What's next?

 So what's next?

While I would love to start flying again I have a few more classrooms sessions AND another sim session.

On the 777 on 3+ pilot trips there will be times I sit in the Captain seat while the Captain is resting. Because of this the FAA is concerned about Widebody First Officers and new Captains making critical decisions in flight. I have a 8 hour classroom course to meet this requirement.

Then there's preparing to fly to Hawaii, over the Atlantic and to Far East Asia.

To prepare to fly to Hawaii I have 4 1/2 hour classroom course. For Atlantic crossings....just 2 hours. Why shorter? No idea. Far East Asia flying has a 6 1/2 hour course......classroom....inside a building. My least favorite place to be.

Once ALL that is done...I have a disgraceful 5:30 AM showtime for an Atlantic and Far East Asia sim session. This is a "no jeopardy" sim meaning it's just training for me to experience.

Then...and only then....and I free from the schoolhouse until a year from now for recurrent....I upgrade to Captain on the Airbus or the most likely event....I have to return because I didn't get my 100 hours of flight time in the 777 in time.

I miss airports.

777 Check Ride overview

Video overview of my check ride. 

Check Ride Day

 I've lost count on how many check ride events I have had in my career. I'm at the point now where check rides do not stress me out. 

Today is my MV....Maneuvers Validation day. 

Here's what must be accomplished...it is in my Sim Training Guide.

• Takeoff
• Rejected Takeoff (as a crew)
• Engine Failure (1 per pilot)
• Cat II/III Approach - One Per Crew
• Cat II or III using the lowest approach minimums for the airplane. Can be to landing or missed.
• Cat I Approach
• ILS - 2 per crew. One as Pilot Flying and One Pilot monitoring to lowest minimums. Landing or missed.
• at least one approach per CREW must be manually flown to lowest minimums
• Non-ILS (2 per crew 1 Pilot Flying, 1 Pilot Monitoring)
• Go Around/Missed Approach (1 per pilot at Pilot Flying)
• Landing
• At least 2 visual landings per pilot as Pilot Flying
• System Emergency/Abnormal/Non-Normal 2 per crew
• Flight Controls at least one of the following
• FLAPS DRIVE
• SLATS DRIVE
• STABILIZER
• Hydraulics (at least one of the following)
• HYD PRESS SYS C
• HYD PRESS SYS L+C
• HYD PRESS SYS L+R
• HYD PRESS SYS R+C

That's it. That's all I will be evaluated on today. 

I started preparing for this two months ago.

Yesterday was our second day in the sim with a Check Pilot (used to be Check Airman....ok now called Check Pilot).

Was I perfect? No. I made one error. 

During an ILS approach when I am not flying I am looking outside to see either the approach lights or runway. I am only supposed to saw these words; Approach Lights, Runway, No Contact. 

In the real world....for the average Cat I ILS we go as low as 200 feet and I've always seen the approach lights or runway. There's expectation bias.

We were in the sim and the reported weather was 1/2 mile and 200 foot ceilings. I was expecting to see something. My eyes were laser focused. I heard "100 above" and man I was looking. At minimums....I didn't say "No Contact!" The Captain still went around. There are safe guards in place thankfully.

Beyond that we had a great sim event. 

Though this portion of training is much better than classroom....I do miss airports. 

Unlike check rides for my first ratings...there is no oral exam. The system test takes place of the oral. I find that odd. I appreciate not having that extra layer of stress but....I dunno....I think it makes for a higher level of pilot knowing they have to prepare to answer system questions verbally.

I have a LOFT flight tomorrow which is a semi training flight in real time then a LOE flight on Sunday which is a checking flight in real time. 

Once done I have a bunch more classroom stuff to prepare me to fly overseas. and then another sim. Final day in the school house is right before taxes are due....which I still need to finish. 

That was sporty

 There are no real surprises in training. All my training events are scripted. I get an outline of what the objectives are for each training event. 

Day 6 was the first simulator event with a Check Airman. Previously all events were with a Simulator Pilot. To review Simulator Pilots are trained on the plane but may have never actually flown it. Check Airman know the plane inside and out.

Part of long term training is resetting my dates for certain airline required training....such as security. So my day began with a 12:15 PM show time for an hour long security training course. 

Once done I had a quick bite in the Cafe and headed to my debrief at 2:00PM. 

Every briefing room has flight deck
posters used during briefings

Normally these last 90 minutes. The Check Airman stated we were the last to use the simulator for the day so there was no hurry. This briefing was over 2 hours. It was helpful. 

In the simulator the Captain was flying first today (we swap who flies first each event). All flying was out of Seattle. 

Takeoff on Runway 16C...10 knot crosswind. Normal RNAV departure then given vectors off the departure and some FMS work with reroutes. I will say putting in a reroute is easier than the Airbus. 

He then did Localizer approach to 16C to a missed approach. 

Taken when sim was paused.

Reset. Takeoff. Engine failure. Back around to land runway 16C ILS Cat 1 hand flown. In reality we would do an auto land. In the sim we have to check boxes. 

We were then repositioned to a 3 mile final with various wind conditions. First was 25 knot crosswind from right, then 25 knot crosswind from the left, a 25 gusting 38 knot crosswind from the right and finally a 15 knot tailwind. All crosswinds were from exactly 90 degrees off. 

