L-1011 Lifestyle at ATA

[FlyBoeingJets]

Can anyone tell me what it's like to be a L-1011 newhire at ATA?

Days off per month, length of trip, type of reserve (I've heard 24 hr reserve is available). Everyone says the L-1011 is great to fly. I hope so cause here I come!!

I know they have crews in Shannon right now, or did 3 weeks ago. Any other "staging" of crews. How long is the staging. Is there a lot of positioning to and from flying??

Also, do you get seat locked for 1 or 2 years in the L-1011?

Thanks.

 

[T-Gates]

What ever the lifestyle is.....I want it!

L-1011 forever!

--03M

 

[TriStar_drvr]

Right now, it's pack a bag and plan on being on the road a lot. I just got back from five days in Atlanta for recurrent training (at Delta's facility), and am hopping on Continental tomorrow morning for Shannon. I'll be gone a week if I'm lucky, two weeks if I'm unlucky and they find something else for me to do while I'm out. Our contract allows military trips to be as long as 12 days scheduled, and two more days added unplanned. Anything over the twelve days is time and a half plus an extra 4:10 a day.

As you can tell, I wouldn't have minded having a more than a day at home after the sim, but I understand the situation and it beats not working. I love the airplane, the challenging flying that comes with it, and the crews I fly with. The downside is that you spend a lot of time on other airlines getting to where you need to be. Otherwise, I wouldn't trade my experiences for anything. Well, OK maybe I could stand a little job security, but so could just about everybody else in this business.

 

[FlyBoeingJets]

Thanks TriStar_Drvr. I thought the crews would be great since the folks I met at the interview were down to earth.

I know I'm going to have a blast.

 

[George Zip]

I am a recent new-hire into the L-1011 at ATA.... I can't imagine a cooler job or more fun you could have in aviation these days. It's not everyone's glass of beer, I'm sure, but I'm having a blast.

Some basics.....

The bid packets will have a few (April more than usual it looks) hard flying lines, but it's more reserve than anything. There's short call reserve (2-hour availability) and long call reserve (12 hour availability). If you are on long call, it's 24 hours a day. Short call lines get 14 days off, long call lines get 12 days off.

Right now there is more flying to do than there are bodies available. You can do very well with overtime and trip rigs when flying into days off......it greatly reduces the impact of that first year pay hit. The guys tell me that it's not always like this, that its boom and bust.

I haven't been on line long enough to give you a really good overall picture, but with a few minor exceptions the program works pretty well and I am extremely happy here.

When you leave on a trip, pack for at least 8 days.......

Good luck and have fun. The people here are fantastic - you'll love it.

Congratulations!

 

[atpcliff]

Hi!

FlyBoeingJets:

I can't believe it! A Boeing guy turning traitor and going over to the other side-Lockheed!

You'll have to change your username!!!

Have fun ;-)

CLiff
GRB

 

[servicemonkey]

I will tell you one thing. When you get to Larnaca, SOP is consuming mass quantities of adult beverages all night and then more at the breakfast buffet, greatly annoying the european tourists.Those ATA crews party like it's the 60's.Hope you're single-if you're not you will be soon.

 

[FlyBoeingJets]

I'm awestruck....Sounds like a pilot's dream.

Does the L-1011 have a "domicile" from which to sit the 2-hr reserve? If not, does the company pay for hotel?

I don't have any 121 time so it's all new to me.

 

[ByeUSAir]

Res A

If you are on a res A ( 2hr call out) and in base you have to pay for the first 5 nights at a hotel. After you pay for 5 nights the company will pick up the rest.

Good Luck

 

[atpcliff]

Hi!

LAX is a 1011 base. There may be more.

Cliff
GRB

 

[Pickle]

L-1011 lifestyle

I was on the L-10 my first year and a half at ATA, and I loved it. The plane is great, the people on it are great, and the trips are great.

The L-10 bases are LAX, IND, and JFK.

Reserve is either a 2 hour or a 12 hour call. There is also the provision in the contract for a 1 hour (gulp!!!!) call but it is really cost prohibitive. If assigned the 1 hour call the company MUST pay for your hotel and also pay you per diem, even though you are in your base. For the 2 hour call you are on your own until you have sat 5 nights of 2 hour reserve, then the company starts paying for your hotels. The way the L-10 is flying now, don't plan on having too many nights in your base!!

I never had to do much positioning, I was pretty lucky that way. Don't get me wrong, I sure did my fair share of it, but not the copious amounts you hear horror stories of.

No matter what anyone tells you, going down the lifts into the lower galley is not the wonderful romantic experience they make it out to be.

The seat lock is 18 months from completion of IOE.