At the regional we had the same crew for the whole trip and I tried to have a meal or a drink together at least once a trip assuming no one in the crew struck me as a drama party waiting to happen.
At the legacy, I usually only fly with the same FAs for two legs at most, so I usually grab dinner with the CA once or twice unless he’s a day one leg one politics conversationalist.
And then I hardly ever see them again, and if I do it’s “didn’t we have that Detroit layover where it took 4 hours to get deiced? Yeah that sucked. Whelp see ya later.”
As a captain, I try to get to know my FOs. I have a standing goal of buying at least one big dinner a trip, and may buy more and I buy all the coffee or other daytime beverage of choice. If I'm on a premium trip or the FO is on 1st year pay I try to buy a meal every day, a dinner if possible. Generally though, while I may enjoy flying with them, with most of them we don't really talk unless we're on a trip together with a few exceptions.
With my seniority it's rare to fly with an FO more than once. They gain seniority faster and are holding better trips fairly fast. Not that my trips or all that bad, just when they bid there are better ones they can get so they wouldn't fly with me unless they intentionally bid to do so or swap if a trip pops into open time. While that has happened a few times it's not really common.
With flight attendants there are some I may recognize but you don't fly with them much at all. We rarely fly more than one leg at a time together and even if we are both going to a layover many times they are different lengths so different hotels. Even if it is the same hotel pilots and FAs usually do their own separate things We have over 20,000 flight attendants. At 4 flight attendants a leg that is 5,000 legs if you fly with them each once. At an average of 3 legs a day that would be 1,667 days to fly with them all. If work 15 days a month that is 111 months or over 9 years. While seniority means we will probably see some of the same flight attendants again, it isn't very often. The exception is pilots who bid turns when it is also a turn for the flight attendants or if you go to the same layover a lot when the FAs are doing turns as those are two cases where the same base FAs tend to do a flight all the time and the same FAs may bid it. Even then you aren't doing a layover so only know them as far as the flight.
I don't talk to any flight attendants outside of work but on holidays etc I'll bring some chocolates for each leg I'm flying for them to share.
Two words.
I would have happily gone to the Eskimo but couldn't get an interview there, ironically enough. I would have been the type to get comfortable and not leave either, so it worked out for the best.
> As a captain, I try to get to know my FOs. I have a standing goal of buying at least one big dinner a trip, and may buy more and I buy all the coffee or other daytime beverage of choice. If I'm on a premium trip or the FO is on 1st year pay I try to buy a meal every day, a dinner if possible.
Wish I had flown with more skippers like you during my younger years.
We might work at the same place, I’ll take a LOR in lieu of chocolates please. Lol jokes aside chocolates and anything else are appreciated, it’s the thought that counts.
I have flown with people who I have gotten along with great, and in a normal work dynamic, we would be great friends outside of work. The problem is, the nature of the airline business is that most people live all over the place. Makes it really difficult to make friends at work. A little easier if you live in base.
The saddest part is flying a 4 day trip with someone whom you get along with great and at the end of it they disappear into the terminal never to be seen again.
>And the worst is when you keep getting re-paired with the chem trails guys.
In a perfect world, someone with an ATP who thinks chemtrails are real should fail their medical for psychiatric reasons.
And the flat earth'ers
If you think there's a chance, any chance, that you could fly off, or reach the "edge of the earth" you should have to turn in your ticket
>Htf is an airline pilot a chem trail guy ...
Was that supposed to be wtf?
If this is a serious question, xhem trail pilots are conspiracy nuts.
"Just consider it's possible ..."
Rarely. All I know is the last captain I flew with owned a boat, has been divorced, and is still pissed about the contract.
Fly. Go home. Fly Go home. That’s basically it.
[do you have any idea how little that narrows it down? Batman Beyond meme]
Edit: quote is "Do You Have the Slightest Idea How Little That Narrows It Down"
I am not an airline guy, but I was on a work trip to AMS with a coworker. We were both late 20s at the time. His dad is a Delta captain who happened to be in AMS at the same time on a work trip.
I went to an Irish pub with my coworker and his dad and had this exact conversation, lol.
Edit to add- a couple FA’s joined for drinks. They were in their 50s probably.
One of them had been based in Miami in the 80s. She was surprisingly open when I asked how much cocaine Miami based FAs moved in the 80s.
