Friday, April 22, 2011

How commuting makes for a long first day

Yesterday I woke up at 5AM. Not because I had too, but because my wife woke up and my daughter woke up.
I took care of my daughter while my wife got ready for work. My wife left at 6AM. My daughter went back to bed while I finished up packing.


At 6:50AM my daughter and I left the house. I dropped her off at daycare at 7:15AM and made my way to the airport. I had to be in my domicile by 12:15PM to start my trip.


There are flights almost every hour between here and there (lucky for me!). There was a 7:55AM flight and then a 8:30am flight. I doubted I would make the first one.


Somehow the starts aligned as security was empty. I walked onto the 7:55AM flight at 7:45AM. Nice.
By 10:50AM I was in the crew room. I didn't know a single person as I am new too this base. I updated my manuals and just hung out till 1PM when my flight left.
I had not flown in a little more than two weeks. My leg. The crew was all new to me. Normal flight until the approach. Winds were 300@24G45 landing runway 33. That huge gust made for a lot of work on my part during the approach.
As passengers were deplaning a few commented on the great job and landing given the winds. Two passengers did fill up their sick bags though. It was really windy.
My entire crew was commuters. Arrival time back in base was scheduled for 6:20PM. They all had flights leaving between 6:15 PM and 6:55PM. Captains leg.


We were doing great cruising at .83 for over an hour when we were slowed and put into a conga line.


Captain was starting to think he would miss his flight, the last one home for the night.


He landed at 6:02PM. Gate at 6:08PM. He made his 6:30PM flight as did the rest of the crew. Me? I went to a hotel.


Only a semi longish 13 hour day. Legally I could have worked until 3AM.

Today starts my line. Yesterday was all overtime. My trip was supposed to start at 3PM. I checked my schedule and noticed my first turn cancelled. My next flight doesn't leave until 9:45PM. Checkout time for the hotel is noon.
Since I am a commuter I "get" to find somewhere to hangout for the next 9 hours. Crew room is most likely.
So this is commuting.

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