hi new to board and frustrated with dh job!

tlhrn · 12-14-2004, 06:53 AM

I like the idea of venting to people that actually understand what it is like to be married to a pilot. Thanks in advance for listening to this vent. My husband works for a commuter and needless to say does not make very much money. Now his company moved his base to a city with an extremely high cost of living. He is paying over $1000.00 for crash pad/living expenses. On top of this he is on reserve and is only able to come home about 6 days a month. We have a two year old and another baby due in a few months. I am completely overwhelmed by trying to maintain our home, take care of our son and work to pay the bills. He refuses to even consider changing careers because he always says things will get better, but they never do. Has anyone else been through times like this and how did you get through? Thanks again.

Kristie · 12-14-2004, 08:38 AM

WOW! well, first off - welcome to the boards! [img]images/graemlins/0712.gif[/img]

is there any chance he could move bases? what other bases are there that would be closer/less expensive and higher in seniority so that he wouldn't have to sit reserve?

is this base in california or NYC? cuz seems to me like that's the only location where the crashpad cost would be that awfully high! how many guys are in the crashpad with him? any chance he can find a different crashpad with more guys to split the cost?

$1000+/month would be enuff to get by with your own apartment and/or hotel room...are they charging him a per nite amount (like a hotel) or on a per month basis? $1000 for 25 days would amount to like $40/nite.. he could his own sleep in room or priceline hotel for $40/nite! Don't normal crashpads cost like $20 per night and that's why pilots use them - cuz they stuff a lot of guys into a house all paying the same low fee thereby the homeowner making $$??

I mean, if they get 10 guys into a house (which they normally do with crashpads in my experience) and each is paying $1000/month (incl utilities) - $10,000/month from all the guys, that's a lot of $$ for the homeowner to be raking in!

crashpads are supposed to be the cheapest source of living since the pilots only stay there from time to time...

obviously, you can't move to the base, esp if you can't afford to live there! so he might have to look more deeply on his part for a less expensive crashpad or on a way to trim down his part of the expenses!

the thing with working for the commuter's is that you have to find the "trim" in the costs any way you can do it.. on your end and on his end. finding that route is never easy and since I, myself, don't have kids.. i couldn't tell you the easiest route to go...we ate out of can's and had lots of taco bell/mac-n-chz/$50 burgers when doug was working for the regionals.. he lived in a crappy $300/month southside apartment complex with no furniture (just a bed and tv and some dishes to eat from) while he was on reserve and he learned to scrape by on hotdogs and as many free things as he could get his hands on.

I always picked him up from the airport, so he could keep his car in mke, let him stay at my place (rent/util free) etc etc until he was able to get into the major's...we would go out and do $1 movies, walks in the park and anything we could find that was free and fun!

MQAAord · 12-14-2004, 10:55 AM

$1000 a month for crashpad/living expenses?!

Yikes! I spent 6 months based in NY, responsible for all 3 airports and I only spent $400 a month! (Crash pad, transportation & food)

There's gotta be some ways to pinch here, where is he based?

tlhrn · 12-14-2004, 11:52 AM

I guess I should be more specific about the crash pad situation. The reason that it is so expensive is that he has been FORCED to move bases twice in two months and they are moving him again in February to Washington DC. Right now he is in PHL and him and three other guys are living out of a hotel. The hotel is about $600.00 (his share) a month because he's there about 22-25 days a month. He's on reserve but they are not using him. Between hotel, food and transpotation it turns out to be about a $1000.00 a month. His last crash pad, that he had before switching jobs was only $120.00 a month becuase he held a line and did not use it much. It does not appear that DC will be much better.

MQAAord · 12-14-2004, 01:20 PM

I've never been based in DCA, but I do hear it can be expensive. Has he looked on crashpads.com? Maybe he could find something there. The subway/train system (I forget what it's called in DC) goes right to DCA, maybe he could find something right off the line so he wouldn't have to have a car.

ALPA may have a crashpad forum on their chatboards. Sucks he has to spend so much time at his crash pad though! I remember sitting at mine in NY, picking my nose waiting for the phone to ring. Blech.

I can relate to the money issues though! We're having our pay slashed by a third. I'm cheap/thrifty as it is, and I'm having a hard time coming up with even more ways for me to save. Trouble is, I'm the cheap one, he's not, KWIM?