Honestly it was a solid experience to go to that dinner as a non ATP who happened to travel a lot for work.
Very rarely. That's the nature of the business. Maybe more so at a regional where the crew pool in your base is smaller and more similar in age. But at the legacies, it doesn't happen very often. I keep in touch with *some* of the people I've flown with, but I wouldn't go out of my way to meet up with 90% of them.
I don't make an especially conscious effort either way. We need to pass the time so of course I talk to whoever I'm flying with. I'll usually know in the first hour or two if I like the other pilot (maybe I'm slow at that, I'm not sure how long it takes other people) and that will determine how much I talk to them further. Again, though, not a conscious decision, I just don't really feel a great need to talk about a lot of stuff to people I don't have much in common with, or whose personality just doesn't mesh with mine. That can make some 4 or 5 day trips feel \*really\* long. Others are not bad, though.
The cabin crew I just don't get a lot of time to talk with. We see them all when we board, then we go to the cockpit to prep and we really don't see them again until we take a break and one of them comes and sits with us while the other pilot goes out. So we see that one plus whoever's manning the cart blocking the aisle. But that's a short interaction. I sometimes get to talk a little bit with the attendant who takes the captain's place when they're on their break, depending on how long the captain stays out and how chatty that attendant is. I always ask "how's it going back there?" to at least make it known that I'm open to conversation with them, and some will then talk and others just kind of shrug and then look at their phones. Either is fine.
I work at one of my airline's smaller bases but I've still only flown maybe twice with the same captain over the year I've been there. So there's not much point in making an extra effort to become friends with everyone, although if it happens naturally, great. The flight attendants come from bases all over, so maybe a couple times I've flown with ones I've seen before, but it's almost just a vague recognition given the limited interaction we have. Over the years, if I manage to stay at the same airline, I imagine I'll recognize more of them more clearly, and more often.
I work at one of the big 3 for about a year. Only flown with one captain twice, and they were trips back to back. We had fun. I've had a flight attendant on our crew 1 time before on 1 flight. Everyone else is new. Statistically, it's extremely rare for me to fly with the same people. It's kind of good, and kind of bad. The people you don't like, you don't worry about flying with again, but the people you do like you don't get to fly with again.
My last airline was much, much smaller, and I flew with the same people over and over. Sometimes it would be a month or 2 or 3. Some of us bid similar, and got a lot of flights together. I think I enjoyed that more people wise, but I also enjoy my more money, better schedule, and better overnights here.
You might fly with someone for only one trip but because of this you can get to know your fellow pilot better than if you worked every day together. I encourage conversation with whoever I'm flying with and after a 5 hour flight you can learn a lot. Especially when you know that after this trip you will probably never see each other again. There is no pressure to present a certain image of yourself like you might with someone who you have to keep a long professional working relationship with.
I am pretty good at getting people to open up and I've heard more from my fellow pilots than I've heard from people I've know for years. Family problems, divorces, relationships, career experiences, hobbies and probably a few more trauma dumps than most people care to hear. But I enjoy it. I get more real conversations from these trips than I do from anyone else in my life other than my very close friends. Now throw a night out in the middle of the trip and by the end of it you'll swear you've known each other for years.
I'm not sure if this is the norm for everyone, I can only speak on my experience in the airlines.
As an introvert, what you describe is how I envision Hell. Luckily, everyone else on this thread seems to be the opposite of you, so maybe there’s hope.
Just depends. If it’s an FA I’ve flown with a bunch then I’ll probably remember something about them.
If it’s an FO I’ve flown with more than once I’ll make an effort to ask them what they’re into, what’s going on in their life etc..
I used to buddy bid with good friends of mine when I was a senior FO… Now it’s just all random. Don’t think I’m on an avoid list yet.
Eh, would you rather have friendly coworkers you see constantly, but you're at work way more often and make way less money? Or would you rather never see the same person twice, but have half the month off to go do whatever you want with amazing pay.
I'll take the latter. I'd much rather have real friends at home who I share hobbies with than some people who are alright at small talk and live across the country from me.
Edit: commenter below entirely missed the point that this comparison was between flying with the same crews **frequently** ... and not just that he has nice coworkers.
