One important part of any job is "time off." Even if you love your job, it's important to have time to yourself and time with friends/family. This job, is certainly no different.
So, what's it like trying to get certain days off when being a regional airline pilot? Well, it depends. No, no not the diapers. However, that said, if you're new to the company, you'll feel much like a diaper when trying to get certain days off. Anyways, the reason is because everything in terms of your quality of life as an airline flight crew member depends on "seniority." Let's take a closer look at just what that means.
You may very well show up for work dressed in a shirt, jacket, slacks, tie, and stupid hat. You have all the appearance of a full-on salaried company employee. This of course, is purely an illusion. You are an hourly employee. You are a contract laborer. Here, this means, you will "bid" for your schedule each month. Yes, each and every month you spend as a line pilot, you will be trying to get a schedule that you want and then you'll have to wait and see if you get it. The schedules to choose from will also vary month to month based on the needs of the company. Sound archaic? Yeah, it is.
Each month, the company will publish a "bid package" for the pilots. The bid package for you will contain all the "lines" or schedules available for your position (Captain/left-seat or First Officer/right-seat) in your aircraft.
The same process is used to determine who gets vacation, and when. This system heavily favors the more senior pilots. Why? There's two reasons why this is true. 1.) They are more senior so if they bid for the same week of vacation that you do, it will go to them before you. 2.) They have more vacation time each year. Statistically, you are more likely to bid against them than someone more junior to you. And, since they are more senior, you will always lose. This means you can pretty much count on working during Xmas, New Year's, Thanksgiving, etc, if you are pretty junior. These are the issues when pilots talk about "quality of life."
There are two ways to bid for your vacation time. At the end of each year, there is a vacation bid for the next year. Yes, the entire next year. So, if you want to put in for the family vacation over the Xmas holiday, then you will have to bid for that in December the PREVIOUS YEAR! If you get awarded what you bid for, fine. Now, you have that whole year to make plans, buy tickets, make reservations, etc. If you don't get it, there is one other chance. Each month, when you bid for your next month's schedule, you can also bid for vacation time that next month. So, you can bid for your family vacation time in November. If you get it then, you'll be paying much higher airfare and other costs due to the last minute nature of your plans now. However, if you take the chance to book those things ahead of time, and then you don't get awarded that time off when you bid for it, well, now you're just screwed. Yes, you can call in sick, but that is technically against company policy, and if you do that more than about 2 times in a year, you'll find yourself in the Chief Pilot's office trying to keep your job.
Lets say you got hired with your regional carrier in the summer or fall. Fine. You will not have "acquired" much vacation time yet because you only have a few months service with the company. So, you will NOT be able to bid for any vacation (for the next year) come December that first year. So, you will have less than a week of vacation to use, while the most senior guys will have 5 to 6 weeks of it, and likely more since they will have rolled-over a couple weeks they didn't use the year before. And, you can only attempt to bid for your vacation a month ahead of time through year. Good luck. If any of the senior pilots put in for vacation when you do, they'll get it, you won't.
Now, to be fair, there is actually a third way to get time off that you want. If you do not or cannot get time off for an event you know of a year ahead of time, and you don't get awarded your vacation the previous month when you bid for that, you can try and find a line in the bid package which will have days off that you need. You might very well sacrifice other factors you desire, but at least you might get the days off that you need. However, as before the likely hood of getting what you want is smaller the more junior you are.
So, in summary, your first year or so, don't count on any vacation. In fact, you're better off not using it at all, and rolling it over to the following year. By then, you will have gained at least some seniority, and you will have enough that you can bid for larger chunks of time off.
Welcome aboard!
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Things aren't always what they seem
"Imagine a flower, a climbing orchid to be exact, the one, of some 20,000 varieties that produces something edible. Now imagine that its blooms must be pollinated either by hand or a small variety of Mexican bee, and that each bloom only opens for one day a year. Now, imagine the fruit of this orchid, a pod, being picked and cured. Sitting in the sun all day and sweating under blankets all night, for months, until shrunken and shriveled, it develops a heady exotic perfume and flavor. Now, imagine that this fruit's name is synonymous with dull, boring and ordinary. How vanilla got this bad rap, I for one, will never know." -Alton Brown
Saturday, June 13, 2009
What's in that big black leather case?
All pilots have this big, fat briefcase looking thing hanging off the back of their suitcases. (Usually black in color and leather, but not always) Many of the traveling public think to themselves, "What could possibly be in there?" I've overheard lots of answers given by other pilots ranging from "My lunch" to "Keys to all the planes I fly!"
