View from behind the curtain ...

[JustAPax]

I just want to say that I've been hanging out on this board for a few months and I've learned quite a bit; I'm not a pilot, but I fly quite a bit, probably with some of you! I'm very interested in the schedules you pilots do have: it seems quite a bit of the threads here ultimately talk about QOL issues and many of the questions surround things like scheduling. I'd really be interested in a much more detailed look at a tour; I know it's asking a lot, but would any of you care to give an overview of a full tour you've taken recently? I think it would give all of us non-pilots a much better sense of the job you have: and believe me, I'm grateful for each and every one of you. I read things about 3-leg days, 4 and 5 even, long days, short days ... I think it would be great to get a full look at a 7-8 day stretch, including everything from leaving the house to getting back home: airlines, hotels, good pax, bad pax (no names, thanks! ... FBOs, meals, squeezing in a smoke or a snack between legs, catching up with a friend in the city you're overnighting in or a particularly good/bad place to stay, late caterers, good/bad dispatchers, bonus hotel suite upgrades ... the works.

Ah, maybe that's asking too much. You guys/gals are great. I'll fly with you any day.

JustAPax

 

[infoman]

Watch out,

Too much detail may aid company in someones personal ID. Company big bro is always watching. General info should fit the bill. Not saying JustAPax is the man, but keep it general. The same flavor will come through.

Have a Happy.

 

[JustAPax]

Good point! I'm not The Man, but I Could Be

Ok, lemme think about the question for a bit.

 

[bafanguy]

Your management spies on you via an internet forum ???? Yikes !!!!

 

[Gulfstream 200]

no kidding...that really tells you its time to think about where you work.

If manangement has time to browse message boards and try and figure out who is who they need to get a life and concentrate on running the company.

 

[AA717driver]

G200--You ought to work for AA! Talk about having to watch your back AND your e-mail. Nazi bastards... Oops! I think they just fired me for saying that... Or maybe one of the management wannabes just called the company line--1-800-RAT-OUTT and turned me in.TC

 

[viking737]

AA717Driver

Are you planning on staying in your corporate job when you
get recalled to AA, or will you accept the recall?
Just curious.

 

[hopeIcan]

A Day in the Frac's Life

the following is a quote from way back when.

A week in my life...

Just came home from a 7 day tour.... while I'm officially NOT a fractional pilot I work for a certain Fractional company's subsidiary and get dispatched by, and fly tail #s of, that particular company. Anyway, after airlining in late on day 1, we spent the first three days at northern Ohio service facility enjoying the Marriot Courtyard's luxaries including a fairly nice hot tub.

On day 4, finally fixed, we showed fairly early 6:30 E for a non-stop flight to Ohio's capital city with 1 kindly gentleman. We then sat on hot reserve for the next couple of hours eating our breakfast carried along from our departure city before dispatch gave us an ASAP to Chicago with the passengers from a broken aircraft. Those folks weren't so happy, but we did our best. We hung out at the FBO for a couple more hours before being dispatched empty to a french speaking canadian province. It took an hour or so though to convince dispatch of the need for a outbound "dec". We arrived a couple hours later and enjoyed the hospitality of our friend from the north (they really seem to understand good service there). Nice Hilton.

Day 5 started with a 5:30 am show and an on time departure put us in the twin cities. A minor glitch with customs left us sitting for an hour while one of our passengers was removed, and probably beaten, though she denied it. We then got to hang out at another wonderful FBO; cute girls, strange accents. Later, we were sent to a very nice Holiday Inn, no seriously, it was pretty nice. Later, we were paged with our trip for day 6.
A 3:00 am Central show never starts your day off right, though we hadn't had a hard week. Our trip went back to Ohio (at our competitor's home field) and took 2 down to Florida. Inbound we had so minor mechanical difficuty and put the a/c into maintenance. The hotel, in th is spring break Mecca, was on the beach. We were there by 2:00 pm. Spent the afternoon enjoying fresh seafood and swimming in the warm ocean.

This morning, we boarded the airline and came home. My ff status put in 1st class on the 767 on a direct flight home (the benefit of living in a hub city). Twelve hours flying over 3 days. A little slower than the normal.

This wasn't an atypical week. Sometimes it will be 4 am shows 5 days in a row, with 14 hour duty days, 6 legs a day and you'll never see the sun, but you'll see TEB, PHL, BOS, etc mor than you'll ever care to. Others tours, you'll sit in PBI or LAS for 4 days with a broken a/c. The point is I guess; nothing is typical, the food and hotels ARE generally good, the destinations can be great or just a place where you buy gas and empty the trash. Don't try to hard to figure out what dispatch is thinking, it'll give you a headache.

Hope this helps!!!