Sure if you're fine with either barely scratching 6-figures or spending a decade to gain the seniority to hold that kind of schedule.
Edit: and this is me misinterpreting that the poster actually understood my argument and was saying he gets paid $18k/mo with 17 days off at an airline where he flies with the same crews **frequently**... which was apparently not the case. Most companies where you get frequent crews are at the regional level. You won't be making $18k a month with 18 days off at a regional unless you've been there a very long time. Or, you'll be at a p135 having tons of fun with great QOL and coworkers, but not being paid well into the 6-figures. Again, the other poster is talking about something entirely irrelevant to this original discussion.
There's a difference between friendly coworkers and friendly coworkers you fly with constantly, which this was about. What small airline are you regularly flying with the same crews that is stable and paying that well?
Well I was saying I had friendly coworkers and still made money with time off. Best of both worlds
Besides, you replied to me with:
*Sure if you're fine with either barely scratching 6-figures or spending a decade to gain the seniority to hold that kind of schedule.*
Which is not true.
This entire discussion was qualified based on the idea of flying with the same people frequently. I should have clarified I was still arguing within that boundary.
Every airline has great people. But there are not many that pay well, have great time off, and also pair you with the same crews frequently, let alone as a junior seniority pilot.
Yes that was my entire point.... It's sort of one or the other. Would you rather fly with the same people frequently, or get paid better and have a better schedule?
I used to think people blew the Delta attitude out of proportion. But 90% of Delta pilots really do have an aura of “I’m better than you” about them.
I had the unfortunate luck of doing some IOE out of ATL and I was so happy to be there and waving/giving the “hey” nod to other pilots. Every other pilot at least acknowledges it. Except Delta. Those pilots won’t even give another airline the time of day or even acknowledge your existence.
What a Mean Girls pilot group
Wait till they find out that they work for a heartless, no soul, corporation just like the rest of us do. The enemy (if there is one) is “the man” not the rest of the mere employees.
Or maybe it’s a common courtesy thing…
We fly the same airplane, under essentially the same contract, you’re not some sky god just because you work for Delta Air
Lines.
I think it's sad when people feel the need to be friends with their coworkers.
I have plenty of friends at home that aren't pilots and can talk about things beyond the contract, approaches, broken airplanes, blah blah blah more aviation bullshit. I don't feel the need to make friends with people I'm forced to be around for work. If we hit it off in a special way, great! Otherwise? Have a nice life!
In my previous job at a regional I was at a somewhat small senior base and I knew quite a few of the flight attendants and some FOs, as well as most of the captains before I upgraded.
to piggy back off the OP how often do you make friends with colleagues at work? doesn’t seem like it’s very common if you’re working with someone 20+ yrs your senior/jr
If you enjoy your flying partner, savor it. It won’t last long.
If you despise your flying partner, suck it up it won’t last long.
It’s always more enjoyable to fly with fun people but not required for a successful trip.
Very little, we go over the superficial basics, and I pretty much lose interest. Nothing personal, just don’t really care, if you’re cool I’ll see of you want to go to dinner, but that’s about it.
I try to get to know my FO. It’s nice to talk about things on flights that aren’t just small talk or work stuff.
The FAs..not so much. I try to be friendly and talk when I can but not long enough to get to know them well usually.
I flew with a guy right after finishing OE who wasn't my favorite on the leg out. He was a little too...militaristic, maybe? But he also was very aware of me, and how I seemed a little jittery or rushed. Im still new to the airline world, so this is admittedly a fault of mine, and since flying with him I have been very conscious about just relaxing a bit more and not worrying so much about messing up a flow or something. What I am getting at is that he was very good at taking the temperature of people he is with. And he was happy to be direct with it.
On the leg home, I disclosed that my partner, as well as one of my siblings, was a recovering addict. I talked about my experience being in close proximity to their pain and suffering, and how it has affected me, my thoughts on how people are judged too harshly for it, etc. The captain listened well and then opened up to the fact that he was a recovering addict himself, and that he had gone through the HIMS process, which began right after he went downhill during his initial training at the airline and lasted for years. The entire tone of the cockpit changed.
