When dreams come true... (long)

LDJones said:
Two days of my first IOE trip complete. Two more to go. I'm paired with an awesome young check airman who is a patient, thorough teacher, plus he's fun to be around. Even on layovers he's patiently answering questions and offering tons of operational tips. I feel lucky to have been paired with him.

The actual flying is the easy part. It's all the ancillary preparatory work that goes into a 121 commercial flight that is keeping me hopping! Load manifests, ACARS, FMS programming, dispatch paperwork, etc. it's amazing.

But what a ride the CRJ is proving to be. I love flying it. In many ways it's easier to fly than the sim. Jets are simply amazing machined.

I've been doing most of the takeoffs and landings and so far haven't embarrassed myself...at least that I can tell! Being in the upper Midwest we've been dodging thunderstorms and dealing with the conditions that go with them. All good experience building.

Four more flights tomorrow so that'll be a busy day. But it gets a little easier with ever repetition.
Click to expand...

Yeah, no kidding on the weather. I did a YIP-MKG-SDF-YIP trip last night, had to dodge the same line of weather 3 times. Sometimes I wish we had all the gee-wiz fancy tools like ACARS and FMS, but at the same time, it is nice to just fly the freaking airplane. And load it, not so much, but it is what it is.
 
I am sure some of the passengers will be relieved to see such a mature and seasoned pilot supervising the young kid in the left seat :D
 
Hey, Loren.

I have been really enjoying your updates.

I have a very similar background to you and am strongly considering taking the same route to a regional airline. I am about a year away from actually pulling the trigger, but it is extremely tempting to go fly for a regional.

Good luck and keep the pictures and posts coming. It is inspiring to me and. I'm sure, others!

Abram Finkelstein
EA50
N48KY
 
LDJones said:
Not on either of my next two trips. But I'm sure eventually I will get there. I'm doing Detroit, Fort Wayne, Ok City and Atlanta on one of the upcoming trips.
Click to expand...

Haha. Enjoy Atlanta.

Be on your toes.
 
I hope that CKA is buying the beers, Jonsey! Glad you're having fun. :)
 
I've had a pretty comprehensive taste of "real life on the line" during this first IOE trip, complete with mechanical delays, aircraft swaps, MX write-ups, weather, airport ground stops, etc.

After a 30 minute ground hold yesterday we fired up, only to get a flakey flap indication on the right side. It was most likely a flakey sensor but who knows? So, we taxied back, called maintenance and deplaned the passengers.

One of the last passengers poked his head in the cockpit wanting to know more detail about what happened. I explained the situation and said while it was probably just a sensor issue and not a serious threat, we simply can't take any chances when it comes to passenger safety. He nodded and thanked us, then headed up the jetway. Later my captain told me he liked the way I dealt with the customer. He said, "I'm going to let you take care of all those questions from now on!" :)

I was supposed to be at my destination by 9 pm last night but crew support begged us to take a late flight back to MSP then another plane load of folks that wanted to get home back to their destination after that. My captain looked at me and asked what I thought? I said "As long as we're legal I'll do whatever is necessary." We ended up getting out of MSP at 1:30 am, then dodged thunderstorms in the dark (isolated but impressive lightning displays!) followed by a slam-dunk visual approach at 2:30 am....yet the landing was pretty darn good if I do say so myself! I stumbled into my room at 3:15 this morning for our mandatory ten hour rest period.

Thanks for all the kind comments. To respond to a couple of comments...

Yes, the Check Airman did buy the beer (one) on our first layover, despite MY offering to buy him one.

As for the "dork boards", I've never considered wearing them in 37 years of GA flying and would have resisted wearing them in any flight training capacity had they been offered. But at the airline I wear them proudly as proof I have accomplished the required training and met their standards for flying our customers around in a jet! I'd love to add the fourth gold stripe before I retire from 121 flying.

I love this job!
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    61.2 KB · Views: 60
Last edited:
Many of us (at least I am) are living the dream with you Loren, even if vicariously.

If you ever have a layover in the area let me know. KDAY, KCVG, KCMH are all in driving range.
 
LDJones said:
Yes, the Check Airman did buy the beer (one) on our first layover, despite MY offering to buy him one.
Click to expand...

You're unusual in that your financial situation is likely to be far superior than any Captain you fly with, but a lot of guys consider it tradition to always buy the beer (and sometimes the food, too!) for first year FOs. Just remember to pay it forward when you upgrade!
 
Sounds like you're having fun!! How many hours is your ioe?

BTW... Maybe we could form a geriatric flying club.. :D
 
LDJones said:
Honestly, I never had heard of them before someone mentioned them here on POA and said they were hiring. I googled them, then spent the next twenty minutes learning about them. I was really impressed by what I read. It was their incessant "We're hiring! Apply here!" links on almost every page that led me to submit my online application that evening...expecting to never get a response.

Almost four months to the day that I submitted that application I'll be launching into the wild blue yonder in a freakin' JET while wearing epaulettes and sporting a brand new ATP certificate in my pocket.

Does life get any better than THAT???!! :D :D :D
Click to expand...

and they just happened to have a junior base in MSP...thats awesome...sitting RSV in your living room is a non-event.!
 
taters said:
and they just happened to have a junior base in MSP...thats awesome...sitting RSV in your living room is a non-event.!
Click to expand...

Yes. I'm seriously hoping to get on with Air Wisconsin once I get 1500TT. I live 10 minutes away from their junior base at ORF.
 
tmyers said:
Many of us (at least I am) are living the dream with you Loren, even if vicariously.

