitch of a commute for the winter

 

[Cpt Oveur]

really? Well please tell the rest of us when the sign ins are. IAD has about 4 departure pushes, 8ish, 12ish, 5ish, and then around 9-10 at night. Please share with the rest of us any details you have. The company hasn't. There's 10 weekday flights on Delta, 4 on United, 3 on Air Tran. So with 17 daily flights to IAD alone, and lots more to DCA/BWI. I've commuted from the Northeast, and it is doable, but of course there's a few days where it's bad, but it is manageable.

 

[Texx]

hear it is going to be only about 7 overnights and mostly 4 day trips and a bitch of a commute for the winter

Interesting. Planners haven't even been given the final flying or schedules from UAL yet. Your sch will not get better until you get more than 10 a/c.

And as for the IAD winter commute, your correct. You better plan ahead for it.

 

[outtahere]

I've been warned off by two chief pilots now. They wouldn't say why, only that I would wind up regretting my decision to go to iad! WTF, I didn't understand so I called John P. in planning, guess it's mostly four days, and the commute will be extremely difficult. I want off friggin reserve, but now they make it sound like going to iad will be worse!

 

[FlyMeSWA]

Ive also heard that the trips wont be very commutable on the front end, but possibly on the back end, Im looking for crashpads now, most are expensive so I may try to start one up. I was also told by the Chief Pilots that if you commute, you wont be very happy. I commute out of New England so you know how the weather is during the winter.

 

[SLUF4]

There was some info in the crew planning memo that john P sends out. he indicated there would only be 2 reserve crews per day for the base. Not much more detail, but there is a little info in that memo if you missed it.

 

[wms]

I've been warned off by two chief pilots now. They wouldn't say why, only that I would wind up regretting my decision to go to iad! WTF, I didn't understand so I called John P. in planning, guess it's mostly four days, and the commute will be extremely difficult. I want off friggin reserve, but now they make it sound like going to iad will be worse!

That contradicts his own email on ourasa. And two CPs have told me to go.

 

[ASApuppy]

Sounds like some people are not happy with their respective positions on the list. Perhaps trying to change a few peoples minds?

 

[great cornholio]

Ive also heard that the trips wont be very commutable on the front end, but possibly on the back end, Im looking for crashpads now, most are expensive so I may try to start one up. I was also told by the Chief Pilots that if you commute, you wont be very happy. I commute out of New England so you know how the weather is during the winter.

If you do set up a crashpad be careful about advertising. The Washington Post did an article about crashpads a few months ago and the county code people figured out where it was and shut it down. They also went on stuff like flightinfo and crashpads.com and found a few others in the IAD area and shut them down too. I'm lucky enough to not need a crashpad cause I have family in the area, but the crashpad situation up here seems pretty rough. Most seem to cost over 200 a month and have NO TRANSPORTATION. There are a handful of crashpads in local hotels and some are close enough to hotels that they use the hotel vans, and there are a few that have 1 crashpad car, but that usually seems complicated.

Long story short....It seems like most guys here usually just go priceline or something and get cheap hotel rooms. If you can manage to get a crashpad car up here you can get rooms for 30 bucks a night within 15-20 miles of the airport...compared to 50+ a night for anything that has a van to IAD.

 

[spudskier]

What is uncommutable? (In terms of hours) and why 4-days!? Does SH have his fingers in this one too?

Hotwire seems to work the best for D.C. when I've taken vacations there ($50-$70/night in a 3 or 4 star in downtown) Another options is to figure out where ASA United and other crews overnight and those hotels usually offer a discount for leisure stays. Also call around for commuter rates at hotels (like the Sleep Inn in ATL). Would be good to have a hotel list before starting up there.

 

[PooPooPants]

This is a great opportunity for displaced captains to get back over to the left seat. Is it worth the commute? I guess it all depends on your priorities.

 

[sunlitpath]

Expect 12 days off per month for all IAD pilots, (with relatively low credit). The bottom 11 pilots in May 2010 will be on reserve forever. Expect an operational cluster FK for the first year. Forget about commuting it. DC, by its nature, has numerous events and conventions throughout the year that cause complete sell outs and overbookings. Bon Voyage Suckers!

 

[sunlitpath]

I've been warned off by two chief pilots now. They wouldn't say why, only that I would wind up regretting my decision to go to iad! WTF, I didn't understand so I called John P. in planning, guess it's mostly four days, and the commute will be extremely difficult. I want off friggin reserve, but now they make it sound like going to iad will be worse!

I didn't talk to the chief pilots, but I suspect there may be a substantial vacancy bid in ATL on the CR7 in the spring. The CR7 is short on captains right now in the slow flying season. With summer block hour increases, it would be reasonable to expect a need for at least 20 more CR7 captains...

 

[SLUF4]

who told u all that sunlitpath? or did u just think it up?

 

[wms]

Expect 12 days off per month for all IAD pilots, (with relatively low credit). The bottom 11 pilots in May 2010 will be on reserve forever. Expect an operational cluster FK for the first year. Forget about commuting it. DC, by its nature, has numerous events and conventions throughout the year that cause complete sell outs and overbookings. Bon Voyage Suckers!

Does your black cloud ever dissipate?

 

[crj567]

Does your black cloud ever dissipate?

Sunlit sure reminds me of someone who is always pissing and moaning on the ALPA boards..... You know-the one that the earlier humorous thread was about-that thread in which he and the Palm were locked in Mortal Kombat.

 

[wms]

Some people are rain on every parade, some carry the umbrella.

 

[flighttrainer]

Commuting sucks, no way to sugarcoat it.

 

[great cornholio]

What is uncommutable? (In terms of hours) and why 4-days!? Does SH have his fingers in this one too?

Hotwire seems to work the best for D.C. when I've taken vacations there ($50-$70/night in a 3 or 4 star in downtown) Another options is to figure out where ASA United and other crews overnight and those hotels usually offer a discount for leisure stays. Also call around for commuter rates at hotels (like the Sleep Inn in ATL). Would be good to have a hotel list before starting up there.

We've been up here a year now and as far as I know no one has been able to really find a "commuter rate" at any hotel near IAD. The guys that get the best prices seem to go thru priceline or hotwire...etc and the rates seem pretty much always at 50ish a night. I have talked to some people that have cars here (or do a "drivable" commute) and a 15-20 min drive south on 28 towards manassas will result in rooms in the 30ish a night range. Oh and the guys that do the crashpad thing seem to be paying 200-250 a month. Hope this helps you guys out....welcome to the suckage that is IAD....

 

[sweptback]

Expect 12 days off per month for all IAD pilots, (with relatively low credit). The bottom 11 pilots in May 2010 will be on reserve forever. Expect an operational cluster FK for the first year. Forget about commuting it. DC, by its nature, has numerous events and conventions throughout the year that cause complete sell outs and overbookings. Bon Voyage Suckers!

We get it. You don't want people to bid IAD because you want your Captain slot there.

Quit spreading misinformation. It's really obvious what you're trying to do.