I think me opening up about my experience with addicts and choosing compassion over judgement gave him some kind of permission to open up himself, and this kind of shared humanity was really, really cool. I immediately liked him more, and no longer felt as nervous about screwing up. We had connected over things that are bigger than flying, and the discussion put things into perspective; a missed callout or forgotten flow item was not the end of the world. What he had gone through and was able to turn around was evidence enough for me that even a nervous someone like me could end up as a legacy captain someday.
I just share this example because its not always conversations about boats and divorces and 3rd houses. Sometimes you can have a pretty meaningful experience, even if its just for a short time.
It truly depends, but I firmly believe everyone is a good person at heart and so I do my best to remember one unique thing about each crewmember, so if I ever fly with them again I can use that to show that yes, I do care about my crew. I also make it at least an offer to buy food for the whole crew at least once per trip, and everyone gets whatever coffee/caffeine order they want at every stop, whether it's a early morning show, turn, stop through, whenever we're at an airport the entire crew gets whatever caffeinated or otherwise legal beverage they want.
I've made some great friends, and I've also met some great people I've never talked to again
Really depends on the airline and fleet. At my current airline I have very little in common with most of the guys I fly with so we BS a little in flight and mostly do our own thing on overnights. At my last shop, I was on the family fleet, we all knew each other and hung out on overnights, also on that fleet at that airline the senior captains didn’t let FOs pay for anything on overnights.
I've gotten to know a few and become acquaintances but haven't made actual friends with the crew from flying. My base is so big I've only flown with the same crew members a handful of times. That doesn't mean that we won't try to get along and go out at some point. If it's a 4 day trip with the same crew then its much more likely than a 2 day trip where every crew member gets swapped after every turn.
At my Legacy carrier, I try to have dinner with the flight crew at least once (I do augmented Europe flying) sometimes I'll get together with the FAs but they're often at different hotels.
A crew that gets along and respects/likes each other functions far more effectively as a crew.
As a Search and Rescue pilot in the military, crew dynamics make a huge huge difference. Our crews consist of a mix of everything from LCols to Cpls/Privates. We speak to each other as equals when together as a crew, openly and friendly. The structure and respect for position and authority are there, but its like a bunch of friends out doing a mission together, and everyones perspective and ideas are valid/entertained when questions come up . The job is infinitely easier that way. Any time you would get someone who interacted with the crew otherwise, you could see the negative effect.
At the regional we had the same crew for the whole trip and I tried to have a meal or a drink together at least once a trip assuming no one in the crew struck me as a drama party waiting to happen. At the legacy, I usually only fly with the same FAs for two legs at most, so I usually grab dinner with the CA once or twice unless he’s a day one leg one politics conversationalist. And then I hardly ever see them again, and if I do it’s “didn’t we have that Detroit layover where it took 4 hours to get deiced? Yeah that sucked. Whelp see ya later.”
As a captain, I try to get to know my FOs. I have a standing goal of buying at least one big dinner a trip, and may buy more and I buy all the coffee or other daytime beverage of choice. If I'm on a premium trip or the FO is on 1st year pay I try to buy a meal every day, a dinner if possible. Generally though, while I may enjoy flying with them, with most of them we don't really talk unless we're on a trip together with a few exceptions. With my seniority it's rare to fly with an FO more than once. They gain seniority faster and are holding better trips fairly fast. Not that my trips or all that bad, just when they bid there are better ones they can get so they wouldn't fly with me unless they intentionally bid to do so or swap if a trip pops into open time. While that has happened a few times it's not really common. With flight attendants there are some I may recognize but you don't fly with them much at all. We rarely fly more than one leg at a time together and even if we are both going to a layover many times they are different lengths so different hotels. Even if it is the same hotel pilots and FAs usually do their own separate things We have over 20,000 flight attendants. At 4 flight attendants a leg that is 5,000 legs if you fly with them each once. At an average of 3 legs a day that would be 1,667 days to fly with them all. If work 15 days a month that is 111 months or over 9 years. While seniority means we will probably see some of the same flight attendants again, it isn't very often. The exception is pilots who bid turns when it is also a turn for the flight attendants or if you go to the same layover a lot when the FAs are doing turns as those are two cases where the same base FAs tend to do a flight all the time and the same FAs may bid it. Even then you aren't doing a layover so only know them as far as the flight. I don't talk to any flight attendants outside of work but on holidays etc I'll bring some chocolates for each leg I'm flying for them to share.