Landing in a crosswind in every one of my previous aircraft (I have 5 type ratings) was similar. My preference is to land on the upwind (side where the wind is coming from) wheel then use the rudder to straighten the nose and land on the downwind wheel. 

That is not recommended in the 777....reason? There's more many more wheels involved and doing so can cause a lot of shudder. No more landing in a crab.

Wing low is the way. 

Once the Captain was done it was my turn. I still paused on the turning a radial around. I got it. Bleh.

I did more or less the same maneuvers. The Check Airman appreciated how prepared both of us were and how we worked as a crew backing each other up. Both the Captain and I have a habit of saying the wrong word during rollout on landing. 

Taken when sim was paused. 

When autobrakes are on the Pilot Flying is supposed to announce "Manual Braking" when they apply the brakes...well manually. The Pilot Monitoring is supposed to announce "Autobrakes off". There were many times we get the callouts backwards. We laugh and say hey we got all the words just the wrong order. 

We then had a 15 minute debrief. The Check Airman stated we are both ahead of where most pilots are in this stage. 

One more ride today and then the next 3 are more checking than training events. 

Ready to be done. 

Fish and Chips....then Sushi

 London and Narita...those are my first two trips on the 777. 

I only need 15 hours of actual aircraft training and 4 cycles/flights. That's it. When I was new to the AIRLINE I needed 25 hours of flight time in the real plane and 4 flight cycles along with landings. Because I'm "old"....just 15 hours.

The first trip I will operate will be London.

Flight 50 DFW-LHR

Report 2:15 PM

Depart 3:15 PM

9 hour 10 minute block time

Arrive 6:25 AM (12:25AM DFW time)

24 Hours 45 Minutes Rest

Flight 51 LHR-DFW

Report 7:40 AM (1:40 AM DFW time)

Depart 8:40 AM

10 hour 15 minute block time

Arrive 12:55 PM

Total Flight Time 19H25M Time away: 47H10M

Not a bad trip overall. Starts in the afternoon....arrives late for my body clock time but similar to my old Bogota flights. I expect I will nap for a bit then explore London and try and stay awake until 8PM to go to bed to rest for the next day.

I will NOT be qualified for the flight. That flight is normally crewed by 3 pilots. There's a rule (I can't reference it) that for augmented flights there must be 3+ qualified crew on board. Because of this there will be 4 pilots on this flight. I suspect I will get a 3 hour break at some point, thus only operating the first 3 hours and last 3 hours. Not too shabby.

The next flight will be to Narita....not Tokyo...but close. My wife and I went to Narita in 2008. We stayed the first night in Narita before going to Tokyo and loved it! 

Flight 61 DFW-NRT

Report 10:45AM

Depart 11:45 AM

13 hour 15 minute block time

Arrive 3:00 PM (1:00 AM DFW time)

26 Hour rest 

Flight 60 NRT-DFW

Report 5:30 PM (3:30 AM DFW time)

Depart 6:30 PM

11 hour 45 minute block time

Arrive 4:15 PM

Total Flight Time 25H0M Time away: 54H0M

This will also have 4 total pilots on board as I will not be qualified. Much longer flight. This arrives at a similar time to London but leaves much later on the return. I have never had a flight leave at 3:30 AM Dallas time. This will be interesting. I suspect I will stay in Narita and explore the temples. 

Both of these trips a 3 day trips. On the Airbus an average 3 day paid 15H45M. A really good 3 day was 20 hours with 6 legs total. The LHR trip is fairly average while the NRT trip is very good and normally goes very senior. 

I finish training after bidding closes for May. This means scheduling will build a schedule for me....much less than ideal. I will have to dig and see if I have any choice. There is a six day London trip that does DFW LHR BOS LHR DFW. I know I will one day do it...but would prefer to not be on reserve 6 days in a row. 

The first time I will bid will be May 8-13 for June. 

On the Airbus I was in the top 11% in my status. For the 777 I will be in the bottom 2%. Time will tell if I made a bad choice.

Thank you for following along and have an absolutely wonderful day. 

Signed off the for the final stage

One thing about training...it is mentally draining. Let me explain.

Most of my flights are boring. This is a good thing. I fly point A to point B without any issues. If there is an issue, normally it is incredibly minor and is rectified in minutes.

In the simulator it is non-stop chaos. On the takeoff roll there's a cargo fire...reject. Run through the steps....ok great reset...you're back at the end of the runway, cleared for takeoff. On the next takeoff right when the wheels leave the ground...engine failure. Climb out..declare an emergency...run check list....no time to dump fuel....over weight landing checklist....single engine approach to minimums......no contact..go around. Stop. Back at a 6 mile final same condition...do it again....land. 

It can be confusing what state the plane is in and sometimes where you are. Rarely are you at the local (DFW in my case) airport. 

Day 5.

Started at the gate in LAX in a 777-300. First time in the 300 sim in training. There's a new button...external cameras. The plane is so long, there is a concern about taxiing. The camera can only be used on the ground during taxi. 

Max weight takeoff to London. Reject. Reset. Takeoff. Avionics failure...fixed. TCAS escape. Upset recovery, engine failure at high altitude, drift down....all in the first 30 minutes of flight.

We then diverted back to Lax and jettisoned fuel over southern California. 

Single engine auto land on 25L.