Here's what I do already:
-Grocery shop at Aldi's (no name brand products, just as good as the name brand, but literally HALF the price)
-Clip LOTS of coupons (cleaners, detergent, diapers, etc)
-Do a lot of shopping online, where I can find free-shipping deals, and save myself the 8 1/4 sales tax I pay if I shop at the stores in Cook County
-Made baby food myself, and used the store-bought brands as convienience food when I traveled
-Run Ethanol in our Tahoe (it has the flexible fuel engine, not every car can run on Ethanol) it's .10-.20 gal cheaper than regular gas
-I just turned the furnace down 2 degrees, with the price of heating fuel this season it's going to be EXPENSIVE!

There's lots more too, but I've just been feeling like I've exhausted every resource of 'cheapness'. Hope you can find something that works for you!

Kristie · 12-14-2004, 01:24 PM

so he has to be at his base for 22-25 days a month? do they have work rule regs such as "12 hr call for commuter" (I can't remember the actual term for it) like DAL has?

does he have any idea on when he might get a line?

$24/day for a hotel is pretty good...having to stay there, when your not being used just sucks! what kind of transportation does he have over there? his own car...is he close to the airport? how far away do you live from the base - hr flight, 2 hrs or more?

are they in an efficiency or regular hotel room (minus the kitchen)?

skibum515 · 12-14-2004, 04:15 PM

there are hotels called Extended Stay America - they are really cheap and usually have a small kitchen in addition to the beds and all that. Maybe look into that instead of the current hotel he's at?

Tambralyn · 12-16-2004, 08:22 PM

Welcome to the board. I can definitely relate to what you're saying. DH's pay is about half what it was during training now that he doesn't get per diem every day and is paying for benefits. All the above posts have some great advice as far as looking for new crashpads, so I can't really add anything there. One thing that John does (he's also on reserve) - he calls scheduling every day, begging for a trip. I don't know if it really has any affect, but he does seem to be flying a lot. It doesn't save him any money on the crashpad, and actually costs him more in food, since he can't really stock up on perishable groceries and eats at the airport a lot, but at least he'll start seeing per diem on his check again, and he gets to do what he loves instead of sitting around the airport all day. But your DH is probably already doing that too.

As for trying to convince him to change jobs. Well, all I can say is good luck with that. It seems to be in their blood, and as much as they whine to us about how bad the industry is, they just can't seem to walk away. Am I right girls?
[img]images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

Kristie · 12-16-2004, 10:47 PM

yuppers! i wouldn't wanna take the pilot out of doug.. it's just who he is and even if i didn't like it, i wouldn't ask him to give it up.. he'd be miserable!

tlhrn · 12-17-2004, 02:08 PM

I just want to thank everyone for the great advice. It helps to hear other people's stories. I know I'll NEVER like my DH's job, but maybe I'll get used to it some day or maybe he will realize just how bad the industy is and find a different job. Happy Holiday's! Thanks Again for listening to my vent.

12-14-2004, 06:53 AM	#1 (permalink)
tlhrn Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: MI Posts: 5 Recipes: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	hi new to board and frustrated with dh job! I like the idea of venting to people that actually understand what it is like to be married to a pilot. Thanks in advance for listening to this vent. My husband works for a commuter and needless to say does not make very much money. Now his company moved his base to a city with an extremely high cost of living. He is paying over $1000.00 for crash pad/living expenses. On top of this he is on reserve and is only able to come home about 6 days a month. We have a two year old and another baby due in a few months. I am completely overwhelmed by trying to maintain our home, take care of our son and work to pay the bills. He refuses to even consider changing careers because he always says things will get better, but they never do. Has anyone else been through times like this and how did you get through? Thanks again.

