LAX Base Living in PHX - NetJets

[NCherches]

I live in PHX and will most likely get a LAX base. Anyone doing this commute? Can i usually be safe flying in on Southwest on the first flight on day 1. This gets me into LAX around 6-7am or would I need to commute the day before.

Would I need to be on the 7/7 schedule to make this work?

I know they will fly me back to PHX on the last day, etc.

Anyone have a real idea of upgrade times if hired in the next month? I hear 3 years if I get on soon, but some swear more like 5-6.

 

[CA1900]

I live in PHX and will most likely get a LAX base. Anyone doing this commute? Can i usually be safe flying in on Southwest on the first flight on day 1. This gets me into LAX around 6-7am or would I need to commute the day before.

That would be really risky. I've had 5:30 AM FBO reports on several occasions, which would be impossible if you're on a morning airline flight, obviously. (The earliest SWA flight gets into LAX at 7:20am.) You won't know your actual show time until the evening prior, and by then it's possible the flights will all be booked.

On the positive side, last-minute one-way flights from PHX to LAX are only $120 on Southwest, but if you're going to be going by air, I'd still recommend you come out the night before. You're really not going to want to find out you have a 5am show, and end up driving all night to make it.

Would I need to be on the 7/7 schedule to make this work?

Unless you're willing to risk last-minute one-way tickets, it'd probably be best to get on the 7/7, yes.

I know they will fly me back to PHX on the last day, etc.

Yes, they will, if they were going to airline you back to LAX, and up to the value of that original ticket. Every once in a while you'll end up flying a plane back to your domicile, and in that case, you'll have to get yourself a ticket home. But that's happened only once or twice to me in the past 6 months.

Anyone have a real idea of upgrade times if hired in the next month? I hear 3 years if I get on soon, but some swear more like 5-6.

My wild-ass guess would be 4-5 years.

 

[NCherches]

How often would you say you have flights before 8am on day 1?

 

[NCherches]

...Also what time at night do you know your next days flight info?

 

[Wiggums]

On the positive side, last-minute one-way flights from PHX to LAX are only $120 on Southwest, but if you're going to be going by air, I'd still recommend you come out the night before. You're really not going to want to find out you have a 5am show, and end up driving all night to make it.

The advance purchase fare from PHX-LAX is $49 on SWA. What you do is buy your tickets ahead of time, and if you don't need them cancel. You can't get your money back on that fare, but you can put it towards another $49 ticket with no penalty. I used to stay about a month ahead and used or canceled the tickets as needed. You could even have two tickets, one for the evening before, and one for the morning, just use the one you need and cancel the other.

 

[NCherches]

Those cheap FUN FARE tickets can be cancelled and redeemed at a later date? Sounds like just buying two early, then canceling the one I don't use and redeem it on the next tour's tickets seems like a good plan...

 

[Ultra Grump]

How often would you say you have flights before 8am on day 1?

Rarely, because then they'd have to pay you OT for the time prior to 8am, and for all time over 9 hrs for the day. Scheduling drones do whatever they can to avoid paying the pilots OT.

 

[Buckeye]

I like your website, but noticed you took yourself off? Did you sell or just decided not too?

 

[NCherches]

Trying to get on with Phoenix PD as a reserve officer and I figured it would be bes not to have my name affiliated with the site, at least for now, even though they do know about me owning it...

 

[honeycomb]

NCherches...

I have a buddy that makes this very commute. If you'd like I can ask him the details if you like.

He is a G200 FO domiciled in LAX.

(He typically travels in day before late. Spends the night in a hotel. Starts early a lot. Ends with enough time to catch a flight back or Dummy ticket from other places in the US of A to PHX. He then drives a little bit to get home.)

PM me if you'd like me to pass your info along to him. He is working his 7 on right now though.

 

[CRJFlyer]

Hey Nick just got the good news too. Guess our sim went pretty well! What plane r u thinking about tryin to get?

Steve


I'm planning on doing the 4-5 our drive to TEB or using my fiancee's Delta bennies once we get married. The only thing bad about that is Kennedy delays, and a 2 hour train ride from there to TEB.

 

[On Your Six]

What types are being offered to newhires lately? I've heard offers for the X and 800XPC are popular.