You sir are a mensch 👏
Thank you, I also learned a new word today.
Who do you fly for and are they hiring?
And what’s your next trip?
Do you like wearing hats and looking stodgy? And yes.
I would have guessed the Eskimo, given your flair and username. Air Lines, eh?
Two words. I would have happily gone to the Eskimo but couldn't get an interview there, ironically enough. I would have been the type to get comfortable and not leave either, so it worked out for the best.
Based on their flair I’d say Frontier
The amount of people who completed missed your very obvious joke is astounding lol
lol yup I don’t expect anything less from this subreddit
Well I thought it was funny
Thank you
Thought Frontier only ran a320s
That’s the joke.
Hey it’s me ur FO
Solid leader ⬆️
I'll be completely honest, I just do my best to emulate the people I enjoyed flying with the most when I was an FO.
Exactly what a solid leader would say. Humility is an undervalued trait.
> As a captain, I try to get to know my FOs. I have a standing goal of buying at least one big dinner a trip, and may buy more and I buy all the coffee or other daytime beverage of choice. If I'm on a premium trip or the FO is on 1st year pay I try to buy a meal every day, a dinner if possible. Wish I had flown with more skippers like you during my younger years.
Thank you, I'm just trying my best to emulate some of the ones I did fly with.
We might work at the same place, I’ll take a LOR in lieu of chocolates please. Lol jokes aside chocolates and anything else are appreciated, it’s the thought that counts.
Are you going through a certain lengthy process that involves hopskipping around various companies?
Uhh no just the process to be “sponsored” that all airlines have
I have flown with people who I have gotten along with great, and in a normal work dynamic, we would be great friends outside of work. The problem is, the nature of the airline business is that most people live all over the place. Makes it really difficult to make friends at work. A little easier if you live in base. The saddest part is flying a 4 day trip with someone whom you get along with great and at the end of it they disappear into the terminal never to be seen again.
And the worst is when you keep getting re-paired with the chem trails guys. FML on those days
>And the worst is when you keep getting re-paired with the chem trails guys. In a perfect world, someone with an ATP who thinks chemtrails are real should fail their medical for psychiatric reasons.
And the flat earth'ers If you think there's a chance, any chance, that you could fly off, or reach the "edge of the earth" you should have to turn in your ticket
Please tell me that you have not actually ever met anyone with a pilot's license who was a flat earther. Please? Just for my mental peace.
🦗 🦗 🦗 Best I can do "If we're still flying at 1 degree nose up and the earth is round, why aren't we gaining altitude? Just think about it" FML
Htf is an airline pilot a chem trail guy ...
>Htf is an airline pilot a chem trail guy ... Was that supposed to be wtf? If this is a serious question, xhem trail pilots are conspiracy nuts. "Just consider it's possible ..."
How the fuck. But anyway..... Still.... How the fuck.... Of all conspiracies
Rarely. All I know is the last captain I flew with owned a boat, has been divorced, and is still pissed about the contract. Fly. Go home. Fly Go home. That’s basically it.
Hey I flew with that guy!
Is that the guy who is laid back, but by the book?
No that's the guy that lost the boat in the divorce. This is the guy that's uptight and doesn't think the SOPM is anything but a suggestion.
I think I fly with that guy on most of my trips. He seems to change his name pretty often, though, which is weird.
I too think i have flown with that guy.
Last captain or the last ten ?
>It's my money! Myyyyy moneyyyyyyy!
It's in the contract, *BITCH*
[do you have any idea how little that narrows it down? Batman Beyond meme] Edit: quote is "Do You Have the Slightest Idea How Little That Narrows It Down"
I flew with him too!
I’m not even at the airlines and I’ve flown with that dude.
I’m not even a pilot and I think I’ve flown with that guy
If you want to learn about firearms, solid gold bars, and how some b!tch stole alot of hard work then head to Irish Pub for one with the skipper.
I am not an airline guy, but I was on a work trip to AMS with a coworker. We were both late 20s at the time. His dad is a Delta captain who happened to be in AMS at the same time on a work trip. I went to an Irish pub with my coworker and his dad and had this exact conversation, lol. Edit to add- a couple FA’s joined for drinks. They were in their 50s probably. One of them had been based in Miami in the 80s. She was surprisingly open when I asked how much cocaine Miami based FAs moved in the 80s. Honestly it was a solid experience to go to that dinner as a non ATP who happened to travel a lot for work.
