What do you like about your job?

[woutlaw]

... Crappy lines with four on/two off

Shoot, that'd be like a vacation right now. My typical week is 6 or 7 on / 1 or 0 off. I'm one whipped puppy after a couple straight weeks of zero days off.

Seriously though, thanks for the all the replies.

I knew there had to be some upsides to the job and sounds like the pros were more or less what I thought they were.

Out of curiosity, I assume the CA/FO alternating flying legs is standard. Riding along and yanking the gear for a few years wouldn't be a whole lot of fun.

 

[FlySacto]

Shoot, that'd be like a vacation right now. My typical week is 6 or 7 on / 1 or 0 off. I'm one whipped puppy after a couple straight weeks of zero days off.

Seriously though, thanks for the all the replies.

I knew there had to be some upsides to the job and sounds like the pros were more or less what I thought they were.

Out of curiosity, I assume the CA/FO alternating flying legs is standard. Riding along and yanking the gear for a few years wouldn't be a whole lot of fun.

I'd guess that you're sleeping in your own bed each night though! I fly a four day then have to make time available for my clients on my "days off". I usually have each of us fly two legs then act as NFP for two legs unless special circumstances crop up. Our legs are short as 12 minutes and usually don't exceed two hours.

 

[~~~^~~~]

Not many have mentioned the flying, but RJ flying is fun. They are modern, well equipped, easy, nice flying airplanes with excellent control response and coordination. Much like the flying qualities of the Bonanza you flew.

The systems are well organized and some thought went in to the ergonomics of the jets.

The CRJ seats are better than anything with more than 150 passengers and crew, the flight attendants are younger and usually the crew stays together.

As your flight career progresses you will learn to really appreciate the value of a comfortable seat, friendly crews, systems that work the way they taught you they would, airplanes that are easy to fly through the boxes on your checkrides and airplanes that are easy to handle in adverse conditions.

 

[~~~^~~~]

I assume the CA/FO alternating flying legs is standard. Riding along and yanking the gear for a few years wouldn't be a whole lot of fun.

Usually the Capt. takes the first leg, then you get two legs, Capt. gets two.

Since most flying is to / from a hub, switching every leg would result in one pilot always getting the hub landing.

This routine can obviously be altered by the Captain if they percieve a threat, or good reason not to have the new pilot on the controls. For example, the Captain usually takes the last leg home (or to the overnight if everyone is tired), or contaminated runways, etc... Some of my FO's used to ask for the hub legs because the 10,000 ft runways made them more comfortable while they were still making friends with the jet.

 

[Noise]

the flight attendants are younger and usually the crew stays together.

Well, I don't know that I would go that far...

 

[mcjohn]

Contrary to what people tell ya, it is working for a living. The, " Wow I'm flying a jet", part of the job gets old fast. And it does get boring just like flight instructing after awhile, like doing 3+hour flights from EWR to OMA or MCI. And once again, while it is not pysical labor it is still "work". Just my 2 cents.

You know why it gets boring? Because it's flying. Even crop dusters get bored with the flying.

Flying for the airlines tends to be a little less dull then folks say. At least here on the east coast. Each season offers it's own unique challenges and you experience plenty of hard IMC.

But yes, it gets boring. If that's a problem then you chose the wrong career.

 

[Flyer1015]

Technically you're not allowed to flight instruct and make money from it, while you're employed at a regional airline.

But the overwhelming attitude is "Don't tell, don't ask, and if no one knows about it, it can't hurt!"

So do whatever you want.

 

[FlySacto]

Technically you're not allowed to flight instruct and make money from it, while you're employed at a regional airline.

But the overwhelming attitude is "Don't tell, don't ask, and if no one knows about it, it can't hurt!"

So do whatever you want.

Huh? Please give us the FAR on that one

 

[Flyer1015]

Don't know about FARs, but for sure in your FOM.

Once you start flying for a regional, they "own" all your commercial flying.

In most cases, you have to get an approval from a CP to take any "outside" flying.

Being a paid flight instructor in light general aviation aircraft certainly qualifies as 'outside commercial flying.'

Then you run into issues regarding whether or not the flight time limitations count towards your regional airline flight time limits.

 

[FlySacto]

Don't know about FARs, but for sure in your FOM.

Once you start flying for a regional, they "own" all your commercial flying.

In most cases, you have to get an approval from a CP to take any "outside" flying.