 

[CRJFlyer]

TEB had an Aug Ultra class and a Oct X class. I took the X because I like the X better and it gives me a chance to enjoy the rest of the summer. I've had initial training at other places in the summer and it sux. By around your third airline it's more about being able to enjoy yourself sometimes.

I'll lose some seniority, but if NJ will allow it I'm not going anywhere else so if upgrade takes a few extra months thats ok with me.

 

[On Your Six]

TEB had an Aug Ultra class and a Oct X class. I took the X because I like the X better and it gives me a chance to enjoy the rest of the summer. I've had initial training at other places in the summer and it sux. By around your third airline it's more about being able to enjoy yourself sometimes.

I'll lose some seniority, but if NJ will allow it I'm not going anywhere else so if upgrade takes a few extra months thats ok with me.

Good choice. After flying the Beechjunk, you'll appreciate the speed of the X. Although, as it has been stated here on this forum many times, the X and XL are the busiest fleets due to their popularity among owners and their large fleet sizes. On the plus side, you'll get to see a lot of the country - on every tour...

You could do a lot worse. It certainly has a great "ramp presence":

http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=6006669&nseq=17

 

[CRJFlyer]

Yeah, I'll be on my rear for long periods of time.. But for the first few years I'd rather have the APU and all the amenities that the X offers versus the Ultra. I know full well that if/when upgrade does come I'll be back in a 400/Ultra. But at those 5th year payrates it'll be more tolerable than it is at my current company.

Plus I'm really tired of all the east coast flying I've been doing the past 7 years. It would be nice to get to the west coast, carribean etc. I've only made it as far as Salt Lake.

And your right, it's a sweet looking plane on the ramp

 

[172driver]

...Also what time at night do you know your next days flight info

Six pm domicile time.

 

[Guitar Guy]

I have a friend who's an Encore FO who's making the PHX-to-LAX commute. He usually drives over so in case he gets stuck in hotel there, he has some transportation. While it's a fairly long drive, he says he just turns on some music and lets the miles go by.

 

[Beechjet]

To the dude thinking about commuting from PHX to LAX for Netjets. I have been commuting from OAK to LAX for nine months and crashing on the FBO's coach. Day one is long, but it is do-able. I have just started trying to go down the morning of, on the 6am flight, but the first time I tried it, I had a 530 am show time. But I was able to sweet talk the gate agent at SW to let me on with out bumping up my $29 fare to $124. My cut off time is 9am, if my show time is before 9am, I go down the night before. That gives me 4 flight to get down before 10 am. Out of OAK there is a flight every half hour on SW. If you are trying to commute for the first six months or so, go down the night before until you figure everything out. Also, don't take the X or the Excel, they are the slave ships and they always show 8am or earlier. I'm in the Beechjet/400xp and it was a freak event to have a show at 530 am, my show times are for the most part after 10am (I just jinked myself). Also, everything be equal, who wants to get worked that hard, stay out of the X. The down side is when you end your rotation in LAX or is SoCal, your screwed, its on your dime to get home. So call your buddies at the airlines and line up some buddy passes and open rapid rewards account. I'm getting a free round trip every 2 months. Good luck.

PS, Don't take my coach!

 

[HotelMonkey]

LOL, funny!

 

[On Your Six]

To the dude thinking about commuting from PHX to LAX for Netjets. I have been commuting from OAK to LAX for nine months and crashing on the FBO's coach. Day one is long, but it is do-able. I have just started trying to go down the morning of, on the 6am flight, but the first time I tried it, I had a 530 am show time. But I was able to sweet talk the gate agent at SW to let me on with out bumping up my $29 fare to $124. My cut off time is 9am, if my show time is before 9am, I go down the night before. That gives me 4 flight to get down before 10 am. Out of OAK there is a flight every half hour on SW. If you are trying to commute for the first six months or so, go down the night before until you figure everything out. Also, don't take the X or the Excel, they are the slave ships and they always show 8am or earlier. I'm in the Beechjet/400xp and it was a freak event to have a show at 530 am, my show times are for the most part after 10am (I just jinked myself). Also, everything be equal, who wants to get worked that hard, stay out of the X. The down side is when you end your rotation in LAX or is SoCal, your screwed, its on your dime to get home. So call your buddies at the airlines and line up some buddy passes and open rapid rewards account. I'm getting a free round trip every 2 months. Good luck.

PS, Don't take my coach![/quote]


Coach or couch?