Honestly, there really isn't anything exciting to report here. The item in question is called a "Flightcase" and contains various items that are required to be in possession of the pilot when he or she is flying. It can also serve as a personal "billboard" of sorts for the pilot to show off hobbies, aircraft flown, or simply how much they have been shat on by company management. The contents of each pilots flightcase vary slightly, but the bulk of the contents are all the same.
1.) A company operations manual
2.) A pilot's operating manual for the aircraft the pilot flies
3.) Jeppesen charts
4.) Other stuff
The company operations manual is usually a 2" binder full of all kinds of stuff relating to company regulations, procedures, phone numbers, etc. This is usually kept simply as a reference for abnormal scenarios that pop up from time to time.
The pilot's operating manual is a similar 2" binder, but this one contains all the necessary info on the aircraft the pilot flies. Everything from flows and checklists, aircraft limitations, various procedures and system schematics and information is all in this binder for reference.
Jeppesen charts (called "Jepps" or "Jepp Charts") are very nearly a uniform standard across the industry, however there is at least one regional airline in the US that doesn't use them. Pinnacle. Take what you want from that. Anyways, most pilots will have 2 binders, each 2" in size. Inside will be airport diagrams, airport navigation and communication information, published arrival and departure routing, as well as approach plates for various runways and each airport. The pilot might also have a stack of "enroute charts" which are huge foldout map things for various prescribed routings (airways and jetways) all over the US and anywhere else that pilot flies. At some companies these maps are kept in the aircraft and are not required to be carried by every single pilot.
None of these items are static. They are constantly being changed and updated. Sometimes, the company decides to change a checklist or a procedure. Sometimes errors in previous editions are corrected or the company might change what airports your aircraft flies into and out of. So, you might be adding or taking out certain pages. Also, there are numerous and constant revisions to the information on Jepp Charts. And yes, all these updates are to be sorted through and completed, page by page, on your own time.
As for the "other stuff," all pilots are slightly different here. My flightcase has sunglasses, pens, pencils, a highlighter, snacks, a couple small pads of paper, napkins, and a calculator.
The cost of these cases usually ranges from $200 to $450 and is not paid for by the company.
There you have it!
Honestly, there really isn't anything exciting to report here. The item in question is called a "Flightcase" and contains various items that are required to be in possession of the pilot when he or she is flying. It can also serve as a personal "billboard" of sorts for the pilot to show off hobbies, aircraft flown, or simply how much they have been shat on by company management. The contents of each pilots flightcase vary slightly, but the bulk of the contents are all the same.
1.) A company operations manual
2.) A pilot's operating manual for the aircraft the pilot flies
3.) Jeppesen charts
4.) Other stuff
The company operations manual is usually a 2" binder full of all kinds of stuff relating to company regulations, procedures, phone numbers, etc. This is usually kept simply as a reference for abnormal scenarios that pop up from time to time.
The pilot's operating manual is a similar 2" binder, but this one contains all the necessary info on the aircraft the pilot flies. Everything from flows and checklists, aircraft limitations, various procedures and system schematics and information is all in this binder for reference.
Jeppesen charts (called "Jepps" or "Jepp Charts") are very nearly a uniform standard across the industry, however there is at least one regional airline in the US that doesn't use them. Pinnacle. Take what you want from that. Anyways, most pilots will have 2 binders, each 2" in size. Inside will be airport diagrams, airport navigation and communication information, published arrival and departure routing, as well as approach plates for various runways and each airport. The pilot might also have a stack of "enroute charts" which are huge foldout map things for various prescribed routings (airways and jetways) all over the US and anywhere else that pilot flies. At some companies these maps are kept in the aircraft and are not required to be carried by every single pilot.
None of these items are static. They are constantly being changed and updated. Sometimes, the company decides to change a checklist or a procedure. Sometimes errors in previous editions are corrected or the company might change what airports your aircraft flies into and out of. So, you might be adding or taking out certain pages. Also, there are numerous and constant revisions to the information on Jepp Charts. And yes, all these updates are to be sorted through and completed, page by page, on your own time.
As for the "other stuff," all pilots are slightly different here. My flightcase has sunglasses, pens, pencils, a highlighter, snacks, a couple small pads of paper, napkins, and a calculator.
The cost of these cases usually ranges from $200 to $450 and is not paid for by the company.
