SocialD

Not that finally leaving after 20+ years with over a decade of that trying to get them to defend themselves is a big "fuck job." But some of you act like this is the first time we've fucked over those we promised to help. There have been plenty before and they'll be more in the future.

Tough to do. Even one of the biggest assholes who sunk many of career, after a concerted blackball campaign at all of this top choices, was still able to make it to one of his last options.

But hey, no more mean tweets, so we're all safe now.

What's another few thousand after we've created tens of thousands with the two decade quagmire that was our occupation of Afghanistan? Fucked up all around.

If he doesn't raise his weapon at me or any other innocent bystanders there is no way I'd take that shot. I'm sure as heck not going to shoot a dude that just shot someone who was attacking him...especially when that dude was being chased/knocked to the ground with a skateboard. He was running down the street with his weapon lowered, passing tons of people and not bothering them, I'm not sure I'd be in a hurry to engage someone like that. Even if I just rounded the corner as he shot someone, if he didn't appear to be threatening anyone who wasn't attacking him, I'm not shooting. I'll be prepared to respond from a position of cover, but no way I just start shooting. You don't need hours of analysis/videos/etc... to make that call.

I guess another "mostly peaceful protestor?"

Really? Is that a Majcom and/or airframe thing. Every dude we've sent since I've been in the squadron (13ish years) has not been an IP. Only one of them went on to be an IP.

Damn...praying everyone is OK. Here's hoping they pull that fucker out of the car in a body bag.

Now I hope he sues the shit out of the major "news" networks.

Nice! They want help...make it a permanent change in the contract.

I've cancelled a few times when wx was technically legal to fly, both as the Flight Lead and the OPS SUP said go, and as the OPS SUP when the Flight leads were willing to go. There have been plenty of times where it's much more prudent to not fly that day. Realize you may have to do some explaining, but I've never once been threatened with loss of quals. Even if I had, it wouldn't have changed my mind, especially for a daily CT line....lol make me a wingman only (twoop!). If you said you'd have to "report it to the DO," I'd say sure thing, let's walk down there right now....hell, get the SQ/CC and OG if you want, I don't really care. Once you've been a FL/AC/OPS SUP for a while, you start to learn what really matters and what doesn't. I'm all for going out and getting some good experience/lessons learned, but there are plenty of times where, even if the weather is technically legal, the gain does not outweigh the loss/potential risk. It gets even easier when you have the option to cancel and go fly that mission in a sim.

Remember that some of the carriers out there do not require Turbine PIC time to get hired. There were two in my DAL class in 2014 who had zero TPIC (with no connection and not minorities). With a background like that and the hiring situation today, I could see it being much shorter stay at the regionals than some expect. Big thing would be getting the fixed-wing time requirement.

They're sleeping...check back tonight.

I left AAL for DAL to be home based. If you want to live in DFW, go AAL. If you want to stay DAL, move to one of their bases. Don't commute. You're welcome.

Way too many variables to know how long to a WB. When I was hired I figured it would take 10 years to hold a WB...I ended up getting it at 2 years. Right now, I think it's sitting closer to 4 or 5 years, but it could go way junior (or senior) on the next bid. In the current environment, anything is possible...whacky times. I can't really tell you what to do about the SWA vs DAL decision. On one hand, I never want to commute (I left another legacy to not have a commute), on the other hand, I'm not sure I'd want to do the type of flying SWA does for an entire career. Delta can't do much about your MLOA, they have to honor it Dropping a trip a month isn't really something that would even get a second look. How long do you have left in the military? Are you planning on staying put? Personally, I wouldn't make a career decision based on a mil commitment, especially if I only had a handful of years left. Plenty of jobs available all over the U.S, especially if you're willing to stop flying and just get across the 20 year line. I talked to another FO today that was doing a non-flying CAP gig to finish his 20. I know a few others that hung up the G-suit to do RCO and AOC gigs. I hate being full time in the guard, so I'm always looking for minimal commitment on that front, so this may not be what you're looking for lol. Edit: Also, what Tree said!

Great life if you can get it. Especially great if you're a commuter. Almost all our trips are commutable and you can cut your commutes to just 2 times a month with our 6 day trips. If I hadn't been displaced prior to rona, I likely would have stayed WB FO until I could hold the left seat of a WB. If I were a commuter, I'd definitely stay WB for my career. When rona started, I displaced all the way down to 717 FO so I could be senior. Many months, I'm working less and make more as a 717 FO than I did as a 330 FO. The ability to work your schedule as a senior NB FO, allows you to easily close the pay gap if you so choose. I chose to stay domestic and bid over to captain, rather than reinstate back to WB FO right now. Until the world stops losing their minds and restrictions are lifted, I'll hang out domestic. Also, right now our WB are doing a much of domestic flying which is shit. The thing that made life on the WB so great was not having to deal with domestic rotations....made reserve life way more predictable. I'll definitely look at going back to WB FO down the road. At DAL, as long as there is appropriate reserve staffing (almost always was pre rona...not sure now), then you can drop your scheduled to zero. I'd drop my entire schedule every month I had a line when I was a WB FO. Then I'd pick up more efficient trips when I wanted to fly. Worked the same amount if days as originally schedule but made a lot more money. Good living while it lasted.

