What's your work schedule like?

[JediNein]

Howdy!

Day starts with first phone call. . . might be at 9 AM, might be at 4 AM.

Day ends with last phone call. . . might be at 6 PM, might be at 2 AM.

In between I go to the office, the flight line, the outlying field with an AOG, run parts, run deposits, run food, instruct, cover for others, make schedules, do callbacks, keep the instructors instructing, yadda yadda.

Average pay for hours worked? Umm. . .

BTW, any CFIIs in BFL looking for some independent contractor work?

Fly SAFE!

Jedi Nein

 

[Ravengirl]

I like my schedule

Monday: School from 11-3. Then, bum around at coffee shop or similar, reading or writing.
Tuesday: No school, day off. Coffee shop.
Wed: See Monday.
Thursday: See Tuesday. Add band practice. Add performance at coffee shop Open Mic Night.
Friday-Sunday: See Tuesday.

The joys of part-time school and no job!

Stephanie

 

[DC10]

I live in MIA, and usually bid lines to fly out of MIA to maximize time at home.

Approx 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off every month. During the 2 weeks on, I fly about 7 one day trips to various cities in South America (usually in Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil) and am home after a 10-16 hour duty day. I occasionally, but very rarely spend a night away from home, and with rest days at home after each flight, I usually get 20+ days off every month.

......Not too bad for a "long haul" DC10 F.O (and a VERY junior one at that).

I can also bid to fly elsewhere (Europe, Asia, etc..), but then I'm guaranteed to be away from home for 14-16 days in a row. I do that every few months for a change of scenery.

 

[snoopy]

I say who, I say when, I say how much ...... aw the life of a flight instructor

 

[be36driver]

mr. jedi,
Where do you instruct? I know a few instructors in BFL at my old employer that may be looking for some opportunities.

 

[Freight Dog]

4 days on, 3 days off, 4 days on, 3 days off, 4 days on, 2 days off, 2 days on, 8 days off.

Don't work on weekends unless it's open.

 

[Freight Dog]

Oh yeah... and home every night

 

[AWACoff]

I imagine if you are flying Hawai'ian islands and you aren't home every night, you're sea urchin and sea cucumber food.

PS. contrary to mainlander belief (ie mine), sea cucumbers can NOT be used on salads. Apparently they are an animal...not a cucumber.

 

[JediNein]

Opportunities at BFL

Howdy Be36driver!

I run Gene Hudson Flight Training; main base at Van Nuys, CA.

Our website is at http://www.myfbo.com/ghft (just updated it today).

Have the instructors send a resume and cover letter, attention Gene Hudson Flight Training. All of our contact info is at http://www.myfbo.com/ghft/contact.html

Or they could drop them off at the front counter of Mercury. I'll let the gals know they're coming.

Fly SAFE!
Jedi Nein

 

[SSDD]

Usually 4 three day trips with 17 or 18 days off and about 85 hrs. pay.

 

[dash8driver]

hmmmm

workin between 16 and 19 days a month. dont set the alarm clock.. just wake up whenever. roll into work between 11 and 1p, depending on the schedule. no overnites... get off work between 6-830p.... just in time for the parties.

 

[ifly4food]

In contrast to Regional Hell...
In May I have 15 days off doing 4 on 3 off. All my trips end by noon. I am blocked to 65 hrs or so and about 200 TAFB.

 

[TurboS7]

I am in large aircraft charter which is a little diffrent. Basically the key is flexibility and the charters represent big bucks so the company is very willing to pay to cover the trips.Our trips go all over the world but we have a lot of domestic and island stuff too.At the beginning of the month we get a bid sheet and we can bid for our trips by senority and days off. The only thing that really sticks are the days off as they change the trip to suit the aircraft more that the crew. On some lines 50% of what you do is commercialing out to meet the airplane, prior to 911 it was a pleasure not it is a real pain. We get 10 days off a month, usually you work 10 to 15 days and the rest of the days are standby days at home.(great time to cut the lawn and catch up on honeydo's) We also can volunteer to fly on our days off which give us an extra 250.00 per day, you can also volunteer for overtime if it is avialiable. Our garentee is 70 hours per month no matter what you fly. Sometimes the hours are long and the FA's a real pain but you as the captain must make things happen on the road. They give you the keys, the girls, and guys that think their girls,the jet and a structure to help you get the job done. If you do a good job you look good, if you do a bad job the whole company knows about it. Such is life in a small charter company.

 

[Starcheck]

Learjets 4 nights a week, duty 2000 to 0530ish. Every weekend off. It's a great job.

 

[de727ups]

trying not to work....

They usually get me for 9 or 10 days out of 28. I'm 20 out of about 100 (and going down) in the right seat of the 727. Europe trips I'm gone 10 days, Seattle trips are about 7, and Houston (couldn't hold SEA) I should be gone 9 days, all include the commute.....getting to Houston should be interesting......

When I'm not at work, I forget I have a job....

 

[TurboS7]

de727ups,
How have your load factors been??? I know that you don't fly a lot but the LF of UPS is the best economic indicator of how the total economy is doing. We sold all our frieghters as the main forwarder that we had a contract with LF's went to the point it didn't make any sense to use the 727's. Thanks.

 

[flyhi]

4 months off a year

Fly anywhere from 8-18 days a month, 20-40 hours. 5-10 RON's. Gone lots of weekends-more things to do on a fri and sat nite anyway. Off December, February, and July-September while boss stays in CO!

flyhi

 

[de727ups]

TurboS7

Personally...I never saw a fall off, although the company says there was one. They are still bringing on the brand new Airbuses and parking some 727's.....wouldn't make sense if the future looked bleak.

 

[TurboS7]

de727ups,

I just found out that Kalitta out of YIP under-bid us big time on all our contracts, hence all the layoffs. Nice to see your birds are still full, but in this business the 2% to 5% is the profit so if the system traffic is down that much they(UPS) are hurting. Thanks.