Reset. My turn. Heavy takeoff....once the wheels leave the ground...engine failure. Climb out, clean up, reset.

Captain does the same. Reset.

Zapped up to 35000 feet and given a climb to 39000 feet. All 3 airspeed indicators go out. We revert to the charts for pitch and power. Descend and land using only charts. Break.

We then did terrain (GPWS) escapes, flight control issues and more NON-ILS approaches. 

I was mentally drained. This was the 5th day in a row of 4 hours in the simulator. 

We passed this stage.

Next up is 2 sim sessions with a Check Airman then 3 checking events. Happy to have a few days off. 

I am having an easier time with training as I have done this so many times before...I know what to study and how to prepare. My first type rating was extreme stress, confusion and concern. This time around....it's completing the task and looking forward to the end. No real stress. No real concern....just being tired of being in training.

Being home so long...is odd. Not just on me...my family notices it as well. My suitcase is just sitting in the corner confused. I haven't been to the airport in almost a month. 

I'll post about my first two trips tomorrow. 

Thank you for following along. I am working on a way to get back to live videos again. They will almost certainly not be on Tiktok. I am thinking Instragram or Youtube or Twitch.

Almost done with training....checking is next

 

At my airline there are several types of instructors. The initial instructors are all trained on the airplane...but may have never actually flown it. 

My current instructor is a pilot...but has never flown the 777. He knows the simulator and then systems of the airplane, but no real world experience. He trains us only on the lessons at hand. As long as we meet the standard...we move on. 

Day 4 was a nice 2 PM start. Normally great but remember day 3 ended at midnight. That's 14 hours between events. I am not a robot. Falling asleep takes time and I naturally wake up around 6AM. I did take a nap before the event. Felt better than a 6:15 PM start. 

Most of training is preparing for things we will likely never do. Engine fires, rejected take offs, engine failures, NON-ILS approaches and....auto lands. 

The event started as a DFW-Tokyo flight. My leg. Heavy load takeoff, storm avoidance, ATC reroutes, conflicting air traffic avoidance followed by upset recovery, depressurization, emergency descent, fuel jettison and diversion to Denver.

In the training world many things are scripted. In emergencies there's only one or sometimes 2 airports we can opt to divert to. It's playing the game.

In my 17 years of being an Airline Pilot, 6 1/2 of those years were at mainline with auto land capable aircraft. In those years I have only used auto land in ACTUAL conditions 4 times. It's rare. People think we auto land all the time. Not the case.

Auto lands are a Captain ONLY procedure. Why? Because. I am still very much involved. On the 777 we can land without having to see anything outside as long as the runway and approach support it. 

Why does the runway and approach matter? Because of safety. The runway needs the appropriate lighting systems. The approach needs highly accurate localizer (lateral) and glideslope (vertical) radios. The airplane needs highly fault tolerant systems as well. The crew must be trained to monitor and be ready to respond to deviations. 

The airplane is traveling 160 MPH into blinding conditions...if things aren't perfect, disaster can easily occur.

For the 777 the auto land is similar to the Airbus and MD80. As a First Officer my eyes are inside for the entire approach, landing and rollout. 

During the approach I watch and scan my Primary Flight Display for airspeed, altitude, localizer and glideslope issues. Once below 300 feet if anything looks off....I just say, "go around!" without explanation. Once on the ground I verify and announce the speed brakes extended. I verify BOTH thrust reversers deployed, I watch and callout the deceleration as 80 (begin thrust reverser reduction) and 60 (thrust reverse at idle). All this time the autopilot is still on....I am watching for ANY deviation on the localizer. If something looks off...I call out centerline and have the Captain takeover using the high intensity centerline runway lights. 

Once at a taxi speed, low visibility operations take over.

That's what we did for the first 90 minutes...various kinds of auto lands.....go arounds....single engine auto land....auto lands. Kinda boring for me. 

Finally it was my turn. Visual approach to landing (I kept waiting for something bad to happen), Takeoff with an engine compressor stalling, single engine localizer approach, lots of flight control issues, hydraulic issues, fires,  raw data (no autopilot, flight director ) approach and of course evacuations after landing. 

There is a lot going on. On the final event we were in the air and just needed to land. My leg and the flaps were jammed between 5 and 20. We were being vectored for runway 16C in Seattle. The Captain joked "we should just land at Boeing Field and return the plane as it's broken (because the flaps broke). The instructor said "I don't care...just land somewhere". 

I turned the autopilot and flight directors off. It was fun to just land a plane. I was high so I put out the speed brakes and dropped the gear. I made the smoothest landing to date on 14R. Now I was really fast (because of the reduced flaps)....and it's only a simulator...but we couldn't feel the wheels touch. 

Landing a sim smooth is liking kissing your sibling on the cheek...it's nothing exciting or to gloat over.

I have one more training simulator event then my next 5 are with a Check Airman. The first 2 are training/verifying while the last 3 are checking only events. 

Almost done. 

Training is always being tired

 Day 3 sim. Another 6:15PM show time for a 7:45PM-11:45PM simulator and a debrief that could end as late as 12:15AM.

This being my 3rd one...lack of quality sleep is setting in. This all started day one. Let's rewind for a second to that day.

