Starting with JB...looking for JFK apt. or house

[GuppyPuppy]

Hello all-

I'll be starting at JB soon and was trying to get some ideas on living in New York. I know it is expensive, but I do not want to commute to reserve. So I figure that I should be living in the JFK area for about 6 months or so.

I've noticed that it is cheaper the further you get away from JFK. With a two hour callout I'd like to live within about an hour of the airport.

What towns on Long Island could I live in that are within about an hour drive of JFK?

What about White Plains? I've noticed that it is about 30-40 miles from JFK, but how long of a drive is that?

Looking to spend less than $1500/mo for a 1 bedroom. Not interested in the crashpad thing as I just got married. Please post any ideas that any of you familiar with New York have.

Thanks for your help!

Cheers!

GP

 

[V-STALL]

Hello all-

I'll be starting at JB soon and was trying to get some ideas on living in New York. I know it is expensive, but I do not want to commute to reserve. So I figure that I should be living in the JFK area for about 6 months or so.

I've noticed that it is cheaper the further you get away from JFK. With a two hour callout I'd like to live within about an hour of the airport.

What towns on Long Island could I live in that are within about an hour drive of JFK?

What about White Plains? I've noticed that it is about 30-40 miles from JFK, but how long of a drive is that?

Looking to spend less than $1500/mo for a 1 bedroom. Not interested in the crashpad thing as I just got married. Please post any ideas that any of you familiar with New York have.

Thanks for your help!

Cheers!

GP

Congrats! I grew up in Long Beach. About 30 min to 45 min depending on traffic. There are many ways to drive to JFK from Long Beach if the traffic is bad. Lots of stuff to do, especially in the summer. Good luck.

 

[Noam]

Hello,


First, let me congratulate you on your position with JetBlue.

Anyway, I lived/worked in the NYC area for a while. Westchester County/White Plains is nice, but if you want an hour drive I wouldn't recommend it. Without traffic the drive is fine, but unfortunately there is usually a quite a bit of traffic (even on weekends) on the Whitestone or Throgs Beck Bridge and the Van Wyck Expressway. Some days you may make it in 45 minutes, other days in 2 hours.

Really, your only other choice are parts of Queens, Brooklyn and Nassau County. New York and Long Island are so diverse you may have to search and find a neighborhood you are most comfortable in. Westbury and Huntington Station, NY (Nassau) are nice. If you want to live in Queens, College Point (just east of LGA) has some nice areas, so does Jamaica Estates (wealthy).

If you are just looking for something simple, the south shore of Long Island is relatively inexpensive (Valley Stream, Nassau), but you may want something a bit nicer.

Anyway, good luck to you.

Noam

 

[Capn Mike]

According to General Lee, the Yonkers area is really nice with attractive landlords.


Just kidding.

 

[dlredline]

Conrats on the new job, and welcome aboard.

Gotta ask a question though. You said you'll be on reserve for 6 months and want to live in NY (JFK area) for that time so as not to commute on reserve. While I commend your QOL decision, my question is: Do you want to live in the NY area permanently, even after your reserve stint? Reserve should be 6 months at the longest (based upon current growth), and believe me (after 4 airlines and over 12 years on reserve), the reserve system at JetBlue is very livable, even if commuting. Crashpads are numerous and affordable, so you could spend those few months commuting first, then decide if you want to make the big move, particularly if you're uprooting a family. We have pilots that live in just about every state out there.

I mean, if you really want to pack up and move, by all means go for it. Just don't get scared off by the fact that you'll sit reserve for a few months (at most). It goes by quickly, and the JB commute policy gives you a "mulligan" in case things go south.

Best of luck with your decision, and enjoy training in South Florida!

Red

 

[jaxgus]

6 Months ?????

The longest new hires spend on reserve is about 3-4 months for the folks starting training in late Sep / early Oct. I would plan being on reserve for 3 months at the max unless you plan to bid the E190 as a Captain. Currently, new FO's are on reserve for six weeks, but this will increase over the holidays so senior FO's can bid for the Holiday's off.

If you plan to bid the E190, then moving to JFK might be a good idea since you'll probably be on reserve again. I can't comment on the pairing constructions because they haven't been announced yet. Regardless, initial E190 operations is said to flown out of New York.

I personally would not recommend starting a new marriage, moving to a new city and starting a new job, not to mention completing initial training. Training is very busy and once IOE is complete, your time to move into a new home will be limited until reserve is complete (I think you said you wanted to live in NYC while on reserve which this defeats the purpose). If you live in a place easy to commute from, I personally would leave my beautiful wife in familiar surroundings so she isn't spending a lot of time in a new place alone while you're on the road, just my opinion (perhaps made this mistake several times).

 

[General Lee]

Capn Mike,


Yeah, Yonkers is great---if you like J LO wanna-bees with gold capped teeth and are also a little bit corpulent (Fat).

I think Port Jefferson (on Long Island) is within 1 hour to JFK and is really nice. We used to stay there on Islip overnights on Delta Express. Just don't live in Ronkonkama (near the Islip airport)---that is a hole.