This is not an intelligence failure...if our leaders thought they'd be good, they were delusional. I left there thinking the ANA would be lucky to last a few weeks after we left. Anyone who thought otherwise was lying to themselves.

Fixed it for you.

Listen to the guy who talk about how they make side income/tax write-offs via a business, not the guys trying to get you go in on this "no fail" deal that promises to make you rich (I've never actually flown with one in my decade in the airline business). On my last trip, I learn a shit ton about S-Corps and how you can use them to your benefit, especially when you start making Captain pay. Dude wasn't trying to sell me anything or hype up anything, simply answering questions about a small business he's ran for well over a decade. Crazy enough, he was still on spouse number #1.

Right, we're 100% in agreement. I have zero issues dropping mloa, I do it whenever needed without a second thought. I'm just saying don't be the dude that drops a Christmas trip so you can accomplish your stan eval testing in your 1st month (it happened lol)...then brag about it to your mostly non-mil crew. It's like bragging to your buddy who recently lost his job, that you just made 6k on a 3-day greenslip last week. Like the dudes you mentioned, it's just poor form. Crazy enough, at DAL, they will sometimes rebuild your trip around MLOA on trips dropped over holidays. I've seen it happen...dude mil dropped a 6 day trip that hit Christmas. He only dropped MLOA on day 1 of that trip, so the company awarded the MLOA then DH'd him on day 2 or 3 to rejoin the trip.

If you choose to stay in and are the type that is going to use mloa to enhance your schedule, don't be the jackass that brags about it when you're around co-workers who can't do such things. It happens a bit more than I'd ever have imagined and as a fellow mil dude, there nothing more cringeworthy.

Displaced thanks to that bitch rona. If I couldn't stay in-base WB FO (homie don't commute), I just wanted to be as senior as possible while I waited out this downturns. I went from being 90% in seat to 7% in seat, which has been damn nice. If I hadn't been displaced, I'd likely have stayed 330 FO until I could have held Capt on it. For now I'm going to 717 Capt, but I can see myself heading back to 330 FO when these countries stop losing their minds over rona.

For some reason my post was deleted, weird. Rumor is, this guy had it towed out to be a float in a parade, then he decided to fly it out to beat the weather. I did a quick google street view and he had 2,500 ft of obstruction free road available. He started his takeoff roll with ~1,200 ft to the light pole he hit. A 220HP Stearman, even with a metal prop is underpowered, so I'm surprised he attempted this with only 1,200 ft to get over that pole. There was an airport less than 3 miles away... The Stearman groups have not been kind to this incident. End game, just a touch of right aileron might have saved this as well.

If I understand it correctly, you'd forfeit 1/30th of your retiree pay. As a reservist, a paycard is 1/30th of of your pay rate + flight pay, and you can log 2 of those per day. So based on my cursory understanding of the process, you'd make more money in the long run if you're talking just military money. Where you'd really lose out on money is missing stuff at the airline. As an example, when I was a 330 FO, I missed out on a 3 day GS that would have paid me $13k (including 401k), because I was a at drill. My drill check for that weekend was $1,500. Clearly and extreme example, but even now as 717 FO, I recently missed an easy 2 day GS that cost me ~$3,200. This is just GS opportunities, I'm not even talking dropped trips or reserve days that you'll have to do to work at the reserves. That stuff adds up fast! As someone who has done two jobs for the last 8 years, I can say, I've lost a ton of money for being in the Guard (cost of doing business). But more importantly, I've lost TONS of my free time and life on the outside...that's the truly painful part. I've talked with so many guys who've said their only regret was not getting out earlier and they can't believe how much free time they now have. I absolutely can not wait to get out and only have one job. If you want to teach, there are plenty of opportunities at DAL. You can be a sim instructor (paid min of 85 hours at whatever you can hold), if you don't mind living in ATL or commuting to the sims. If not, we have FOs who are part of the line check airmen cadre called LVPs...they do some instruction. Or you could get your civilian instructor ratings and teach at the local FBO on the side. I do this from time to time and find it quite enjoyable. Best of luck in whatever you choose. More than ever, the AF needs good IPs with lots of experience.