I took a nap in the middle of the day to prepare for my sim session that day. I arrived back home after the session just past midnight. We debriefed quickly. I live just a few miles from the training facility. My head hit the pillow around 12:20PM. Since I was hopped up on caffeine it took a bit to fall asleep.

A few hours later it was 6AM and that was my normal wake up time. I couldn't sleep anymore. Breakfast, morning activities and I went back to bed at 10AM and woke up again just prior to 12:30PM. 

Lunch, treadmill, and study. Quick dinner with the family and I left home at 5:50PM arriving at 6:00PM. 

Another sim session.

Arrived home again just prior to Midnight and did the same thing again. 

I was a little more groggy the morning after the second sim session. I tried to stay awake longer but went to bed at 10 AM and slept until 1PM. Tired. 

This being the third sim session it was leg day.....AKA V1 Cut day.

For those that don't know, a V1 cut is the most over taught maneuver in aviation. The set up is to have an engine fail at the worst possible time....and survive. The worst possible time is the speed so high you can't stop on the runway anymore. 

So there you are at 170 MPH in a giant jet with one engine failed and you have to get airborne. The one remaining engine is pushing that wing forward yawing the plane to the opposite side. If you don't correct the yaw you will crash. Once you leave the earth that friction of the tires goes away requiring even more of a corrective action. Mess it up....crash. 

Your leg on the good engine side is pushing forward to keep the nose straight. Failure to do so adds a lot of drag...and you will crash. The bigger the engines generally the more force is needed.

My first aircraft type rating was a CL-65 for the CRJ-700. That plane is over powered. The V1 cut in that plane was busy. From what I recall I had to do several things when the engine failed like adding rudder trim to take pressure off my leg,  watch my altitude and call for a level off once clear of danger, watch my airspeed to know when to start retracting flaps and then keep climbing once clean. If a turn was needed I might need to press a button for a half banked turn. That's from memory.

Still here? 

If taking off from an airport with high terrain, buildings or other obstacles in the way there is a special engine out procedure we must follow. This is airline designed and ATC likely has no idea. In order to fly this special engine out procedure, while doing all the above, I have to tell the flight computer to execute that procedure. It's a few extra key stokes in every other plane I have flown...until now.

So...here I am in a 777.....I have a failed  engine. There are GIANT engines under the wings producing massive amounts of thrust. You would think I would need to really push hard with my leg to keep the plane straight...and not crash. Nope.

The 777 has a feature called Thrust Asymmetry Compensation. 

This TAC saw the engine failure before me....it started adding rudder pressure right away. If on the ground I have to add a little...but just enough to keep my head in the game. Once in the air.....I add nothing. I can easily turn the autopilot on at 200 feet. From there the plane will automatically level off and start accelerating. I just call for flap retraction on schedule....once clean I press one more button and away we go. 

There's almost no stress. This is the easiest V1 cut across my 5 other type ratings.  

That was what day 3 mostly involved. Having engine failures on takeoff, climb out and even on final. We then would practice landing the plane and going around on just one engine. The 777 has so much available power.....so much AUTOMATION......it's easy. All of my pilot skills and knowledge are cross checking and verifying everything is going as I expect....and it is. 

I feel guilty this is so easy. A good thing as I was tired...exhausted. I kept eyeing my EFB for the time. 

Finished at 11:35PM. We debriefed in the sim and I headed home. 

Today....2PM show for a 3:45PM-7:45PM sim. Earlier. 

After sim 5....2 days off. I then have just 2 more sim events until check ride. 

Dusting off the blog

 Taking a video production break. 

Currently the morning of day 3 of the 777 simulator. 

For those that have never experienced airline training...flying a simulator is similar to learning to fly any plane. 

Day 1 sim was a "get to know the simulator" sim. We did a normal preflight. I went through all the buttons while the Captain loaded the FMS. This was a flight from JFK to BOS. Not realistic in a 777 but it's VERY rare to sit straight and level in a simulator. Simulator time is expensive. Straight and level teaches you nothing thus....it's rare. 

Normal pushback, start, taxi and takeoff. We did some basic FMS changes (direct to, intercept a route, and holding). 

There were some examples of high speed and low speed protections, bank angle protection and throttle wake up. Those are all ways the airplane protects the flight in case things aren't going normally.

We then did a little hand flying. Another about a simulator...it's just a computer. I have never flown a simulator that was exactly like the actual airplane. They are close...but it's just a computer.

Things like winds are almost always constant. In the real world winds can change drastically during an approach as topography changes which changes the velocity of wind. Anyways we did a few visual approaches. I took my Airbus 321 landing technique and used it for the 777. At 50 feet I thought about flaring...but didn't flare.....at 40 feet I thought "hmmm....sure looks like maybe I should flare....No!" When 30 feet came my brain told my right hand to get ready to flare.....at 20 feet it was a gentle flare....at 10 feet...a little more....then hold it....contact. Smoother than I expected...again...it's a computer.

All of that took 4 hours. 

Day 2 was more training based and less situation based.

We started in BOS with engines running already pushed back in snowy conditions. We did a few rejected takeoffs. The Captain is a former 737 Captain. He knows Boeing but also has muscle memory from the last 11 years as a 737 Captain. The reject on a 777 is different than the 737. The procedure we use here is to idle the thrust levers, disconnect auto throttles, full reverse, pull speed brake handle and stop the plane. We did both high speed and low speed rejects. 

