The new airline thread

[brabus]

On 1/28/2018 at 10:26 PM, HuggyU2 said:

Meaning you will drive to work?  Or you will need to fly to work?

The two closest potential bases are 3.4 and 6 hrs driving, both with several non-stop flights each day out of my local airport.  So, I guess about as reasonable as it can get without living in base.  

[Bergman]

Saw this on an airline FB page this morning and thought it was oh so true and worth sharing as it captures the difference perfectly.  Shared without consent so hope he’s not pissed.

“I just got my new Delta ID. (It's been nearly 2 years already!?)

It reminded me of the process required to get a new military ID. Block yourself off for at least a couple hours so you can sign in at MPF and then wait for 30-45 minutes for your turn to see a "technician." Then, sit in a chair and watch an overweight civilian with 13" acrylic fingernails or an 18-year-old scared of his own shadow peck away at an archaic computer for 45-60 minutes, waiting for that golden moment when you finally get to enter your new (not new) pin into the keyboard twice (and then twice again when the tech pushes the wrong button and needs you a do-over.)

These two processes contrasted so sharply I can't help myself:

I got a pop-up a few days ago when I signed in to the company system to trade the trip I was scheduled to fly for one that better fit my personal whims at the time. (No requirement to as Top 3...or any other human being...for permission on the schedule change.) The system said the ID would be delivered to my Chief Pilot's Office this month. (I hadn't even realized that it was going to expire.) "Good deal," I thought, "I'll have to look for that in a few weeks." As I was walking past the CPO to start work today I figured I might as well stop on by...on the off chance it's already there. Sure enough! Hand the secretary my old card, put the new one on my lanyard. Done.

Wait! No forms to sign? No new picture required? No waiting? And this gets me into some of the most strictly secured infrastructure in the world?

Yep, have a good day! (Big smile.)

Pay: far better
Flying: far more
Time at work: far less
Overall life stress and frustration: lower, beyond compare

This job doesn't suck.”

[TreeA10]

If you ever decide to walk into the Passport office to do a one day update, you will have an unpleasant flashback.  Some "security" guy yelling "PLEASE SILENCE YOUR CELL PHONES.  NO PHONE CALLS WHILE IN LINE.  DO NOT SIT ON THE FLOOR (this is in the hallway before being allowed entrance into the hallowed waiting room with seats). DO NOT BLOCK THE HALLWAY.  HAVE YOUR PAPERWORK OUT READY TO REVIEW" and then you get into the inner sanctum and you encounter the federal employees of which you have such fond memories.  It did bring back such unpleasant memories of endless BS.

[Homestar]

53 minutes ago, Bergman said:

Saw this on an airline FB page this morning and thought it was oh so true and worth sharing as it captures the difference perfectly.  Shared without consent so hope he’s not pissed.

“I just got my new Delta ID. (It's been nearly 2 years already!?)

It reminded me of the process required to get a new military ID. Block yourself off for at least a couple hours so you can sign in at MPF and then wait for 30-45 minutes for your turn to see a "technician." Then, sit in a chair and watch an overweight civilian with 13" acrylic fingernails or an 18-year-old scared of his own shadow peck away at an archaic computer for 45-60 minutes, waiting for that golden moment when you finally get to enter your new (not new) pin into the keyboard twice (and then twice again when the tech pushes the wrong button and needs you a do-over.)

These two processes contrasted so sharply I can't help myself:

I got a pop-up a few days ago when I signed in to the company system to trade the trip I was scheduled to fly for one that better fit my personal whims at the time. (No requirement to as Top 3...or any other human being...for permission on the schedule change.) The system said the ID would be delivered to my Chief Pilot's Office this month. (I hadn't even realized that it was going to expire.) "Good deal," I thought, "I'll have to look for that in a few weeks." As I was walking past the CPO to start work today I figured I might as well stop on by...on the off chance it's already there. Sure enough! Hand the secretary my old card, put the new one on my lanyard. Done.

Wait! No forms to sign? No new picture required? No waiting? And this gets me into some of the most strictly secured infrastructure in the world?

Yep, have a good day! (Big smile.)

Pay: far better
Flying: far more
Time at work: far less
Overall life stress and frustration: lower, beyond compare

This job doesn't suck.”

This is painful as I’m sitting in MPF right now waiting to be called up to get my new ID.... I hope  get out of here before lunch. 