Being a paid flight instructor in light general aviation aircraft certainly qualifies as 'outside commercial flying.'

Then you run into issues regarding whether or not the flight time limitations count towards your regional airline flight time limits.

Sorry, I'm not trying to bust your chops. My point is you can flight instruct, fly on the side, etc depending on who you work for. Your airline is going to demand your hours first and you're responsible for making sure that you can make your committment to them. It's not hard to block low in a month at the airline and go make some real money at home to feed your kids.

 

[The_Russian]

Don't know about FARs, but for sure in your FOM.

Once you start flying for a regional, they "own" all your commercial flying.

In most cases, you have to get an approval from a CP to take any "outside" flying.

Being a paid flight instructor in light general aviation aircraft certainly qualifies as 'outside commercial flying.'

Then you run into issues regarding whether or not the flight time limitations count towards your regional airline flight time limits.

Flight instruction is absolutely not commercial flying. Flight instruction is considered to be "instruction only" by the FAA and does not have any influence on your time limitations for 121. Flight instructors are only required to hold a Third Class medical certificate to give instruction at all levels. To be "compensated" for flying, you must hold a Second Class medical.

Linky to a good thread on the subject:

http://forums.flightinfo.com/showthread.php?t=101952

Read post #4

 

[Flyer1015]

Flight instruction is absolutely not commercial flying. Flight instruction is considered to be "instruction only" by the FAA and does not have any influence on your time limitations for 121. Flight instructors are only required to hold a Third Class medical certificate to give instruction at all levels. To be "compensated" for flying, you must hold a Second Class medical.

Linky to a good thread on the subject:

http://forums.flightinfo.com/showthread.php?t=101952

Read post #4

I'm gonna have to disagree with you here, and even that link's post #4 mentions the grey areas:

1. You do not need a second class to flight instruct. Only a third class is required for primary instruction. So since you need a second class for a commercial operation....the last I checked, a third class in not a commercial area.

Do you need a Commercial pilot license in order to flight instruct and make money? Answer: Yes.

Per most FOMs, this is strictly prohibited.

And even the author of that post admits:

Lastly, if you do instruct, do it low key. You will have Flt Ops Schoolhouse Lawyers make their own interpretation....so you're guilty until innocent.

and

Where you get into trouble is in the grey areas, like duty time. Instruct this morning. Jumpseat in the afternoon. Fly tonight. Have an incident. Explain yourself. It could be an issue.

and

Do what you feel is right for you----and keep it to yourself.

There's a reason for all that secrecy! It's technically not allowed when you're employed at an airline, as per your FOM. Hence all the "keep it low key" advice, and all the "well, this is a grey area..." comments. And this seals the deal: "Instruct this morning. Jumpseat in the afternoon. Fly tonight. Have an incident. Explain yourself. It could be an issue."


So technically, you must get your CP's approval to be a paid general aviation flight instructor while employed at your regional. And I bet most CPs would deny it... simply for all the reasons listed above.

 

[The_Russian]

Compensation for flight instruction is not required, whatsoever. Also, just because a Commercial ticket is required, it does not make it a commercial operation. You are only required to hold the ticket so you may teach commercial principles and maneuvers to primary students. You are not required to even hold a medical if you are not acting as PIC of the flight.

If the FAA pushed flight instruction as commercial flying, we would lose half of our flight instructors to that alone. And, if what you are saying is true, then all of the flight instructors that are actively teaching while under 121 are doing so illegally. That being said, I know plenty of guys who instruct on their days off who do not have "permission" while working alongside the FAA regularly.

My synopsis of your post? It is how you feel about the subject, and not how the flying is actually regulated. The gray areas in the other post are just the man thinking out loud, while the meat of his post is correct. The FAA changed all this to allow their most experienced pilots to give back to aviation. It was quite well thought out.

 

[flyboyike]

That's your choice to make. I hand fly at least one leg per day. Tuesday I flew an ILS to mins, went missed, held, another ILS and went missed due to the LOC signal going out and getting computer flags, and then diverted through WX to my alternate while leaving "George" fast asleep. You can still go act like a pilot if you dare

That's because your airplane has a "for looks only" autopilot.

 

[mcjohn]

Freakin George likes to take an unexpected 15 degree nose down pitch from time to time. George misbehaves often and we cut him off but he never seems to learn.