Once off the ground we did NON-ILS approaches. In the real world almost every approach is an ILS. In the training environment we do a lot of NON-ILS. This can be a VOR, RNP, LOC, GPS etc...anything without a traditional land based glideslope. 

The way a NON-ILS is done in a 777 is nothing like an Airbus. Way more work to get the same result. It's not hard....just different. The Airbus seems more cohesive while the 777 is more...."hey pilot....figure it out and land". This is not about physically flying but getting the automation to do what is expected. After several types of approaches we each did an approach to landing stall, windshear and missed approaches. 

Going missed in a 777 is stupid easy....even compared to the Airbus. To initiate a go-around I just press TOGA on the thrust levers, pitch up, call "flaps 20"......Captain states positive rate.....I say "gear up!". At 1000 feet I press VNAV or Flight Level Change...that's it. By comparison going around in a CRJ was much more complicated. 

Almost everything in the 777 is easier compared to my previous 5 type ratings. So much of the time I feel like I should be doing something....but there is nothing to do. Some of this comes from experience in knowing what needs to be done regardless of plane but  a good chunk of it is....automation.

We finished the required task early and had time for one V1 Cut each. The V1 cut is the most over taught maneuver in my opinion. 

A V1 Cut is having an engine fail right at the V1 (go/no go speed) and continuing the takeoff. 

The 777 has a TAC....Thrust Asymmetry Compensation. On the ground when the TAC senses an engine failure it quickly adds rudder trim to compensate. The system doesn't fully compensate on the ground just so the pilot can still "feel" the failure...but it makes it very easy. My first V1 cut in most aircraft is a busy and humbling experience. In the 777.....I looked like a pro. 

More on that next time. 

So....Year 5 pay coming up

 I'm still here. Tiktok has been my primary blogging platform of sorts. It takes WAY more time than this site....but it's a visual experience vs words and a few photos. 

I start year 5 pay in a few weeks. If I had bid LGA CA 737 I would soon be making $263 an hour....but I didn't...so I will be making $169 an hour. Those that have been following this from the beginning will remember when I made $24 an hour. 

Those not in the industry assume everyone wants to be Captain and make money. I am and have always put quality of life over money. Being at mainline I make plenty as a First Officer. No need to rush to Captain. I will likely head over to the 787 as a First Officer before bidding Airbus Captain anyway.

Beyond that...I'm happy. I am doing what I love. My goal was to one day be an airline pilot for a major airline. I have met my goal. 

The road here wasn't easy...but I am glad I took the jump. 

Questions? Fire away...but again...way more interaction on Tiktok. 

Fourteen Years

 At the end of the month I will mark 14 years as an Airline Pilot. This career has been interesting. I've lost count of how many hotel rooms I've stayed in....how many cups of airplane coffee I've slugged down....how "well crap" statements after a not so great landing. 

I still love what I do. 

Each time I pre-flight a plane I look up in amazement....."I get to fly this thing". 

That said it hasn't all been roses. 

Long time readers know I spent 10 years flying regional jets...8 1/2 of those years in the right seat...unable to upgrade. 

This blog used to be my main focus. As time has gone on I updated less and less....over the last year I've been making more updates...but just via video on TikTok. I'd like to say that will change...but I don't see it. 

I will be starting a YouTube channel. It will be updated more than this site but less than Tiktok. Just a different avenue. 

Beyond that...life is good. I haven't regretted changing careers for a moment...all the unknowns....all the stress...all worth it. 

I’m still here

 I’m still here. 

The last year has been interesting. Flights went from nearly empty to every seat being full. 

I was fortunate to survive furlough and have steady flying the entire time. During the fall I was the second most junior pilot in my status. This summer…I’m 50% in base meaning half the pilots in my status are below me. 

With the increase in flying I’ve scored a few 150% pay trips. These are the trips my wife and I would talk about while I was making $40 an hour as a RJ First Officer. One 150% pay overnight pays more than. I took home in a month my first year flying back in 2007. Even a regular pay 4 day pays more than I made in a month as a 8 year RJ First Officer. I am lucky to be where I am.

While planes are full, I am not doing to same flying I used to do. I miss Colombia and Ecuador. My Bogota flights from DFW are now flown by a 777. No flights to Ecuador have returned yet. 

This Thursday I fly to Honduras for the first time since 2019. Toncontín airport in Tegucigalpa, Honduras is one of the most difficult airports to land at in the world. There’s a lot of prepartation prior to landing. I’m looking forward to a change of scenery.

Beyond that…life is good. Kids are healthy. Wife and I are vaccinated. Waiting for the world to recover. 

Almost daily updates ok TikTok

Back to the Line

 After surviving furlough by 27 numbers I'm back to being a line holder next month. I didn't want a line....I wanted reserve. Why ? Numbers.

I was awarded a week of vacation next month over my kids Spring Break. Normally great...but the whole pandemic thing going on. 

At my airline a week of vacation is worth slightly more than 25 hours. Due to the way reserve is calculated I can bid short call reserve and get almost 85 hours of pay while working 15 days. It's some convoluted math. 

I tried to bid reserve but I put in to many restrictions and not enough options thus I got a line. I will be paid 82 hours with 20 days off though...not bad. I have 2 4 day trips and 1 2 day trip. I'm still ahead. 

