KenoraPilot wrote:HansDietrich wrote:Sorry mate, I don't agree with you here one bit. I think the DH8 is the worst possible plane and lifestyle you can get at Jazz. You work a lot and worst of all, you have horrible layovers. Let's put it this way, if I don't get off this aircraft in the next 12 months, I'm leaving Jazz. My standing bid contains every possible base and aircraft that's not a Dash 8... (CRJ/Q400).KenoraPilot wrote:Dash life is awesome! RSV Dash is 18 days (sucks), but once u hold a block it's 14-16 days off a month
I tried to be a sport about it, but it just isn't happening to me. It feels like I'm back in the 703 world, flying to all the hot spots in Northern Ontario / Quebec.
Hans that's fair enough. To each their own. After years of corporate and over seas flying I think the DH8 is the correct level of chill I am looking for. For me its not about overnights, where it goes or the machine itself. Its all about the people I work with and where I do training, lack of bridging and quick turns. I love going to the small out stations where things happen quickly and I can avoid DCA, Boston etc. Everyone is going to have their opinion of what they want out of a career, for me the 8 is pretty great. I love the laid back chill as close to 704 as possible lol. I've flown jets for 8+ years and its cool, but its all about life style for me.
Good luck and I wish you luck getting off the 8 as soon as possible. If it makes you that unhappy I hope this up coming bid changes things for you for the better & if not, hopefully a company out there will pick you up. (Seems most companies are finally paying some decent coin to attract guys).
I also make all my posts with the disclaimer "This is all my opinion" (which is more often than not different than most peoples) :p
Cheers KP
Yup. I guess that should be everyone's disclaimer. The truth is that people want different things out of life. What may seem like a great thing to me, may not seem like a good idea to you, and vice versa. "Different strokes for different folks" is the moral of this story. I have to admit that I've always been the guy to "chase" planes around. I've flown quite a few types, because I wanted something different, including jets. While the aircraft itself is not a big deal, it's the destinations and layovers that make or break my happiness. Sure, if I flew to Sudbury every day, but only worked 10 days a month, I'm sure I could put up with it. Working 16 - 18 days a month, mostly weekends, flying 6 legs a day, spending nights in Sept Ille, Wabush, North Bay, Sudbury, etc is not "the dream" I sacrificed so much for.
Would a CRJ, flying to Boston, Houston, SF, etc be it? I'm not sure. I'll have to see when I get there. The only thing that's sure is that whatever "ideal dream" and preconceptions I've had about the airline industry has been (sadly) proven wrong. It's nothing like I have envisioned it and so far, the sacrifices seem to outweigh the benefits.
Perhaps this industry is not for me. Perhaps it's time I hang my wings and look elsewhere, for my sake and the sake of those around me. I'm extremely unhappy and I don't know if there is a job or airline out there that would offer me what I want. And what is it?
1. A decent schedule
2. A decent pay
3. Decent destinations
4. Decent Aircraft
5. Decent travel benefits.
I'm not expecting a 777 captain job working 5 days a month, flying to Munich to eat bratwurst and have beer on my layovers, but I want something more exciting than 6 legs a day and overnights in Sudbury.