Approaching Chicago from the southeast at dusk...
So after enjoying 4 days off in Tucson, I flew up to Denver to catch a flight back to Dulles on Sunday night. Rode in the jumpseat of a United 757, and got into Dulles at Midnight. Spent about 4 hours in the crew room, only about 2 asleep, before I had to show for a deadhead to Chicago. I wonder why the call it a deadhead anyway... ah well. First class in a 757, so I got another hour of sleep or so. Then I flew a trip from Chicago to Columbia, SC and was done for the day. The next morning I flew a trip from Columbia to Chicago, then deadheaded back to Dulles. Pretty efficient huh?
Then, they assigned me a 'continuous duty overnight', AKA 'stand up', 'camping trip', 'highspeed', and many more names.. Was off from about 1:00pm when I got in from my deadhead till 9:00pm when I had to report for the 'stand up'. Flew from Dulles to Pittsburgh, spent about 5 hours at the hotel (4 sleeping) and then reported back at the airport for the first flight back to Dulles. Was finished at about 7:30am this morning, caught a flight home to Charlotte at 9:00am, spent about 5 hours at home, then back to the airport to commute back for another 'stand up' tonight. Exactly the same stand up as last night, which really isn't all that bad when it comes to stand ups. Some stand ups are significantly shorter, for example 3 or 4 hours from the time you get to the gate at night till you have to be back at the gate in the morning. This Pittsburgh stand up is about 7 hours from arrival to show the next morning... so it's about 5 hours at the hotel, which isn't all that bad.
Some people like stand ups, and actually bid for them. They're cool if you live in base... you're at home all day, fly for a few hours over the night, then you're back home the next day. But they suck if you're a commuter and don't live in base... like me!
So tomorrow after I get done at 7:30am, I'll catch the same flight back to Charlotte, spend a few hours, then have to come back to Dulles to be here for reserve at 4:00am on Friday. Thennnn it's off to AZ again for the weekend!
So the schedules can suck, but then I see things like this, and realize that I've actually got a pretty cool job.
Holding over Lake Michigan trying to get into Chicago:
A crappy attempt at a picture of downtown Chicago approaching from the southeast.
1 comment:
Hey you were in Tucson. You should have sent a text saying so. We could have gotten together. Next time your in this area let me know. I havent seen you in like...forever.
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