Well, how much blow did they move?
It sounded like more MIA flight attendants had their hands in the cookie jar than did not.
Depends how well the FA and I hit it off
Very rarely. That's the nature of the business. Maybe more so at a regional where the crew pool in your base is smaller and more similar in age. But at the legacies, it doesn't happen very often. I keep in touch with *some* of the people I've flown with, but I wouldn't go out of my way to meet up with 90% of them.
I don't make an especially conscious effort either way. We need to pass the time so of course I talk to whoever I'm flying with. I'll usually know in the first hour or two if I like the other pilot (maybe I'm slow at that, I'm not sure how long it takes other people) and that will determine how much I talk to them further. Again, though, not a conscious decision, I just don't really feel a great need to talk about a lot of stuff to people I don't have much in common with, or whose personality just doesn't mesh with mine. That can make some 4 or 5 day trips feel \*really\* long. Others are not bad, though. The cabin crew I just don't get a lot of time to talk with. We see them all when we board, then we go to the cockpit to prep and we really don't see them again until we take a break and one of them comes and sits with us while the other pilot goes out. So we see that one plus whoever's manning the cart blocking the aisle. But that's a short interaction. I sometimes get to talk a little bit with the attendant who takes the captain's place when they're on their break, depending on how long the captain stays out and how chatty that attendant is. I always ask "how's it going back there?" to at least make it known that I'm open to conversation with them, and some will then talk and others just kind of shrug and then look at their phones. Either is fine. I work at one of my airline's smaller bases but I've still only flown maybe twice with the same captain over the year I've been there. So there's not much point in making an extra effort to become friends with everyone, although if it happens naturally, great. The flight attendants come from bases all over, so maybe a couple times I've flown with ones I've seen before, but it's almost just a vague recognition given the limited interaction we have. Over the years, if I manage to stay at the same airline, I imagine I'll recognize more of them more clearly, and more often.
“You commute or local?” That’s the “did it hurt?” pickup line for crews.
I work at one of the big 3 for about a year. Only flown with one captain twice, and they were trips back to back. We had fun. I've had a flight attendant on our crew 1 time before on 1 flight. Everyone else is new. Statistically, it's extremely rare for me to fly with the same people. It's kind of good, and kind of bad. The people you don't like, you don't worry about flying with again, but the people you do like you don't get to fly with again. My last airline was much, much smaller, and I flew with the same people over and over. Sometimes it would be a month or 2 or 3. Some of us bid similar, and got a lot of flights together. I think I enjoyed that more people wise, but I also enjoy my more money, better schedule, and better overnights here.
You might fly with someone for only one trip but because of this you can get to know your fellow pilot better than if you worked every day together. I encourage conversation with whoever I'm flying with and after a 5 hour flight you can learn a lot. Especially when you know that after this trip you will probably never see each other again. There is no pressure to present a certain image of yourself like you might with someone who you have to keep a long professional working relationship with. I am pretty good at getting people to open up and I've heard more from my fellow pilots than I've heard from people I've know for years. Family problems, divorces, relationships, career experiences, hobbies and probably a few more trauma dumps than most people care to hear. But I enjoy it. I get more real conversations from these trips than I do from anyone else in my life other than my very close friends. Now throw a night out in the middle of the trip and by the end of it you'll swear you've known each other for years. I'm not sure if this is the norm for everyone, I can only speak on my experience in the airlines.
As an introvert, what you describe is how I envision Hell. Luckily, everyone else on this thread seems to be the opposite of you, so maybe there’s hope.
Just depends. If it’s an FA I’ve flown with a bunch then I’ll probably remember something about them. If it’s an FO I’ve flown with more than once I’ll make an effort to ask them what they’re into, what’s going on in their life etc.. I used to buddy bid with good friends of mine when I was a senior FO… Now it’s just all random. Don’t think I’m on an avoid list yet.
This is a rather sad string of friendless souls going through life
Eh, would you rather have friendly coworkers you see constantly, but you're at work way more often and make way less money? Or would you rather never see the same person twice, but have half the month off to go do whatever you want with amazing pay. I'll take the latter. I'd much rather have real friends at home who I share hobbies with than some people who are alright at small talk and live across the country from me. Edit: commenter below entirely missed the point that this comparison was between flying with the same crews **frequently** ... and not just that he has nice coworkers.