[ImNotARobot]

Look into points only jobs. Sure you don’t accrue as many points in a given year but they seem to be more flexible. I’m still naive on them but they are one of my leading post-AD mil options. The two I know of are Academy Liaison Officer (ALO) and CAP Liaison. For anyone that is smart on this, can you do multiple points only gigs or is there something restricting you to one?

There is a thread started on that topic here.

https://www.flyingsquadron.com/forums/topic/18929-irr-opportunitiespoints/?page=2

Would be nice to get a refresh from anyone doing this currently.

[nunya]

On 1/28/2018 at 11:05 AM, baileynme said:

For anyone that is smart on this, can you do multiple points only gigs or is there something restricting you to one?

I don't know if there's any restriction on having one as your primary and one as your additional duty, but WTF would you do that?  Guys get into these PIRR jobs to minimize their pain on the way to 20 years, not double it.  You can get 35 points in either program independently, no need to double up.

[nunya]

14 minutes ago, ImNotARobot said:

Would be nice to get a refresh from anyone doing this currently.

They're still out there.  Unfortunately, like somebody said in this thread or elsewhere about the selective service gig, if you're just now moving to a major airline base and want to work PIRR nearby, get in line.  There's seemingly been a mass exodus from the operational world in the last 6-9 months and everyone is trying to get out of the cockpit and keep their points.  If you are going to commute to your airline gig from somewhere less densely populated with ties and short sleeve shirts, then you might have a shot.

[FUSEPLUG]

2 hours ago, Bergman said:

Saw this on an airline FB page this morning and thought it was oh so true and worth sharing as it captures the difference perfectly.  Shared without consent so hope he’s not pissed.

Words

This job doesn't suck.

Had a similar occurrence a few weeks ago regarding parking reimbursement.  My company will pay for close-in hourly parking when a reserve is called in with less than 3 hours to push.  I had it happen twice in December so I used my credit card to the tune of about $110 - no big deal.  Fast forward a couple of weeks and I had some time to hang out in the lounge so I submitted my parking receipts to our base coordinator with nothing but my name and employee number written on them.  Within 10 minutes I had an e-mail pop up on my EFB saying the request for reimbursement was submitted.  The money was in my account 5 days later.  It made me chuckle to think of how this process would have worked in the military.

Meanwhile, on the Guard side, I still haven't received payment for a 2-day off-station trainer I did in November because of some fuck-up in DTS that was beyond my control.  Citi-Bank has already mailed me two notices of non-payment and somehow I haven't lost a bit of sleep over it.

[gearhog]

2 hours ago, Bergman said:

Saw this on an airline FB page this morning and thought it was oh so true and worth sharing as it captures the difference perfectly.  Shared without consent so hope he’s not pissed.

“I just got my new Delta ID. (It's been nearly 2 years already!?)

It reminded me of the process required to get a new military ID. Block yourself off for at least a couple hours so you can sign in at MPF and then wait for 30-45 minutes for your turn to see a "technician." Then, sit in a chair and watch an overweight civilian with 13" acrylic fingernails or an 18-year-old scared of his own shadow peck away at an archaic computer for 45-60 minutes, waiting for that golden moment when you finally get to enter your new (not new) pin into the keyboard twice (and then twice again when the tech pushes the wrong button and needs you a do-over.)

These two processes contrasted so sharply I can't help myself:

I got a pop-up a few days ago when I signed in to the company system to trade the trip I was scheduled to fly for one that better fit my personal whims at the time. (No requirement to as Top 3...or any other human being...for permission on the schedule change.) The system said the ID would be delivered to my Chief Pilot's Office this month. (I hadn't even realized that it was going to expire.) "Good deal," I thought, "I'll have to look for that in a few weeks." As I was walking past the CPO to start work today I figured I might as well stop on by...on the off chance it's already there. Sure enough! Hand the secretary my old card, put the new one on my lanyard. Done.

Wait! No forms to sign? No new picture required? No waiting? And this gets me into some of the most strictly secured infrastructure in the world?

Yep, have a good day! (Big smile.)

Pay: far better
Flying: far more
Time at work: far less
Overall life stress and frustration: lower, beyond compare

This job doesn't suck.”

i may be wrong, but I bet the first case has more to do with atlanta and less about delta. the second is definitely southwest.

[Sneedro]

47 minutes ago, torqued said:

i may be wrong, but I bet the first case has more to do with atlanta and less about delta. the second is definitely southwest.

Huh?