Of note my 2 day trip goes through Tegucigalpa Honduras....AKA one of the most difficult commercial airports to land at in the world. I haven't been there since...hmm....maybe last March. It's been a while. 

Beyond that life is good enough. I could complain because all pilots complain...but I won't. I'm happy to have job...be based where I live and have enough to support my family. 

Sorry for the inactivity here....I'm much more active over on the Tik that Toks. Link is here

From 52% to 98%

 With the furloughs and reduced flying I've gone from middle line holder to second from the bottom. Long time readers might recall when I was THE bottom back in 2008. I've been here before. Thankfully there's no more airport standby. I've been short call reserve for 3 months in a row. 

December I was in the right spot all month...I only worked 5 days...and just 2 overnights. 

I'm thankful to still have a job. I'm not complaining. 

January I have a week of vacation. January vacations go very junior as it's not a very desirable vacation month. I have no plans. 

I'm currently on a 4 day trip. This was a surprise trip as when I saw it go into open time the math showed I was barely legal for it. Turns out I was the ONLY pilot available. Thus I got it. I was legal by 13 minutes.

The trip isn't bad. It's a 1-2-2-1 trip. One leg to PHL on day one...then back to DFW then ATL on day two. Day three is ATL to DFW to LAX while day four is a deadhead home. 

There were a few pre-boarding delays and it wasn't looking good for me getting out before I timed out. While finishing the pre-flight stuff and ACARS message printed out. 

I was about to erupt before I saw it was from a friend of mine. He happened to be 

the Dispatcher for my flight.

I pushed up the thrust levers with 8 minutes to spare.

Long flight to Pittsburgh. Airport hotel. 

With this trip and my vacation  I should be done for the month. 

February has the return of many pilots below me. I might be able to bid a line. 

Hoping 2021 is going to be legen......wait for it....dary.  

I worked 3 days in November

 November began with a week vacation with my family at Disney World. This was our second trip there this year. We went in March the week before it shut down. Going back so soon was very interesting. Crowds were less but it was just different. My kids were happy. 

With the furloughs and reductions in flying I am very junior in base. I'm on short call reserve. Since I live 10 miles from the airport...it's no big deal.

Scheduling didn't call me until the last half of the month. I was called initially for a super easy 2 day trip. I was to dead head to Grand Rapids...fly to Phoenix...stay the night...and dead head home. Well once we landed in Grand Rapids they changed my schedule for me to fly right back home...as crew. Fine with me. 

The day before Thanksgiving I was given a very interesting trip. The morning flight from Lima, Peru to Miami had a mechanical. The plane was out of service. I was assigned to ferry a plane from DFW to Lima. There's no direct service between DFW and Lima. This would be a first. That flight was just over 2950 miles. That was my longest flight ever...just me and the Captain.

Being so long we divided up the flight. I took off and over Honduras he took over and landed. I had just 16 hours in Lima before dead heading to Miami...sitting 4 hours...and dead heading home on Thanksgiving day. It was a crazy long day but I technically made it home on Thanksgiving as I pulled in the drive way at 11:50 PM. 

I did make a Tiktok about the experience.... 

For December I'm short call again......there's rumor of a new bill from Congress that would allow furloughs to be recalled. 

Return to Bogota

 Since March this only "international" overnight I have had has been Cancun...and that's not really international. 

I have mostly been flying turn to Cancun and overnight in Anchorage as far as non-continental US has gone. September did allow for one turn to St. Maarten (which was a bucket list airport for me!) but that's it.

September was supposed to have been my return to Bogota. COVID-19 killed those plans as the country was still struggling. This month I finally returned.

Normally the flight is a 5PM departure from DFW arriving just after 11 PM. I stay 23 hours then depart at 11PM and arrive at 5:00 AM. For reasons I don't know...things are different...but just for ME.

This week I was supposed to have a 48 hour overnight and the normal red eye home. Scheduling changed it to a 33 hour overnight and a day time flight home. In the 15 + Bogota trips I have done....only one has been daytime and it was a flight to Miami. Seeing the airport awake and me being 100% awake just isn't normal. I was happy to do it though.

The Captain I had flown with a few times. Things in Bogota are not normal of course. Their citizens do a much better job wearing mask, cleaning and distancing than Americans by a long shot. The hotel was just a nice but only one of the four restaurants was open. The normal expansive breakfast buffet was very small. I appreciated being able to escape the country for a bit....and the exchange rate is majorly in our favor right now. 

Returning home was so easy. The Captain and kept remarking how much easier it is to fly the nearly 6 hour trip during bankers hours. We had an 11 AM departure. There was a snag. 

One of the Flight Attendants called in sick while in Bogota. With reduced frequency it would be more than a day for the next scheduled in bound. The plane we were flying arrived the night before. My airline went above and beyond fixing things. They scheduled an Airbus 319 to leave Miami with just one Flight Attendant on board...with the 2 pilots of course. The non-scheduled flight arrived 1 hour before departure and right next to my gate. 

The Flight Attendant walked off that plane and onto mine. We left on time. The Airbus 319 from Miami then returned to Miami. No cargo...no passengers. That was a huge expense by the airline to keep things moving.