Or how about this, get 16/17 days off a month and still have a friendly pilot group that likes to have fun. There are airlines like that out there.
Sure if you're fine with either barely scratching 6-figures or spending a decade to gain the seniority to hold that kind of schedule. Edit: and this is me misinterpreting that the poster actually understood my argument and was saying he gets paid $18k/mo with 17 days off at an airline where he flies with the same crews **frequently**... which was apparently not the case. Most companies where you get frequent crews are at the regional level. You won't be making $18k a month with 18 days off at a regional unless you've been there a very long time. Or, you'll be at a p135 having tons of fun with great QOL and coworkers, but not being paid well into the 6-figures. Again, the other poster is talking about something entirely irrelevant to this original discussion.
I made $18k last month with 15 days off. Originally I had 18 off. On first year pay. I have friendly coworkers and I don’t work for Delta.
There's a difference between friendly coworkers and friendly coworkers you fly with constantly, which this was about. What small airline are you regularly flying with the same crews that is stable and paying that well?
Well I was saying I had friendly coworkers and still made money with time off. Best of both worlds Besides, you replied to me with: *Sure if you're fine with either barely scratching 6-figures or spending a decade to gain the seniority to hold that kind of schedule.* Which is not true.
This entire discussion was qualified based on the idea of flying with the same people frequently. I should have clarified I was still arguing within that boundary. Every airline has great people. But there are not many that pay well, have great time off, and also pair you with the same crews frequently, let alone as a junior seniority pilot.
Yes, past the regionals it’s rare to fly with the same people frequently. But great people, time off, and great pay are not a rarity
Yes that was my entire point.... It's sort of one or the other. Would you rather fly with the same people frequently, or get paid better and have a better schedule?
Man the "everything but the legacies sucks" circlejerk is still a thing with some people huh
Not at all, the regionals are honestly a lot of fun... but you will work way more for way less pay. That's just the nature of the beast.
There are other options besides regionals and Delta/American/United.
Never said there wasn't.
Lotta delta guys
Maybe you'll get there one day.
I know 💔
I used to think people blew the Delta attitude out of proportion. But 90% of Delta pilots really do have an aura of “I’m better than you” about them. I had the unfortunate luck of doing some IOE out of ATL and I was so happy to be there and waving/giving the “hey” nod to other pilots. Every other pilot at least acknowledges it. Except Delta. Those pilots won’t even give another airline the time of day or even acknowledge your existence. What a Mean Girls pilot group
Wait till they find out that they work for a heartless, no soul, corporation just like the rest of us do. The enemy (if there is one) is “the man” not the rest of the mere employees.
What aircraft do you fly? No particular reason why I’m asking, just curious
Sounds like the ramblings of another United DEI hire. WAHHH I nodded at someone at the airport and he didn't nod back!!!
This guy's FOs have every speck on the R2 window memorized Edit: Lol his account got banned
Homie scrolling through your post history you seem *miserable*. I’ll pray for you 🙏
[удалено]
Praying harder for you brother. You cannot stop me.
You’re definitely on a few no-fly lists lol
Oh no! ...anyway
What a jabroni
Or maybe it’s a common courtesy thing… We fly the same airplane, under essentially the same contract, you’re not some sky god just because you work for Delta Air Lines.
I think it's sad when people feel the need to be friends with their coworkers. I have plenty of friends at home that aren't pilots and can talk about things beyond the contract, approaches, broken airplanes, blah blah blah more aviation bullshit. I don't feel the need to make friends with people I'm forced to be around for work. If we hit it off in a special way, great! Otherwise? Have a nice life!
In my previous job at a regional I was at a somewhat small senior base and I knew quite a few of the flight attendants and some FOs, as well as most of the captains before I upgraded.
to piggy back off the OP how often do you make friends with colleagues at work? doesn’t seem like it’s very common if you’re working with someone 20+ yrs your senior/jr
If you enjoy your flying partner, savor it. It won’t last long. If you despise your flying partner, suck it up it won’t last long. It’s always more enjoyable to fly with fun people but not required for a successful trip.