A continuation of my "Yonkers---a love story" by General Lee


So there you were, looking at the J Lo landlord---her gold teeth shimmering in the flickering light from your only light in your single room. She is eating that cookie she just found in one of her belly folds. She says, "eye Poppie" (it means something is Spanish--I see it in all of the MTV Rap videos) and approaches you. Your damp Jetblue shirt reeks from 18 legs in the last 4 days on that EMB---mostly to Upstate NY, and a few Greensboros. You step back--wondering what this thing wants with you. She then asks, "where you fly to flyboy? Got any free tickets or blue potato chips I can eat?" You tell her that you are tired and need sleep--your commuter flight home to Boise is early tommorow. She doesn't care--she waddles over to you, looking at you up and down. You tell her that you are a part time priest, hoping that will disway her--but to no avail. Then you tell her that you gave up relationships for lent, but she continues. You can't believe it---you ask yourself why you HAD to move to Yonkers--why didn't you go to beautiful Queens, or maybe lovey Bronx or Staten Island? She backs you up into that same corner that you recently killed a rat larger than your old dog that just died three weeks ago. She opens up her large mouth, leaning towards you. You can smell that stale cookie, and part of a pastrami sandwich---along with awful halitosis. Just then, her new boyfriend Dino runs into the room, with his glock and his new tattoo freshly inked. You zoomed in on the tattoo---and it stated "I love Dave Neeleman"...... Gotta love Yonkers.... All for now.

Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[blahshmah]

Congrats!

Reserve won't last 4 months. Just get yourselves a sublet in the city for the reserve period and just enjoy NY and take your new bride on any good trips you get. By the time your reserve period is up you will be ready to move in to your new home in Orlando and you won't have a lease to break.

Check it out: http://www.sublet.com/

Good luck!

 

[blahshmah]

That is some funny shat General! Although there are certainly many places worse than Yonkers... ok, just a few.

 

[GuppyPuppy]

Thanks for all your advice!

We are now considering just moving to BTV (Burlington) and commuting. Right now we live in a non-JB city that neither of us want to be in, so a move is the right thing to do.

Do any of you JB folks know what the loads are like into and out of BTV? Would commuting be much of a problem? How many days off are reserves guaranteed? What about line holders?

Thanks for all your help. And thanks for not turning this thread into another JB vs. XYZ, or PFT debate!

Cheers!

GP

 

[dlredline]

Thanks for all your advice!

We are now considering just moving to BTV (Burlington) and commuting. Right now we live in a non-JB city that neither of us want to be in, so a move is the right thing to do.

Do any of you JB folks know what the loads are like into and out of BTV? Would commuting be much of a problem? How many days off are reserves guaranteed? What about line holders?

Thanks for all your help. And thanks for not turning this thread into another JB vs. XYZ, or PFT debate!

Cheers!

GP

Not sure about the historic loads out of BTV, but the few times I flew it, there was room. Also remember you have 2 cockpit jumpseats, and a possibility of 1-2 in the back, so I would think this would be a relatively painless commute. Reserves are guaranteed 12 days off each month. Just about all reserves are getting their time in each month due to current staffing shortages. That may change this Fall. Also, there is a "release" policy for reserves depending upon available reserves the following day. Lineholders average 14-16 days off each month, senior lines can get 19 days off, junior maybe a little less than the average. The "preferential" bidding system here is the cat's meow IMHO. As you gain just a little seniority, you can easily tailor your schedule each month to your individual needs.

Hope this helps.

Red

 

[n757st]

Thanks for all your advice!

We are now considering just moving to BTV (Burlington) and commuting. Right now we live in a non-JB city that neither of us want to be in, so a move is the right thing to do.

Do any of you JB folks know what the loads are like into and out of BTV? Would commuting be much of a problem? How many days off are reserves guaranteed? What about line holders?

Thanks for all your help. And thanks for not turning this thread into another JB vs. XYZ, or PFT debate!

Cheers!

GP

I also must say great choice! Burlington is an awesome town, lots to do and skiing is close. Besides that, Vermont in general is pretty cheap compared to the rest of New England.

 

[8vATE]

I too considered moving to Burlington when I got the job...

Got the trusty old Rand/McNally out and realized I would be like an inch from OH! Canada....

It is beautiful up there in the summer..... (2-3 mos???)
But make sure you get your long johns and your engine block heater for the 4WD.....




Or come down to to sunny Florida...!! No state taxes...
FLL is expanding in Aug/Sept by approximately 16 hard lines of flying... from the 31 or so we have now... New hires do get this base ..

Just practice your spanish.... your aggressive driving course for I-95 and duck when the hurricanes approach!

 

[jetblue320]

Thanks for all your advice!

We are now considering just moving to BTV (Burlington) and commuting. Right now we live in a non-JB city that neither of us want to be in, so a move is the right thing to do.
Do any of you JB folks know what the loads are like into and out of BTV? Would commuting be much of a problem? How many days off are reserves guaranteed? What about line holders?

Thanks for all your help. And thanks for not turning this thread into another JB vs. XYZ, or PFT debate!

Cheers!

GP

GP,

I don't live in BTV but if I had to pick a BlueCity in the NE, it would be BTV. I have done quite a few layovers there and it is awesome. I think we currently fly 3 trips a day there and I know there is about 6-8 pilots that live there and commute to JFK. Like DLRed said, there is usually a few seats available but there is always the 2 cockpit seats if needed. At first, just give yourself an extra flight until you gain seniority. In other words, don't wait till the last JB flight and cut it close if you have to report to work that day early. Other airlines fly to LGA and maybe JFK for backup. Yes, the winters are harsh but pretty and some folks like that. I know I do, but then, I live in Florida full time and Utah part time.

Good luck and let us know what you decide.

C yaaaa