I'm off for a few days before doing a similar trip but only a 10 hour 45 minute overnight in Bogota next week...still a daytime return. There are only 2 day time flights between Bogota and DFW this month...and I do them both. Every other day it's a red-eye. Lucky me! 

Another trip in the box

 At my last airline I had a check ride every year. 

For the first 7 years or so it was a "bet your job" single pilot check ride events. There was another pilot in the simulator, but they could never help you. 

My last 3 years they finally were approved for AQP (Advanced Qualification Program). I was in the small group trials for AQP and was actually the first pilot to ever pass that training. Even with AQP at my previous airline there was a lot to do, written exams and an oral exam.

When I came to my current airline, things changed. I am training in the same building as my last airline....but now I am at the majors. 

My first week here they told me , "you're not at Eagle anymore, relax.....we are here to help you." While it was nice to here....I couldn't just relax.

I was then training for the MD-80 down the same hall where I used to get 3 hour orals over almost every button on the flight deck. I used to have to recite over 15 different memory items. Now they were telling me to relax?

While I did have about 7000 hours of flight time before I started at AA, I still felt inadequate. I studied harder than I did for my previous regional jet. For the MD-80 I had my initial check ride in January 2018 and a probationary check ride in October of 2018. Training at AA is every 9 months instead of every year. 

Both events were stressful, especially the probationary ride as that was a job in jeopardy event. Of course I passed....I over prepared. There were written exams and a kind of oral (computer based) for the MD-80.

When I went to the Airbus I again studied hard. The Airbus 320 program was a huge step from the MD-80 but similar to the ERJ-175 I flew. I missed one question on the written exam. My initial check ride I felt just adequate....but did well. That was March 2019. 

In December 2019 I had my R-9 check ride. I started studying 3 months in advance. I read EVERY manual cover to cover.......twice. I did very well.

This morning, September 2020 I had my R-18 check. With all the craziness going on I have been stressed. I didn't start studying until a month out. During the break today my instructor pulled me aside and asked if I was former Eagle. I said I was...he said he can spot us....all of us come more than prepared and don't accept mediocre. 

The ride went very well. I stressed myself out preparing for it.....but was relaxed during the event. I'm an average pilot. The 13 years, 5 fleet types and 8200 hours in the air help, but I think it's my over preparing and conscious effort to know everything I need daily that helps. 

Good till June 2021. 

Hoarding

 Though I may be safe for now...I can feel the flames.

As a pilot I am a planner...I plan for multiple scenarios while flying...and in daily life. Always have a backup plan.

Even since June I have been trying to fortify my savings. I have been socking away a rainy day fund for years. I currently have over a years pay at RJ FO level or about 4 months at my current pay level. At the same time I've been shedding bills and conserving more than I normally do.

Each month I have two 3 limits on how much I can earn. There's the FAA flying limit, the company credit limit and the union credit limit. The last two are credits. 

It could get complicated quickly and I hate math so I will use round numbers. Each calendar day I get the greater of 5 hours OR whatever is flown whatever is greater. This is averaged over the trip. The real number is 5 hours 15 minutes...but I will stick with 5.

Now that 5 is a credit amount. If I fly a single 1 hour flight, overnight and 1 hour flight home...I get 10 hours pay even though I only flew 2 hours. The name of the game is to get paid more than I fly. I can't fly 130 hours a month..but I can credit that much.

Normal line trips don't typically have a lot of credit. My Anchorage trips last month were on paper a 4 day trip. Day 1 was a 2 PM flight to Anchorage  arriving same day. Day 2 was a red-eye at 8 PM local (Midnight my base time) arriving at 7 AM in Chicago. Each flight is about 7 hours. I was then supposed to head to a hotel (which it was now day 3) and dead head home early in the morning on Day 4.

Each flight was 7 hours (round numbers). So a total of 14 hours. The trip was 4 calendar days. I get 20 hours pay (really 21 but again...round numbers). I am not required to go to the hotel since the last leg is a dead head. Each trip I would head to the next flight to Dallas, sleep, and drive home and relax....all while getting an extra 6 hours of pay. 

When weather hits, planes run late or stuff just happens, the airline will substitute crews and aircraft if they are able. Normally this is for reserves. At my airline line holders can list themselves to be called for open flights as they are created. It's called a "make up" list. Depending on how long before the flight leaves scheduling will call the most senior pilot on the list and offer them the flight. They keep going until they get a yes OR it gets too close to departure and they call a reserve. 

These make up flights can be a turn, overnight or full multi-day trip. My favorite are the 1 hour to the hotel and dead head home the next day. Nothing like 1 hour of work for 10 hours of pay. My next favorite are a turn with the last leg being a dead head. I get full pay for fly as a passenger. 

Through June, July and August I played the game of maximizing credit and minimizing flight time. I credited right at 100 hours for June and July and 94 hours in August. I had a week off with family in August...otherwise I could have exceeded 100 easily.

This month something interesting happened. I was supposed to return to Bogota, Colombia for the first time since February. I had two 3 day trips. One leg down and one leg back. Twelve hours of flight for 15 hours pay. 

Covid-19 is still a big issue down there and the aviation authorities cancelled inbound flights. Once they were cancelled the credit was removed from my tally. I still get paid for those flights as long as I don't touch the days they were supposed to operate AND I accept any reassignment they give me. 

