Recalled USAir Recalls (99 hires): Questions To Help Make the Decision

[FurloughedAgain]

Good morning!

I am looking for recalled US Airways pilots (preferably early 99 hires) to answer a few questions regarding the lifestyle now that you are back on line.

I realize that the working conditions and benefits are significantly different than those we left just 6 short years ago. If you could help out and answer the following questions I would be appreciative.

1. How much time passed between indoc and aircraft systems?

2. How much time between systems and IOE?

3. What aircraft were you assigned?

4. Is the domicile the one you wanted? If not, how long do you believe it will be before you can hold the domicile of your choice? (east only)

5. Do you commute? How many legs?

6. Is there a commuter policy of any kind in the contract?

7. If you are a commuter, how much time are you routinely spending away from home? Are you commuting in to reserve the night before and home the day after a sequence of reserve days? What are you doing about crashpads/transportation in domicile?

8. What is reserve like now? I understand there is no passing, so pretty much they call, you haul?

9. How long do you project you will be on reserve?

10. Are you given any time to move to your domicile (if you choose) or are you expected to use vacation time?

11. What are currently the junior domiciles? (not counting the E190)

12. Duty rigs of any kind? Max duty day? Max scheduled flight time per day? Min overnight?

13. How many days off per month?

14. What have you been doing for the last 6 years?

15. What led you to the decision to return to US Airways?

Thanks in advance for taking the time to answer!

 

[JetMonkey]

I'm just a west guy looking in but look, it's obvious from reading your post lately that you're really loosing sleep over this decision. Just come back, it's plain as day you'll be more happy. I know it's a tough one to make but I believe your wife would rather have someone who's happy when they return home then someone who'll mope about flying some biz jet the next 25+ years wondering "what if?". You seem like a very intellegent guy and I'm sure you've been weighing out all pros and cons on this, but one's happiness goes a long way ya know? Into the home, the marriage, etc. Take the recall. Come back and join the circus we're having over here. :nuts:

 

[Lampshade]

You will be furloughed again because most of your East brothers are trying to scuttle the ship, out of spite. Word to the wise.

 

[Heavy Set]

You obviously want to come back. Pack up your family and find a house nearby a base and just do it. Your learjet job will be waiting if something bad happens again, but you will always wonder if you don't do it. CLT is a great town if you can get it, and there are some nice cities around Philly. Even DC has some nice areas--although you would have to live an hour or more from DCA. Just do it. If you want a family life, limit the commute.

 

[The Victors]

I would hold out as long as possible. That airline is a speeding train headed for a brickwall. I declined my recall. As a 99 doh, you are stapled to the bottom of the list and going to be on reserve, in phl, right seat, forever.

 

[Guppiedriver]

I declined my recall.

Finally some good news related to the merger.

 

[FurloughedAgain]

I appreciate all of the advice guys -- but really looking for some hard info (like the answers to the questions above) to help my wife and I make an educated decision. I know which way i'm leaning, but this decision deserves the time and research necessary to make the best decision for me.

 

[xanderman]

I appreciate all of the advice guys -- but really looking for some hard info (like the answers to the questions above) to help my wife and I make an educated decision. I know which way i'm leaning, but this decision deserves the time and research necessary to make the best decision for me.

Look man, if you are truely serious then you need to find some phone #'s and actually speak to some of the guys. This "what if I make the wrong decision" crap on this board only invites insincere and usually dishonest BS from the Flightinfo crowd...

 

[KFpilot]

I know a few people that have been recalled. The one person left frontier to return. Commutes out of DFW and got the 73 based in PHL. He has had no real problems commuting and hasn't had to have a crash pad as they are flying between 85-99 hours. He says he is very happy. 10 -12 from holding a line in PHL and could hold a line in DCA. Some recalls are holding lines out of LGA. Also as a June 99 hire, is about 1000 from Capt on the 190. He has 800 between him and the last active pilot. Figure out of 800 maybe 200 return..soo 300 from Capt. on 190. The others I know are finishing up training. One started June 11. Got 76 I. He had a few days off before systems and the days off in between systems and sim. A week off before international training and then almost 2 weeks to IOE. He left Gemini. Says he is happy to be back also.
Rumors they heard are: Possible 100 newhires this year and maybe 300 -400 next year. The class that just started..some will have a week off before sytems..some a month. You have to look at class dates and equipment. If anything..accept recall, go to day 1 and see what you get and where..then deceide if you want to go to day 2 or not.

 

[ratherfish]

Furloughed,

This isn't going to help but I have to say thanks for your recent posts. You've put into text on this msg board what has gone through many guys heads to varying degrees.

Be sure to post which way you go. The suspense is killing me. It's a tough decision. Your diligence is admirable.

Not that it matters to your situation but I resigned due to my perception of having a better gig. Stability, salary, time off, benefits, etc. all look better on my side of the fence. That's what I see today. I'm fortunate/lucky this time I guess. Tomorrow it may shift the other way, but I'm going with what I can see on paper, for sure, right now. Short sighted? Probably, but I'm sleeping well at night with my choice. The big plane/big pay dream is over for me for now. I'm now concentrating on QOL. No more commute stress. Minimal Philly action.

Best of luck.