Where to live?

[46Pilot]

To all you flying reservists out there who are also flying 121, where is the best place to live? Where your reserve job is, or where your full time job is? I will be getting off AD shortly and will be flying for a regional airline as well as flying for the reserves and trying to decide where to live.

Thanks,
46

 

[onthebeach]

By all means, live where your regional airline job is based. Commuting will take its toll. Reserve duty can be flexible, if you learn the system and keep working at it, so I would recommend that you also transfer to the closest suitable reserve unit. In other words, don't go halfway across the country to drill just out of loyalty to a particular unit. Every day you have to burn commuting to work or drill is additional expense and less rest. Both of these negative factors add up quickly. You are going to need and want every buck you can make or save, and every day off you can get. Best of luck to you.

 

[scoreboard]

If you have a place now, stay put. The last thing you need is to throw moving into the equation. Besides all the cost, etc. Family? Stay put, single, roll with the wind.

 

[Slice121]

Depends what you're flying. My squadron has a local area requirement(within 90 miles). I'm lucky that I can drive an hour to my airline domicile. It would be difficult to make my RAP requirements and fly at airline if I had to commute to the guard. Example, you commute in, the wx goes to sh!t or you abort for mx,etc. This is my experience in fighters anyway. I think heavies would be a little easier because they have less squares to fill and can fill more squares on a single sortie than we can.

 

[Scrapdog]

I'm not in this boat yet (still trying to get hired by a carrier), however ALL airline guys in my unit live in the squadron city, and not the other way around. One, it's because, as mentioned earlier, if you need to fly to make RAP and the wx crumps, you'll never make it to fly at the guard when you were scheduled.

And, I think that they enjoy flying fighters just a tad more than the aluminum tube.

Like I said, I'm not there yet - just an observation from a guy looking in.

-Scrapdog-

 

[pony251]

Live where your reserve unit is based. You will probably only have another 3-4 airline jobs in your life, but your reserve unit will most likely stay put (brac dependent). That way you can use the mil leave option to maximize your time at home. BTW, I don't agree with Scoreboard. Use your last AD move to get you to your reserve location. It may cost you a little if it is farther than your original HOR, but it will save you big bucks later.

 

[srjorion]

I was in your shoes a year ago. I chose to live near my reserve job but then again my commute wasn't all that bad to my airline job. Now, I've moved to a different airline and now the commute is more painful so I'm exploring my options again. Here are the pros and cons for each that I can think of:

Living at your reserve base:

For me, the benefit of living where my reserve job is that even when I'm doing reserves I sleep in my own bed. We fly local flights for the most part so I have that luxury. For other units it may not matter. The way I look at it is when I'm doing my airline job I am definitely going to be away from my family if I live at my airline base or not. If I live at my airline base and commute to my reserve job then those reserve days are more nights away from my own bed.

Something else to think about is how often you will drill. On regional pay you will need to drill as much as you can to make up for the crappy pay for the first year. If you are going to drill a lot then you may want to be close to your unit. Also, if you have the opportunity to pick up extra flying on a daily basis at your reserve unit there are great benefits to living near your reserve base.

Living at your airline base:

Now, if you are going to be sitting reserve for a while then there are huge benefits in living at your airline base. Spending time with the family instead of sitting in a smelly crash pad is much better. Plus, you don't have to fork over the extra cash every month for the pad. On regional pay a crash pad is a huge dent in the pocket book.

One other thing to consider is the flexibility of getting home when living at your airline base. Nothing is worse than getting done with your trip only to find that all of the flights home are packed. If you live near your airline base then you know you are getting home when your trip is done. No commute in the day before or waiting until the day after. That equates to more time at home.


Whatever you do, be ready to live where you finally decide to end up until you are done with the regionals. Moving is costly and there is a good chance you simply will not be able to afford to move unless you are there long enough to upgrade.

Good luck in your decision.

 

[46Pilot]

srjorion, thanks for taking the time for that response. Wish there were more like you on these boards!!

Thanks to all for the input!!

46

 

[BengalsFan]

What regional are you going to? I'm trying to decide if a regional is the way to go, what made you take the regional versus trying to get on with a major?

 

[srjorion]

46Pilot - Glad I can help!

BengalsFan - I'm not sure what his reasons are, but for me it simply came down to the fact that the regionals called and the majors did not.

The bottom line is, apply with who you meet the minimums and take what you can get.

 

[bearcat]

I was in your shoes a year ago. I chose to live near my reserve job but then again my commute wasn't all that bad to my airline job. Now, I've moved to a different airline and now the commute is more painful so I'm exploring my options again. Here are the pros and cons for each that I can think of:

Living at your reserve base:

For me, the benefit of living where my reserve job is that even when I'm doing reserves I sleep in my own bed. We fly local flights for the most part so I have that luxury. For other units it may not matter. The way I look at it is when I'm doing my airline job I am definitely going to be away from my family if I live at my airline base or not. If I live at my airline base and commute to my reserve job then those reserve days are more nights away from my own bed.