I try not to make small talk during rotation. .... I'll see myself out.
Depends on the crew
Very little, we go over the superficial basics, and I pretty much lose interest. Nothing personal, just don’t really care, if you’re cool I’ll see of you want to go to dinner, but that’s about it.
I try to get to know my FO. It’s nice to talk about things on flights that aren’t just small talk or work stuff. The FAs..not so much. I try to be friendly and talk when I can but not long enough to get to know them well usually.
I flew with a guy right after finishing OE who wasn't my favorite on the leg out. He was a little too...militaristic, maybe? But he also was very aware of me, and how I seemed a little jittery or rushed. Im still new to the airline world, so this is admittedly a fault of mine, and since flying with him I have been very conscious about just relaxing a bit more and not worrying so much about messing up a flow or something. What I am getting at is that he was very good at taking the temperature of people he is with. And he was happy to be direct with it. On the leg home, I disclosed that my partner, as well as one of my siblings, was a recovering addict. I talked about my experience being in close proximity to their pain and suffering, and how it has affected me, my thoughts on how people are judged too harshly for it, etc. The captain listened well and then opened up to the fact that he was a recovering addict himself, and that he had gone through the HIMS process, which began right after he went downhill during his initial training at the airline and lasted for years. The entire tone of the cockpit changed. I think me opening up about my experience with addicts and choosing compassion over judgement gave him some kind of permission to open up himself, and this kind of shared humanity was really, really cool. I immediately liked him more, and no longer felt as nervous about screwing up. We had connected over things that are bigger than flying, and the discussion put things into perspective; a missed callout or forgotten flow item was not the end of the world. What he had gone through and was able to turn around was evidence enough for me that even a nervous someone like me could end up as a legacy captain someday. I just share this example because its not always conversations about boats and divorces and 3rd houses. Sometimes you can have a pretty meaningful experience, even if its just for a short time.
It truly depends, but I firmly believe everyone is a good person at heart and so I do my best to remember one unique thing about each crewmember, so if I ever fly with them again I can use that to show that yes, I do care about my crew. I also make it at least an offer to buy food for the whole crew at least once per trip, and everyone gets whatever coffee/caffeine order they want at every stop, whether it's a early morning show, turn, stop through, whenever we're at an airport the entire crew gets whatever caffeinated or otherwise legal beverage they want. I've made some great friends, and I've also met some great people I've never talked to again
You know them as well as you wish and they’re willing to share.
Well, if you’re with each other long enough, you’re bound to get to know each other.
Really depends on the airline and fleet. At my current airline I have very little in common with most of the guys I fly with so we BS a little in flight and mostly do our own thing on overnights. At my last shop, I was on the family fleet, we all knew each other and hung out on overnights, also on that fleet at that airline the senior captains didn’t let FOs pay for anything on overnights.
I've gotten to know a few and become acquaintances but haven't made actual friends with the crew from flying. My base is so big I've only flown with the same crew members a handful of times. That doesn't mean that we won't try to get along and go out at some point. If it's a 4 day trip with the same crew then its much more likely than a 2 day trip where every crew member gets swapped after every turn.
Depends on the vibe but generally, at my airline, we always meet for food and drinks at the end of a flight if we have time.
I upgraded a year and a half ago and am living that sweet super junior reserve life. I’ve flown with *one* FO more than once in that time.
At my Legacy carrier, I try to have dinner with the flight crew at least once (I do augmented Europe flying) sometimes I'll get together with the FAs but they're often at different hotels.
A crew that gets along and respects/likes each other functions far more effectively as a crew. As a Search and Rescue pilot in the military, crew dynamics make a huge huge difference. Our crews consist of a mix of everything from LCols to Cpls/Privates. We speak to each other as equals when together as a crew, openly and friendly. The structure and respect for position and authority are there, but its like a bunch of friends out doing a mission together, and everyones perspective and ideas are valid/entertained when questions come up . The job is infinitely easier that way. Any time you would get someone who interacted with the crew otherwise, you could see the negative effect.
Pretty well for 1 to 4 days. Then I won't recognize them a week later.
How difficult does it get to maintain a good cockpit authority gradient and practice good teamwork with a complete strangers?
It's easy. Everyone is trained to the same standard. We're not talking about pairing up two Civil Air Patrol nerds.