Living the dream

falconkidding

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Falcon Kidding
So about 3 years after I decided to switch careers I finally made it to the (regional)airlines and through IOE and thought I'd give my initial impressions.
Flying.
Going from piston singles was an adjustment, not so much for the speed cause 30 minutes in the sim and seeing 300kts in cruise or 140kts on short final became normal. Approaches took some getting used to cause I used pitch for airspeed in GA alot and that doesn't work in the jet since even a 1 degree pitch change can be a few 100fpm change.
The other thing that threw me off is not being able to hear power and speed changes, I didn't realize how much I used that as a CFI I knew exactly what 1500 rpm sounded like or what 75kts wind noise was. So when on approach and adjusting for speed I would use way to large thrust lever movements since it takes a while for you to see it on the tape and by the time you feel it it's too late.

On the operational side of things I was nervous as heck about class B stuff and IFR stuff. I had flown into a charlie maybe twice during my PPL and done only one IFR trip when I did my IFR training so I had maybe 10 hours talking to atc if I added in my night solo landings at a towered airport for the commercial. So of course my luck my first IOE trip was out of ORD.....we push back I talk to ramp then hear those dreaded words contact ground. I mentally brace okay here it comes am I gonna get A, A6,b, n2, hold short 28r at n5, or any combination of A,B,T,N,V plus a few hold shorts or behinds. "please dont let me end up on youtube atc compilation as I fk up this taxi instruction"
"ground flt 4xxx taxi with echo." Ground "flt 4xxx follow the american 737 from the right".... few minutes later "monitor tower"......All that stress for nothing. I went in and out of newark and chicago a few more times that trip and each time was generally relaxed. I actually prefer most of the bravos vs some of the smaller airports


On the non flying parts of the job most of the other regional pilots ive met are cool and not yet jaded by the industry, mainline seems to ignore you unless they want to ride your jumpseat. The customers generally treat you nice. Rampers call me sir, gate agents have been nothing but helpful. If i'm commuting people always come up to chat and sometimes seem in awe that your talking to them "ive never met a pilot before" If I have a sit in between flights I like helping people around the airport. This elderly canadian couple was ecstatic that I took the time to help them find the gate their flight left from and walked them over to it. Or after a 5 leg day with multiple 24min quick turns a 7 year old wants to say hi and face lights up when captain says " want to sit up here with falcon?" and then the kid wants a picture with me like i'm somebody important it makes me feel cool.

Almost makes up for every 4th customer commenting on the size of the plane as they board. :D

So if you see a tall lanky dude sitting in the right seat of a united express flight in or out of houston feel free to say hey.
 
Well if you're flying United 4021 on July 17th to Memphis, I'll say hey but there has got to be more than one tall lanky pilot...don't make me look like a dork.
 
Can I ask what your path to the right seat was? Interested in same. You said you were a CFI, is that how you built your hours?

Thanks and good luck!
 
First of all, congrats on reaching this level.

Secondly, choppers are da debil.

Thirdly, I’m working on the same goal now. 110 hrs and about to start ifr training. Any tips would be appreciated. I have been doing alot of flight following lately and home airport is a delta. Hopefully radios become second nature. I flew with another pilot into a TRSA and it was pretty simple.

How do ya fit in the jets? I’m 6’2” and can get into a C150 or 7GCBC fine. A J3 is a little tricky.
 
Can I ask what your path to the right seat was? Interested in same. You said you were a CFI, is that how you built your hours?

Thanks and good luck!
Had my private for a few years and flew about 200 hours. Then spent a good year getting my ir com cfi. Mostly waiting on planes weather and checkrides. I live in tennessee and there are no great places to cfi and get hours super quick. So i commuted back and forth to gulf shores alabama. 2 weeks on 2 days off flying 110 130 hours a month living in a trashy apartment with an air mattress 2 towels 40 bucks in kitchen stuff and a tv. Wife would vist once a month and id drive home once a month.