 

I am at Delta and I can confirm Bergman's post as being accurate.  I was based in NYC at the time my ID expired with Delta, got a pop-up reminding me it was going too and to check with the CPO on my next trip.  Walked in, gave the secretary  my name and old ID, she gave me my new one and said, "Have a nice day."  I walked out within 30 seconds.  That simple and best of all was I didn't get to ATL (or any other base where you scan your ID) and find out it was all FUBAR and not working like my typical AF experience.  30 seconds of my life as I walked to sign in...no hassle, headache, or frustration.  

[nunya]

57 minutes ago, torqued said:

i may be wrong, but I bet the first case has more to do with atlanta and less about delta. the second is definitely southwest.

The first part was MPF.

[gearhog]

4 hours ago, nunya said:

The first part was MPF.

ah, thought he was saying the delta experience was similar to mpf. getting anything done while dealing with “atlantitude” is a painful process, be it with delta or anywhere else.

[baileynme]

I don't know if there's any restriction on having one as your primary and one as your additional duty, but WTF would you do that?  Guys get into these PIRR jobs to minimize their pain on the way to 20 years, not double it.  You can get 35 points in either program independently, no need to double up.

Guess I’m a glutton for punishment. Really more out of curiosity than anything.

[uhhello]

8 hours ago, torqued said:

i may be wrong, but I bet the first case has more to do with atlanta and less about delta. the second is definitely southwest.

Whoosh right over that dome

[Sneedro]

9 hours ago, nunya said:

I don't know if there's any restriction on having one as your primary and one as your additional duty, but WTF would you do that?  Guys get into these PIRR jobs to minimize their pain on the way to 20 years, not double it.  You can get 35 points in either program independently, no need to double up.

I don't believe there is any restriction as you can be a TR and still do a points only gig on the side, and I believe you can also be AD and do one.  Don't quote me on the AD part as that's what I believe I heard, I may have misunderstood though.  I know that's hard to believe.  However, as others have said there's plenty of work to be done with a single points only job to get your minimum each year.  I finally turned in the old wings and am now a CAP points only type dude.  Between Delta and my cake CAP gig I'm living the dream!  Flying for Delta and limping towards retirement.  Ask me in another 6yrs when I hit my 20 and punch all together if I am happier, but for now I can't think of any way to make life better.

[Sneedro]

On 1/30/2018 at 12:12 AM, Tank said:

Nope, not self inflicted based on aircraft but based on domecile.  There is only one domecile that is a single leg commute from my home and unfornately that domecile has become the most senior for the company.  

So, I could do a double commute to a line or a much easier single commute to reserve.  

Commuting sucks but to have to suck up a double commute is not in my plans. 

This right here is exactly what is so great about the airline world...YOU GET TO CHOOSE!  While it sucks to be junior commuting to reserve (I am right there with you and feel your pain) it's a choice.  You could be more senior with a line but have to add in a double commute.  It's all about what you decide is the best option.  I could be 40-45% from the top, live in base, and hold a line in the right seat, but the wife and I decided if any time is best to do it, now is the time to jump to the left seat and commute to reserve.  Sucks at times but we have CHOSEN to chase the money.  I cannot remember any time while on AD, and to an extent in the reserves other than to leave, that I was ever really given a choice.

[Guardian]

I’ve heard that in the Airlines the printers are already mapped at each computer......unheard of in the mil.

[ChkHandleDn]

Any Delta bubbas need any widget desert morale tabs?  Got a buddy who had some made. 

[Buddy Spike]

16 hours ago, Guardian said:

I’ve heard that in the Airlines the printers are already mapped at each computer......unheard of in the mil.

My iPad automatically maps to the printer at the gate we're departing from.  

[Homestar]

7 hours ago, Buddy Spike said:

My iPad automatically maps to the printer at the gate we're departing from.  

What is this black magic?

[flyusaf83]

7 hours ago, Homestar said:

What is this black magic?

It’s not science fiction.

[RTB]

On 2/3/2018 at 5:18 PM, Homestar said:

What is this black magic?

It's amazing what happens when there is a profit incentive. 

[Doc]

What is this printer thingy of which you speak........... 

[BADFNZ]

10 hours ago, Doc said:

What is this printer thingy of which you speak........... 

Submit a ticket, give me 6-9 weeks, and I'll tell you.

[pelexecute]

Looking for advice on when to set an availability date prior to official retirement. Currently I’m taking anticipated leave balance + 20 days PTDY and backing that up from my official retirement date in the summer of 2019. Is that the way to go or do I need to consider other factors?  Also, anyone know when/if MPF requires you to do a final out in person?  I’d appreciate any thoughts; seems like everyone I talk to has a different opinion.