This is where the monthly max credit from the company comes in. This month it's 88 hours. I was at 84 hours before the flights cancelled. Take the 30 hours (2 trips) from 88 and it drops to 58. I can now pick up makeup flying or any trips I want and get more than 88 hours. So far I added a LAX turn (one leg there and dead head back same day) and two MIA turns (dead head there and fly back). That's a total of 18 hours. So I'm sitting at least 102 hours of pay and will fly at most 50 hours. 

This is also my training month. Lot's of moving parts. 

I am thankful for my job and my ability to be working right now. I realize I have a rare career which allows me to earn a lot of money quickly. My current pay rate is right above $161 an hour. Even my basic math at play shows me making over $16,000 this month alone. Most of it will be thrown onto the rainy day pile. Hoping I never need it....but this is one case where it's okay to be a hoarder. 

A few photos from recent trips....had a nice 22 hour layover in Cancun and of course my Anchorage flights. 

Twenty-Five

 If you follow aviation...or just watch the news then you know it has been a bad week for United States legacy airlines this week.

Delta announced 1,941 furloughs...then American announced 1605 furlough....and United came in with 2850 furloughs. 

Each number is a pilot...and person...with a family. Massive numbers. 

I am safe at American by 25. That's it. Those that have been reading my blogs for a while might remember I was hired by AA outside of flow. If I had not been fortunate to earn an interview (through heavy networking, volunteering and determination) I would have flowed a year later....and be subject to being furloughed. Twenty-Five.

Currently on my last Anchorage, Alaska trip. Tired. Long 7 hour flight up. Time to rest. Quite the emotional roller coaster lately with all the news. 

Doing it because I love it...and I might need the money

 Back in October 2007 I was hired by American Eagle. About a year later they started furloughing. I survived. Barely.

In November 2017 I was hired by American Airlines. Last month I was the recipient of a WARN letter. I have 2251 pilots below me. They bottom 2500 were given a WARN letter. Yep.

Since I knew this was coming I started fortifying my furlough fund. 

Every airline pilot SHOULD have a furlough fund. Airline employees live with feast of famine. I have feast when I was hired....since March 2020......it's been famine. 

In May I started cutting back unnecessary expenses. In June I began picking up at much extra CREDIT as possible. 

At my airline there's pay hours...and credit hours. Each day I go to work I am guranteed at least 5 hours and 15 minutes pay regardless of how little I fly. For example I can fly a 1 hour flight from Dallas to Tulsa stay the night and fly back to Dallas the next day. I would work 2 hours but be paid 10 1/2 hours. The extra 8 1/2 hours is credit. Work smart not hard. The idea is for the airline to build efficient schedules. 

At American Eagle there was no daily guarantee. The same Tulsa flight would have paid 2 hours. At my current pay rate a simple overnight nearly covers my mortgage. It's a good deal.

My union and airline together decide the max credit I can get per month. The FARs limit how much flying I can do per month. In July I was limited to 100 hours credit. I was able to work the system to get 99 hours and 46 minutes of credit. I actually flew less than 60 hours. 

I'm going all this to help fortify my furlough fund. Right now I have about 5 months of pay in cash saved up. That's normal spending. I can easily stretch that to 8 months as I will have lower expenses sitting at home....plus there's unemployment.

Do I think I will get furloughed? I doubt it. I assume there will be another bailout sent to the airlines to cover them thru March 2021. Hopefully by then the vaccine will be out to high risk people and the virus will be on the mend. If not....then a furlough is very likely.

Domestic US flying is still pretty busy. International is light because most of the world doesn't want Americans.

I am an "international" pilot. Mexico is currently accepting Americans. I have been to Cancun more times in the last month than the last year. 

My trips to Cancun were from Phoenix and Dallas. All were full in and out. Americans want to travel. 

Still love flying...still looooooooove the Airbus. 

Photo of the baby bus in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. All that open land and a really short runway!

I'm a little tired....last night I picked up a 1-1 that was supposed to go to Saint Louis and deadhead home later this morning.

Before I left home scheduling reassigned me to fly to Kansas City then deadhead home today. A very strong storm came through last night. It could have been worse as they could have given me much longer flights.

I pulled out of my garage at 7:05 PM.

Delayed a bit but it was a short flight up. My cabin crew were doing a "On Duty All Night" or Continuous Duty Overnight meaning they worked the first flight out in the morning and required NO rest. 

We were supposed to be full. With all the weather only 37 people on board the baby 319. The plane holds 128 passengers. Nice 28 knot crosswind takeoff. Limit on dry is 35 knots. Light plane plus winds meant for a very short takeoff roll. 

I made a decent landing and I was in my hotel room at 12:20 AM. I was scheduled to leave at 11:35 AM to deadhead back to Dallas.

At 4:45 AM my wrist was vibrating. Time to get up. I was on the 5 AM van with the cabin crew. There was no need for me to waste half a day in Kansas City.

Short flight and I pulled into my garage at 7:55 AM just in time to take my daughter to daycare. It was like I was never even gone.

I am at 86 hours credit this month. Actual flying it closer 62 hours. I hope to pick up at last one more overnight. 

I have two Anchorage, Alaska trips left for the month each with 8 hours of extra credit. 

Doing it because I love flying....and might need the money.

For those on social media I am on Instagram and TikTok as Geekinthecockpit. Feel free to request a follow.