There you have it!
Friday, June 12, 2009
More laughter
Please forgive me for leaving out one of THE classics... Mr. Foster Brooks. (especially considering he was 100% sober during this bit)
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Laughing
Laughing is important. Here are 3 YouTube clips relating to the world I live and work in which rank among my all-time favorites. Enjoy!
George Carlin (part1)
George Carlin (part2)
Louis CK
George Carlin (part1)
George Carlin (part2)
Louis CK
Monday, June 8, 2009
Why pilots bitch all the time
Over the last few years, I have heard many a pilot complain. I've even heard others complain that pilots complain too much. After a little while in this industry, I even found myself complaining. I've not been known for whining in the past, so this got me thinking. Why is it that pilots bitch so much?
Lets take a look at how we are "brought up" in this industry. It begins after the first few lessons in a single engine piston aircraft. It is readily apparent as you are getting ready for your first FAA written exam and your checkride. And, throughout the rest of your ratings and later type-ratings, it's very much a part of how you do things.
What is this "it" I'm talking about? Well, any good CFI (certified flight instructor) will tell you that practicing the things you already know isn't going to make progress. While it's true that repetition is good, spending time to see yourself do what you're good at might satisfy your ego, but it won't help you improve much. It's that very concept that teaches pilots to always focus on what's bad, not what's good. That's how you make progress. Keep pushing yourself to get better and better each flight. Even in ground school, don't waste time studying material you already know. Spend your time going over what you don't know. This is especially true when learning to fly bigger, faster and more complex aircraft. Training is never "at your own pace." It's like drinking from a firehose. Everyone is held to the same accelerated curriculum schedule. You can't waste the limited time you have. You must maximize your learning time by working on what you don't know. Funny thing is, this approach works!
Now the trouble is, after years of success with this approach to studying and flying, it starts to trickle over into other facets of life. Again, this does have some positive aspects, but it also has a downside. You tend not to take time to enjoy the good things. If something is good, then it must not need your attention. Instead you end up paying attention to things that suck, things that should be fixed, things that you want to change. (i.e.: lack of days off, long work days, short overnights, out of date work rules from the 1940s, procedures in your operating manual that don't work but if you don't follow them you'll be fired by the douche that wrote them who never flies anything but a desk, fighting with maintenance trying to get something fixed on an aircraft with a company that doesn't want to delay a flight, etc, etc...)
The public has long held the belief that airline pilots have easy jobs, work very little, get paid lots, and complain about everything. Then sadly, the Colgan crash earlier this year told everyone a truth that they didn't want to hear at the cost of 50 lives. The fact is, there is rarely a shortage of things to complain about it when flying for a regional airline. So much so that most people would ask the intelligent question of "Well, if it's so awful, why the hell do you keep doing it?" A fair question to be sure, and the answer is two-fold.
First off, by nature, most pilots aren't ones to back down from a challenge. There is a certain pride that goes with being able to do the same job as someone else under more trying conditions. Its not uncommon to hear pilots tell fish stories about approaches they've shot in bad weather, in icing, with no landing gear, on fire, leaking oil, almost out of fuel, in 4,000 knot crosswinds. And, sure enough, they happened to grease the landing too! Even as you listen to these stories you can almost see the soot on their face, the oil covered goggles and even the white scarf. Regional airline management has capitalized on this big time. And, little by little, now we have people like me who spend a ton of money getting the qualifications for the job, then work our tails off for pathetic pay. I can't speak for everyone, but I sure don't feel better than everyone else for it.
The second part is (brace yourself for this...) flying is really awesome. Everyday I'm at work, looking down at the world from 37,000 ft, I think back to the cubical I occupied years ago and just how miserable I was. I was treated a little better and paid a lot better, but I hated it. Back then, I hated my job but I enjoyed knowing my schedule, being paid well, being able to get days off as needed and not living in constant fear of being fired and/or violated by the FAA. Today, I love my job, but I hate most of the management I work for, the hours I have to work, the fact that I will never know my schedule more than a few weeks out at best and 1 or 2 days at the worst, that my schedule is always subject to change at the will of Crew Scheduling, and I even hate looking at my pathetic paycheck. But, even with 5 hours of sleep after being on duty for over 13 hours the day prior, hearing "cleared for take off" in my headset, pushing the thrust levers forward, hearing those engines spool up, feeling the acceleration down the runway, lifting off, pointing the nose skyward and popping through a grey, damp cloud deck in a climbing turn and bursting into clear blue sunny skies is something I dearly love every single time I do it. And, I'm learning to spend more time enjoying it as well.
