Bwi For Me?

[UNKLR]

Hoping to be based in BWI with SWA, anyone have some info for living there. Where to live? Where not to live? etc...
I would like to be within reserve call out time. Any good public transportation? Thanx

 

[Flying the Line]

Look into Annapolis, MD. Beautiful city on the water with a fun atmosphere. About 30 min from BWI.

 

[chase]

Look at the following website, it may have some useful info. If you're not an employee yet you will not be able to view all of the site but some is open to the public so good luck.

Southwest Airlines BWI Pilotbase

 

[TexaSWA]

Where to live? Where not to live? etc...

You should never live north of the Red River.

 

[Majik]

Re: Re: Bwi For Me?

You should never live north of the Red River.

I always thought it went like this, "You can swim in the Red River, you just shouldn't drink from it."

 

[chili]

I vote for Annapolis, MD also. Only problem is, it costs BIG bucks for even entry level stuff. Down the street from my mother in law, a 2000 square footer went for over 400k. Guess I can't live near her Anything in Anne Arundle county is nice.

 

[TexaSWA]

I think that's the Rio Grande, but I wouldnt drink from the Red River either. Probably shouldnt drink from the Guadalupe any more than you can help it, especially after Memorial Day, the Fourth or Labor Day.

 

[F16TJ]

Chase...

What is the reserve call out time for SWA? I live 50 minutes south of BWI.

Out...

 

[Flycatcher99]

I know that there are a number of SWA families that live in the southern PA area near York and Gettysburg. Specifically, I have a good friend who lives in Hanover, PA, who says that there are about 30 SWA folks and their families living just in that town. He has about a 45-60 minute drive to BWI, depending on weather and traffic. Don't quote me, but I believe it's a two-hour callout on reserve.

I've been to that area, and it's really nice. I did a month of TDY in Reading, and from what I saw of the area from Lancaster to Gettysburg, it's very beautiful. Plus, I believe the cost of living in PA is considerably better than MD.

 

[chase]

Call out for reserve is 2 hrs. From the time you get the call you must be to the lounge within 2 hrs. We only have this type of call out & you are either a PM or AM reserve...sit 4 & 3 day blocks...avg in a 30 day month 15 days of reserve, 31 day will average 16 day reserve...no "pass" system to speak of & most of the time our reserves get used pretty regularly...very small percentage (8%) of pilots in the base sit reserve...probably most folks will sit it for 2-4 months max when we are hiring at our max...they can't JA (junior available) you when you are sitting reserve, you're immune from that type of no-notice...you can still fly extra on your off days (1st yr folks get 2nd pay for flying extra)...hope that helps

 

[ATA73Pilot]

If you want to be closer and can swing it financially, take a look at Columbia, MD.

I just moved away from Columbia after spending 10 years there.

It is a planned community along Rte. 95 between Baltimore and DC.

Depending on what area of Columbia you live in, drives to the employee parking were in the 15 - 30 minute range.

The downside is the cost of housing. I sold a townhouse there for $230K after 6 years (and I only paid $125K originally).

It's a desireable bedroom community for workers in both DC and Baltimore so there are lots of people competeing for available housing.

If you are looking at renting then you will have a much easier time...the place is full of apartment complexes.

 

[USAFftrplt]

My buddy who flies for SWA based out of BWI lives in Pasadena, MD... about 30 minutes away and right near annapolis. Beautiful area!

 

[Jeff Helgeson]

Annapolis, MD

I have lived in MD and have either flown or commuted out of BWI since that time. I currently live in Annapolis in a water community on the Severn. I have lived in Pasadena, MD in a water community of townhouses and Columbia, MD.

Annapolis has gotten very expensive, but is a beatiful city. You dont' have to live right on the water and that will cut the cost of a house by half.

Columbia, MD is nice, but very planned. I paid $730 for a 2 bed and bath apartment in 1989.

I bought a townhouse in Pasadena, MD (a Ryan home) the same model in Columbia was $25-$30 more in Colubia with a view of the back of other homes. In Pasadena, I had an end unit that had a nice water view with communti slips, ramp and fishing piers. Pasadena is considered light industry and has a red neck factor (not that there is anything wrong with that!)

Some BWI folks live in PA. York is nice and is about 1 to 1.3 hour drive north on 83.

The eastern shore, Kent island is about 45 minutes away and cheaper, but you have to deal with the Bay Bridge.

Good luck, Hun!

 

[generaltso]

Columbia is good if you want to raise a family (I grew up there). Frederick is also pretty nice, and the further NW you go the cheaper the housing gets. You can get some nice deals in Hagerstown, about 1:20 drive down I-70 to BWI (there is not much traffic on that road).

Like others have said, Northern MD/Southern PA has some good deals too. Thurmont, Gettysburg, York, Hanover, and so on.

But if you want to be close the airport, Columbia is about 15-20mins. Good luck!

 

[Flic1]

I lived in MD for a long time and was glad to finally leave. There are nice areas but house prices have really gotten out of hand. If you want to live in a "nice" area, you're gonna pay through the a**. Anne Arundel County is outrageous, figure average $300k house price (mediocre house). Townhouses at $230k+ are commonplace in many counties. Townhouses in the community I lived in are now going for $250k+ ($160k new in '99) and they are nothing great (3bed., 2 of which were extremely tiny). Didn't even have a garage. Annapolis is overrated I think and way too expensive. Columbia area has gone downhill in the last 10 years, yet way expensive. Baltimore city is a dump, you probably won't want to live in/near it. I would check out southern PA as someone else mentioned if you want to be within commuting range of BWI at an affordable price. Eastern shore would also be an option.

 

[Hagar17]

Try Delaware. Low property taxes, moderate state income tax, no sales tax, affordable housing. Live northeast of BWI in the Newark/Bear area, east of BWI in Dover, or southeast in Kent or Sussex county. Most locations in western DE are around an hour and a half from the BWI parking lot. A little far out, but you can live smack in the middle Baltimore and be two hours to BWI on some days. Close to great beaches.

 

[T1bubba]

Delaware is a bit too far for reserve because you either have to come through all the toll booths on 95 or come across the bay bridge. Either way you can get stuck for hours during the summer. Of course, you could always roll the dice and hope that you don't get a short notice callout.

There are basically two types of places to live around BWI, commutable to DC or not. Any place where people can commute to DC (Annapolis, Severna Park, Columbia, Laurel, Frederick, NoVA, etc.) is going to be considerably more expensive. Anyplace that's not convenient to DC (Harford, Carroll, or Kent counties, New Freedom, York, Gettysburg, etc.) will be more reasonably priced. Overall prices in the area have been going up 20% a year for the last five years so everything's pretty expensive.

I've flown with people that live in all of the above places. More people probably live in the Annapolis area than anywhere else but other than that everyone seems to be pretty spread out. I'd advise renting a place for a while to give yourself time to check out the area before buying. Besides, you'll probably need at least second year pay to qualify for the mortgage on most decent places.

As far as public transit, there's not much to speak of outside of DC's Metro. The commuter rail lines that go from DC to BWI/Baltimore only run M-F in the early morning and late afternoon. Baltimore's light rail goes right to the terminal when it's running (currently shut down until October), but it's just as quick to drive from anywhere north of Linthicum.