Crash Pad Life

[a-v-8er]

See if there are other guys you went through training with that are interested in starting up a crashpad (assuming you were just hired)? This way you'll know the people somewhat and that makes things even easier...

Getting an airport car is key (whether you share it with someone or not)! If you don't already own two cars, next time you buy another car keep your old one and use that as your crashpad/airport car.

Finding a crashpad with a fitness center is also a big plus, especially if you'll sit reserve a lot initially!

I'll second whomever said closeness to shopping is equally important to being close by the airport. Many times, you don't want to go grocery shopping for lots of food since you'll only be in the pad for so long at a time and when you get back half your stuff is ruined (or eaten by someone else).

Get some cheap furniture! Couch, table, chairs... If everyone chips in it won't be bad and you'll all be much happier. Buy yourself a "raft" at Wal-Mart and a comforter and your bed will be all set! This one you can even bring with you when you move!

 

[aeronautic1]

Buy an old soda machine, stock it with budget brewskis and charge a buck a beer. Your crash pad fee will be covered in no time.

 

[79%N1]

By FAR, the worst thing I have EVER done is stay in a crashpad!!!! While the stories I could tell would take up half thr board, I'll just say NEVER AGAIN! That is why when Delta closed DFW, we immediately sold our house and are moving to ATL. You couldnt find enough reasons to make me commute. I dont care how close you live to Mommy, or Wifes family, kids in school, friends nearby, etc...NOTHING ruins QOL more than commuting, but if I HAD to, I would find a cheap hotel near the airport.

 

[tarp]

Let's see:

1.) Know your terms. "Hot bed" vs "Cold" or Dedicated. If you don't like the thought of a matress/futon that is not yours and you just change the sheets to go to sleep, then a "hot bed" is not for you. Oh, those are YOUR sheets, that YOU buy.

2.) Snoring. I'm sorry but I AM an offender. I hate it because I can't stand other people snoring - so I felt self-conscious about keeping others awake. Miserable nights in a crash pad if you are noise sensative.

3.) The food thing. I lived in a 3-bedroom apartment with a bunch of folks - the thing was maxed out at 23 padders. One hot bed room, two cold bed room. 7 hot beds, 10 dedicated beds. Now food is what yours is yours. In our pad, I'd take a guess that 50% of the padders were ex-military. Stealing ex-GI food is about equal to signing your own death warrant. So we didn't have THAT problem. Old food, fuzzy food, bacterial contamination unit food - now that was a problem. Since stealing was discouraged you could get some funny conversations. "Hey, who stole my half & half?" "You mean the half & half that has been in the fridge for 6 months?" "Ah yeah" "Well it was half germs and half bacteria and the fridge police threw it out" "Oh." Potluck dinners, however, could be quite fun. I remember one snowy evening with about 12 residents - we had an all out cooking party. That was some good eating that night. Some weird combinations of food, but still a lot of fun.

4.) Clean. 23 people, 13 more transient than others. Let's face it, everyone has their own definition of clean. There were no maids at our pad, however, I must be a clean freak because I spent a whole lot of time scrubbing bathtubs, toilets and bathroom floors. I could come back after two weeks away from the pad and no one had done anything to clean up their mess. There is nothing worse than stepping into a bath tub/ shower that hasn't been cleaned in 2 weeks.

5.) Hot water / ironing boards / TV's and other shared items. One guy takes a Navy shower - 1 min/ 1 min / 1 min. The next guy sings the entire works of Luciano Pavorotti while in the shower. Hot water? Not until the boiler catches up in about an hour. Oh, you gotta be kidding me, the collective viewing audience that got to the TV is watching Survivor? What a waste of humanity. It's 6 am and you need to iron the shirt you forgot last night - take a number buddy, six folks in front of you. Who the frig left all this crud on the iron! What did they do make a grilled cheese sandwich with this thing?

The best day of my life was not needing a crash pad anymore. No more dorm life for me. As someone else said, it'll be hotel rooms or I'll rent a single room from somebody or I'll even rent a room in a house without pilots - but no more crash pads. I'm too old, need my sleep and can't stand the mess. Good luck.

 

[Twotter76]

A good crashpad should always have a healthy selection of free porn for those slow reserve days. Try to find one that you dont have to hotbunk that way you can leave some of your stuff on/under/near your bed (if you can trust the guys in your pad). I second the motion about women in the crashpad too much easier to meet women when you live with them...

 

[jhoneycu]

Any advice on finding a crash pad? I am new to this and need a pad near JFK. I am not a crewmember, but rather an engineer who needs to commute to JFK from CLT for about 6 months. I will be spending 4 nights a week (working 2nd shift Sun - Wed) and would like to have my own bed. Any information would be great.

 

[CRJ puppy]

Sounds like something your company should be paying you for.

 

[jhoneycu]

I currently work for US Airways and will be taking the job with JetBlue. Since it is my choice to commute it is on me to cover it. Any info on finding a pad would be nice.

 

[av8tor4239]

The majority of stories on this thread are about "true" crashpads, where you have many people living in one room!

I have been commuting on and off reserve, and here is what I have found to be the best. It is a little more expensive, but well worth the cost.

I rent a room from a friend in a burb of atlanta. I pay 15 bucks per day that I am here. I average between 100-400 per month depending on my schedule, but here is the kicker. The house I use has two big screen TV's, Cable and HD Satelite, Highspeed wireless internet, I have my own room, my owen King Bed, and my own bathroom. I have full use of the all the rooms and the kitchen, and I can even park my car in the garage. I help with the chores and pay my "rent" when I can.. Plus there is no lease!

If you are in a FLOP HOUSE, I reccomend you be paitent and network to find a situation where you do not have to live in dorm. It is worth the extra 5-10 bucks a day.

 

[Fly2Scuba]

Only if you're really ambitious

I commute to EWR and sleep either in
a) the hotel on an overnight from a hopeful assignment
b) an extra hotel that crew scheduling ended up not using in EWR (rare)
c) the crewroom
d) 2-3 times a month I pay for a hotel room

Otherwise, I bought a Continental Presidents Club membership ($425 annual) that has showers, wireless, tv room, snacks, and booze (after reserve shift is done). Just hang out there all day if no call or the airport has a free shuttle bus that runs out to the local mall. I keep my own blankets in the crew room along with a small camp pillow and head phones with soothing sounds help block out the overnight cleaners. And to cut down on food expenses I bring trail mix, home made protein bars, cereal, sports drink powder, etc. to compliment the morning bagels/muffins and cheese/crackers in the clubs. Fun times.