Something else to think about is how often you will drill. On regional pay you will need to drill as much as you can to make up for the crappy pay for the first year. If you are going to drill a lot then you may want to be close to your unit. Also, if you have the opportunity to pick up extra flying on a daily basis at your reserve unit there are great benefits to living near your reserve base.

Living at your airline base:

Now, if you are going to be sitting reserve for a while then there are huge benefits in living at your airline base. Spending time with the family instead of sitting in a smelly crash pad is much better. Plus, you don't have to fork over the extra cash every month for the pad. On regional pay a crash pad is a huge dent in the pocket book.

One other thing to consider is the flexibility of getting home when living at your airline base. Nothing is worse than getting done with your trip only to find that all of the flights home are packed. If you live near your airline base then you know you are getting home when your trip is done. No commute in the day before or waiting until the day after. That equates to more time at home.


Whatever you do, be ready to live where you finally decide to end up until you are done with the regionals. Moving is costly and there is a good chance you simply will not be able to afford to move unless you are there long enough to upgrade.

Good luck in your decision.

Great points in the quote...

Ahhhh..this is really an impossible equation. If you guys find the answer..let me know. Some other things to consider. First and FOREMOST....DON"T WORK AT MESA! The commuting deal is tough. I personally don't want to do the carpet dance at the Chief pilots office. It would be easier to call the squadron and tell them you got bumped off a non rev flight. The other issue is that (for me) your schedule will change for commutibility. IE I fly red eyes so I can get home the last day of the trip. Where you are commuting to and from is also a huge part. WX at base, WX at home, etc. Commuting to or from anywhere b/e DCA and BOS. Pain in the ass...always late sometimes hours late. I am thinking of moving to my domicile which is away from my guard job and away from our families. Oh....we got brac'd also.

BL is it is a bitch no matter how you skin it. (sts)

Someone could make a lot of cash if they can figure this out!

Good luck and let me know if you find the answer.

 

[Slice121]

Great points in the quote...

Ahhhh..this is really an impossible equation. If you guys find the answer..let me know. Some other things to consider. First and FOREMOST....DON"T WORK AT MESA! The commuting deal is tough. I personally don't want to do the carpet dance at the Chief pilots office. It would be easier to call the squadron and tell them you got bumped off a non rev flight. The other issue is that (for me) your schedule will change for commutibility. IE I fly red eyes so I can get home the last day of the trip. Where you are commuting to and from is also a huge part. WX at base, WX at home, etc. Commuting to or from anywhere b/e DCA and BOS. Pain in the ass...always late sometimes hours late. I am thinking of moving to my domicile which is away from my guard job and away from our families. Oh....we got brac'd also.

BL is it is a bitch no matter how you skin it. (sts)

Someone could make a lot of cash if they can figure this out!

Good luck and let me know if you find the answer.

It's not problem to work at Mesa and be in the guard. I've been doing it for years. In fact, strategic use of mil dropping trips has given me excellent QOL beyond the civi only line pilot there! Get a number, get off probation, and disappear until ready for upgrade!

 

[pkober]

I've been in the Guard (Guard baby) for 13 years and an airline pilot for most of it. A little insite.

1.) If you move to your unit look at the commute. If your commute will be a two hop to work then don't move near your unit. Trust me commuting sucks.

2.) If the regional is just temporary consider living near your Guard base otherwise you would do two moves. When you land a more steady job than move to that base (yeah I know steady and job don't go together in the airlines).

3.) Remember it's easier to commute to the Guard than the airlines. Most units will pay for your hotel room when you commute in to fly. You don't have to stay in a crappy crash pad with some hairy/smelly dude who snores. The Guard is also more flexible if you can't make it in, that's what technicians are for. If you can't make it to you airline job often enough you can get in deep doodoo. One commute to the Guard is a heck of alot easier that 3 or 4 to your airline job.

4.) Finally the Guard is a part time job. Once you get past the first year or so, you will begin to rely less on the Guard. Family, Job then Guard.

Finally commuting sucks a$$. Aviod it at all costs.

Good Luck.

CLAMBAKE

 

[46Pilot]

All good points and I appreciate all the responses. The decision has been made. I start training with ASA on Monday and will be moving to New Orleans where the reserve job is. The commute shouldn't be too bad as a 1 legger, and New Orleans is home for me and the wife which made the decision alot easier.

And the reason I am going to the regionals is it is all I am qualified for. I'm a helo guy who got lucky and was able to do a tour flying fixed wing, but not enough to qualify for the majors.

Thanks to all and good luck!