Flew with some cool people but the last 2 months i was burnt out 100% but less than 12 months after getting my cfi i was in ground school for my airline.

Not everyone is lucky to have a spouse thats okay with that long apart but im thankfull mine was so accommodating and is good with my current 4 on 3 off schedule.
 
First of all, congrats on reaching this level.

Secondly, choppers are da debil.

Thirdly, I’m working on the same goal now. 110 hrs and about to start ifr training. Any tips would be appreciated. I have been doing alot of flight following lately and home airport is a delta. Hopefully radios become second nature. I flew with another pilot into a TRSA and it was pretty simple.

How do ya fit in the jets? I’m 6’2” and can get into a C150 or 7GCBC fine. A J3 is a little tricky.
Radios became second nature pretty quick. I'm 6'3 and fly the emb145 and there is plenty of room I actually have the seat all the way forward when I fly. You could probably be 7 ft and still fit.

You CALLED ground for taxi at ORD? Was it 2am?

(I've departed ORD several times without making a single transmission on ground)

http://airportviewer.com/airport/KORD
I've only been in there 5-6 times but seems about 50-50 I got call/monitor ground coming from ramp.
 
On the operational side of things I was nervous as heck about class B stuff and IFR stuff. I had flown into a charlie maybe twice during my PPL and done only one IFR trip when I did my IFR training so I had maybe 10 hours talking to atc if I added in my night solo landings at a towered airport for the commercial.
Great write up. I gotta say though times sure have changed. You're sitting right seat for a regional 121 gig with almost no IFR or even class charlie experience. In 2004 I was passed over for a 135 King Aire right seat gig because the chief pilot didn't think I had enough instrument experience. I had been flying banners the previous couple of years but I had very sharp instrument skills, lots of flying out of charlie airports including the one they were based out of, lots of flying into bravo airports and into airports in and around bravo airspace.

And I was already working for 135 operator on their ramp. They didn't even have to 'hire' me because I already worked for them. All he had to do was try me on a trip or two and if it didn't work out, he'd be out nothing. I've no regrets, it was crumby place to fly for and I probably would have hated flying for him but like I said, times sure have changed. Best of luck to you.
 
Congrats man and good luck with your flying career!
 
Yep, the times are different now. When I was thinking I might want to fly for a regional it was not unusual to charge people to train for the right seat. And then there was no guarantee that there would be a job after training.

Or pay was so low that right seaters would jumpseat on a trip just to afford the free meal.

So good for you for achieving your goals.!! If you don't try, you have already failed. Now keep us informed with interesting stories.
 
I've only been in there 5-6 times but seems about 50-50 I got call/monitor ground coming from ramp.
You don't call Ground outbound (121.75) at O'Hare. You call Metering (121.67) with you position and ATIS. Metering has you monitor outbound Ground.

When they're busy, Ground doesn't let anyone reply. They give instructions to a dozen or more aircraft in one transmission. Frequencies are Ramp (varies), Metering (121.67), outbound Ground (121.75), Tower for a departure (132.7/120.75/126.9).

There's also as many as four separate Ground frequencies. One for outbound, one for 9L/27R arrivals (124.12), one for 10R arrivals (118.05), and inbound (121.9). Landing on 10R you'll go from 10R tower (133.0) to 10R ground (118.05) to 10C tower (120.75) to 10L tower (132.7) to inbound ground (121.9) to ramp control (varies) on your taxi in.
 
Congrats on your first 121 gig. That's a big accomplishment, keep that attitude and it will serve you well!

...mainline seems to ignore you unless they want to ride your jumpseat.
Can you expand on this? Do you mean mainline as in the mainline company(s) or mainline as in the mainline pilots? If pilots, what's going on that makes you feel ignored?
 
Congrats on your first 121 gig. That's a big accomplishment, keep that attitude and it will serve you well!