If you ever have a layover in the area let me know. KDAY, KCVG, KCMH are all in driving range.
Click to expand...

Count on it, Tim. We'll hit get some good German food again!
 
kayoh190 said:
You're unusual in that your financial situation is likely to be far superior than any Captain you fly with, but a lot of guys consider it tradition to always buy the beer (and sometimes the food, too!) for first year FOs. Just remember to pay it forward when you upgrade!
Click to expand...

Most definitely....already figuring out some ways to start paying it forward now.
 
Kritchlow said:
Sounds like you're having fun!! How many hours is your ioe?

BTW... Maybe we could form a geriatric flying club.. :D
Click to expand...

Ours is typically 40 hours, usually acquired during the course of three four-day trips which usually average 17-21 flight hours per trip, or so it seems.

I hope to be a member of the Geriatric Flyers into my 90s!
 
taters said:
and they just happened to have a junior base in MSP...thats awesome...sitting RSV in your living room is a non-event.!
Click to expand...

Yeah, reserve will be a non-event, but we're so short staffed people are coming off IOE and are holding a line the following week. It's insane! They're begging captains to fly as FOs trips on their days off right now, paying them captain's pay.
 
Concluded first IOE trip today. Can't wait for the next one later next week (after I finish moving this weekend and, hopefully, finding a new home in which to live!!)

Here's a pic from the end for the first trip. Captain Nick Murray was the check airman and is an awesome pilot, instructor, and mentor. I feel very lucky to have been paired with him for my first IOE trip, and look forward to flying with him on my last IOE trip week after next.
 

Attachments

  • Loren_IOE_First_Trip_900.jpg
    Loren_IOE_First_Trip_900.jpg
    193.2 KB · Views: 106
LDJones said:
I hope to be a member of the Geriatric Flyers into my 90s!
Click to expand...

Oh, if the pilot shortage becomes real, the airlines will get the FAA to extend 121 eligibility to 70, and then 75 :)
 
LDJones said:
Concluded first IOE trip today. Can't wait for the next one later next week (after I finish moving this weekend and, hopefully, finding a new home in which to live!!)

Here's a pic from the end for the first trip. Captain Nick Murray was the check airman and is an awesome pilot, instructor, and mentor. I feel very lucky to have been paired with him for my first IOE trip, and look forward to flying with him on my last IOE trip week after next.
Click to expand...

Thanks for sharing! I look for this thread everyday and hope the updates keep coming! Congrats on a successful first trip.
 
Last edited:
weilke said:
Oh, if the pilot shortage becomes real, the airlines will get the FAA to extend 121 eligibility to 70, and then 75 :)
Click to expand...

Boy, I can already hear the wailing and gnashing of teeth among the mainline pilots if that were to be proposed. I did hear recently that Europe is considering 67, but who knows.

I plan to savor every moment I have flying between now and 65!
 
Jonesy... I jump seated a CRJ today to work (I commute). I was in the back, but it seemed like an impressive airplane. Comfortable and the operation was professional. That said, I'm sorry to say it wasn't Sky West. It was Envoy. Even so, I'm impressed with the machine!!
 
LDJones said:
Boy, I can already hear the wailing and gnashing of teeth among the mainline pilots if that were to be proposed. I did hear recently that Europe is considering 67, but who knows.

I plan to savor every moment I have flying between now and 65!
Click to expand...

Some countries in Asia have already gone to Age 67.
 
Fearless Tower said:
You going to take that 727 Captain job at Kalitta?

You know you want to!
Click to expand...

75K a year to sit on call and not know when your days off are? Yeah, no thanks. There are better places to be in the automotive freight business.
 
Kritchlow said:
Jonesy... I jump seated a CRJ today to work (I commute). I was in the back, but it seemed like an impressive airplane. Comfortable and the operation was professional. That said, I'm sorry to say it wasn't Sky West. It was Envoy. Even so, I'm impressed with the machine!!
Click to expand...

When you think that the Collins ProLine avionics in the CRJ's is a product of '80s design, it's a darn impressive airplane. I'm enjoying the heck out of flying it. The 200's biggest shortcoming is the Environmental Control Systems. Some how the engineers thought bringing cool air in on the floor was a good idea. :idea: It wasn't. It can get a little uncomfortable on hot days.

The 700/900 addressed most of the 200 shortcomings, both in the ECS and in other systems, so they're really fine airplanes. But I still enjoy the 200.
 
Second IOE trip starts tomorrow. It will be an interesting trip as I will go between some city pairs multiple times. I guess I'll get to know their frequencies! The trip goes as follows:
Fri: MSP-CVG-MKE-CVG-MKE
Sat: MKE-DTW-PLN
Sun: PLN-DTW-BNA-DTW-BNA
Mon: BNA-CVG-MSP-RST-MSP

A late afternoon and evening wandering Nashville's music scene will be nice.

The trip to/from RST will be interesting at only 78 nm. I doubt we'll go above 10k!
 
LDJones said:
The 200's biggest shortcoming is the Environmental Control Systems. Some how the engineers thought bringing cool air in on the floor was a good idea. :idea: It wasn't. It can get a little uncomfortable on hot days.
Click to expand...

....as a courtesy to the next passengers, please lower the window shades while the plane is parked....
 
Personally I think most people keep the airplane way too cold. It always seems uncomfortable.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top