Lets take a look at how we are "brought up" in this industry. It begins after the first few lessons in a single engine piston aircraft. It is readily apparent as you are getting ready for your first FAA written exam and your checkride. And, throughout the rest of your ratings and later type-ratings, it's very much a part of how you do things.
What is this "it" I'm talking about? Well, any good CFI (certified flight instructor) will tell you that practicing the things you already know isn't going to make progress. While it's true that repetition is good, spending time to see yourself do what you're good at might satisfy your ego, but it won't help you improve much. It's that very concept that teaches pilots to always focus on what's bad, not what's good. That's how you make progress. Keep pushing yourself to get better and better each flight. Even in ground school, don't waste time studying material you already know. Spend your time going over what you don't know. This is especially true when learning to fly bigger, faster and more complex aircraft. Training is never "at your own pace." It's like drinking from a firehose. Everyone is held to the same accelerated curriculum schedule. You can't waste the limited time you have. You must maximize your learning time by working on what you don't know. Funny thing is, this approach works!
Now the trouble is, after years of success with this approach to studying and flying, it starts to trickle over into other facets of life. Again, this does have some positive aspects, but it also has a downside. You tend not to take time to enjoy the good things. If something is good, then it must not need your attention. Instead you end up paying attention to things that suck, things that should be fixed, things that you want to change. (i.e.: lack of days off, long work days, short overnights, out of date work rules from the 1940s, procedures in your operating manual that don't work but if you don't follow them you'll be fired by the douche that wrote them who never flies anything but a desk, fighting with maintenance trying to get something fixed on an aircraft with a company that doesn't want to delay a flight, etc, etc...)
The public has long held the belief that airline pilots have easy jobs, work very little, get paid lots, and complain about everything. Then sadly, the Colgan crash earlier this year told everyone a truth that they didn't want to hear at the cost of 50 lives. The fact is, there is rarely a shortage of things to complain about it when flying for a regional airline. So much so that most people would ask the intelligent question of "Well, if it's so awful, why the hell do you keep doing it?" A fair question to be sure, and the answer is two-fold.
First off, by nature, most pilots aren't ones to back down from a challenge. There is a certain pride that goes with being able to do the same job as someone else under more trying conditions. Its not uncommon to hear pilots tell fish stories about approaches they've shot in bad weather, in icing, with no landing gear, on fire, leaking oil, almost out of fuel, in 4,000 knot crosswinds. And, sure enough, they happened to grease the landing too! Even as you listen to these stories you can almost see the soot on their face, the oil covered goggles and even the white scarf. Regional airline management has capitalized on this big time. And, little by little, now we have people like me who spend a ton of money getting the qualifications for the job, then work our tails off for pathetic pay. I can't speak for everyone, but I sure don't feel better than everyone else for it.
The second part is (brace yourself for this...) flying is really awesome. Everyday I'm at work, looking down at the world from 37,000 ft, I think back to the cubical I occupied years ago and just how miserable I was. I was treated a little better and paid a lot better, but I hated it. Back then, I hated my job but I enjoyed knowing my schedule, being paid well, being able to get days off as needed and not living in constant fear of being fired and/or violated by the FAA. Today, I love my job, but I hate most of the management I work for, the hours I have to work, the fact that I will never know my schedule more than a few weeks out at best and 1 or 2 days at the worst, that my schedule is always subject to change at the will of Crew Scheduling, and I even hate looking at my pathetic paycheck. But, even with 5 hours of sleep after being on duty for over 13 hours the day prior, hearing "cleared for take off" in my headset, pushing the thrust levers forward, hearing those engines spool up, feeling the acceleration down the runway, lifting off, pointing the nose skyward and popping through a grey, damp cloud deck in a climbing turn and bursting into clear blue sunny skies is something I dearly love every single time I do it. And, I'm learning to spend more time enjoying it as well.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Condiments
A friend of mine just got back from the drive-thru at a local Dunkin' Donuts. There was a sticker on the window where he picked up his order that read "Please ask if you need any condiments with your order." Not one to ignore directions, he asked the drive-thru employee, "Do I need any condiments?" All he got was a blank stare. After getting to work he said, "I ate my bagel, drank my coffee and it seemed fine. But I still wonder if I missed out on needed condiments."
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