Can you expand on this? Do you mean mainline as in the mainline company(s) or mainline as in the mainline pilots? If pilots, what's going on that makes you feel ignored?
He’s talking about those d-bag Deltaoids;). @falconkidding you’ll run into all different kinds of people. Don’t worry about.
 
He’s talking about those d-bag Deltaoids;).
So true! We are everywhere - you must assimilate! :D

I was being serious though - maybe I was making someone feel ignored unless I'm riding their jumpseat. If I can remedy that, I'll give it a go.
 
Congrats on your first 121 gig. That's a big accomplishment, keep that attitude and it will serve you well!


Can you expand on this? Do you mean mainline as in the mainline company(s) or mainline as in the mainline pilots? If pilots, what's going on that makes you feel ignored?
Probably both. I don't get the feeling big daddy united gives a crap about its regionals(and will use gojet/mesa/transtates to keep everyone in line$$$). But I've not got much interaction from anybody who flys mainline I get a few minimal responses if I'm sitting next to one, or if they are jumpseating they usually put headphones in or read off their phone. I just figure they assume we are gonna start asking for LOR's :D Or just trying to suffer through the JS on the 145 so doesn't bother me any if they don't want to talk.
You don't call Ground outbound (121.75) at O'Hare. You call Metering (121.67) with you position and ATIS. Metering has you monitor outbound Ground.

When they're busy, Ground doesn't let anyone reply. They give instructions to a dozen or more aircraft in one transmission. Frequencies are Ramp (varies), Metering (121.67), outbound Ground (121.75), Tower for a departure (132.7/120.75/126.9).

There's also as many as four separate Ground frequencies. One for outbound, one for 9L/27R arrivals (124.12), one for 10R arrivals (118.05), and inbound (121.9). Landing on 10R you'll go from 10R tower (133.0) to 10R ground (118.05) to 10C tower (120.75) to 10L tower (132.7) to inbound ground (121.9) to ramp control (varies) on your taxi in.
I think i've lucked out and its been slow when i've gone in there. Cause they haven't even been using the outer runways, and one landing off 10c we just crossed the left, tango to the ramp all on tower. I even had tower ask what gate and they said it was open :D
 
Probably both. I don't get the feeling big daddy united gives a crap about its regionals(and will use gojet/mesa/transtates to keep everyone in line$$$). But I've not got much interaction from anybody who flys mainline I get a few minimal responses if I'm sitting next to one, or if they are jumpseating they usually put headphones in or read off their phone. I just figure they assume we are gonna start asking for LOR's :D Or just trying to suffer through the JS on the 145 so doesn't bother me any if they don't want to talk.
That's fair. To be honest, it doesn't feel like the big company cares about you when you work for mainline either. We are a resource and used as such; don't take it personally, they don't commit to you anymore than required by contract so return the favor when you feel like it.

When I JS, I usually take the cue from the guys I'm riding with. I always feel like I'm intruding because you don't know the vibe these two have had on the trip - maybe they were having a good old time but now don't want to joke around with an outsider in the cockpit. (all when appropriate of course). If they don't want to talk to me, I don't force it but am always happy to shoot the breeze with the guys if they want to. They are working, I'm riding so I try to stay out of their way - if I'm talking and we miss a radio call I always cringe. Everybody is different, some captains complain when you ask to ride the JS, some are awesome.

Also yeah the JS on the 145 is tough to deal with for more than an hour. :D
 
I think i've lucked out and its been slow when i've gone in there. Cause they haven't even been using the outer runways, and one landing off 10c we just crossed the left, tango to the ramp all on tower. I even had tower ask what gate and they said it was open :D
Really slow!

10C is "Left P5(6), left P, hold short of CC". After you acknowledge the hold short, "Monitor 132.7".
132.7: "Cross 10L on CC, join K, contact ground 121.9"
121.9: "A9 to South Port" or "Right B to [...]"

If they're crossing you on Tango then there are no departures so, very slow. Not during an AAL or UAL push.
 
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