12-14-2004, 08:38 AM	#2 (permalink)
Kristie Admin/Owner Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Scottsdale, Arizona Posts: 6,630 Recipes: Thanks: 7 Thanked 17 Times in 17 Posts	Re: hi new to board and frustrated with dh job! WOW! well, first off - welcome to the boards! [img]images/graemlins/0712.gif[/img] is there any chance he could move bases? what other bases are there that would be closer/less expensive and higher in seniority so that he wouldn't have to sit reserve? is this base in california or NYC? cuz seems to me like that's the only location where the crashpad cost would be that awfully high! how many guys are in the crashpad with him? any chance he can find a different crashpad with more guys to split the cost? $1000+/month would be enuff to get by with your own apartment and/or hotel room...are they charging him a per nite amount (like a hotel) or on a per month basis? $1000 for 25 days would amount to like $40/nite.. he could his own sleep in room or priceline hotel for $40/nite! Don't normal crashpads cost like $20 per night and that's why pilots use them - cuz they stuff a lot of guys into a house all paying the same low fee thereby the homeowner making $$?? I mean, if they get 10 guys into a house (which they normally do with crashpads in my experience) and each is paying $1000/month (incl utilities) - $10,000/month from all the guys, that's a lot of $$ for the homeowner to be raking in! crashpads are supposed to be the cheapest source of living since the pilots only stay there from time to time... obviously, you can't move to the base, esp if you can't afford to live there! so he might have to look more deeply on his part for a less expensive crashpad or on a way to trim down his part of the expenses! the thing with working for the commuter's is that you have to find the "trim" in the costs any way you can do it.. on your end and on his end. finding that route is never easy and since I, myself, don't have kids.. i couldn't tell you the easiest route to go...we ate out of can's and had lots of taco bell/mac-n-chz/$50 burgers when doug was working for the regionals.. he lived in a crappy $300/month southside apartment complex with no furniture (just a bed and tv and some dishes to eat from) while he was on reserve and he learned to scrape by on hotdogs and as many free things as he could get his hands on. I always picked him up from the airport, so he could keep his car in mke, let him stay at my place (rent/util free) etc etc until he was able to get into the major's...we would go out and do $1 movies, walks in the park and anything we could find that was free and fun!

12-14-2004, 10:55 AM	#3 (permalink)
MQAAord Jetgirls Ol' School Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: A Happy Place Posts: 668 Recipes: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: hi new to board and frustrated with dh job! $1000 a month for crashpad/living expenses?! Yikes! I spent 6 months based in NY, responsible for all 3 airports and I only spent $400 a month! (Crash pad, transportation & food) There's gotta be some ways to pinch here, where is he based?

12-14-2004, 11:52 AM	#4 (permalink)
tlhrn Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: MI Posts: 5 Recipes: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: hi new to board and frustrated with dh job! I guess I should be more specific about the crash pad situation. The reason that it is so expensive is that he has been FORCED to move bases twice in two months and they are moving him again in February to Washington DC. Right now he is in PHL and him and three other guys are living out of a hotel. The hotel is about $600.00 (his share) a month because he's there about 22-25 days a month. He's on reserve but they are not using him. Between hotel, food and transpotation it turns out to be about a $1000.00 a month. His last crash pad, that he had before switching jobs was only $120.00 a month becuase he held a line and did not use it much. It does not appear that DC will be much better.

12-14-2004, 01:20 PM	#5 (permalink)
MQAAord Jetgirls Ol' School Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: A Happy Place Posts: 668 Recipes: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: hi new to board and frustrated with dh job! I've never been based in DCA, but I do hear it can be expensive. Has he looked on crashpads.com? Maybe he could find something there. The subway/train system (I forget what it's called in DC) goes right to DCA, maybe he could find something right off the line so he wouldn't have to have a car. ALPA may have a crashpad forum on their chatboards. Sucks he has to spend so much time at his crash pad though! I remember sitting at mine in NY, picking my nose waiting for the phone to ring. Blech. I can relate to the money issues though! We're having our pay slashed by a third. I'm cheap/thrifty as it is, and I'm having a hard time coming up with even more ways for me to save. Trouble is, I'm the cheap one, he's not, KWIM? Here's what I do already: -Grocery shop at Aldi's (no name brand products, just as good as the name brand, but literally HALF the price) -Clip LOTS of coupons (cleaners, detergent, diapers, etc) -Do a lot of shopping online, where I can find free-shipping deals, and save myself the 8 1/4 sales tax I pay if I shop at the stores in Cook County -Made baby food myself, and used the store-bought brands as convienience food when I traveled -Run Ethanol in our Tahoe (it has the flexible fuel engine, not every car can run on Ethanol) it's .10-.20 gal cheaper than regular gas -I just turned the furnace down 2 degrees, with the price of heating fuel this season it's going to be EXPENSIVE! There's lots more too, but I've just been feeling like I've exhausted every resource of 'cheapness'. Hope you can find something that works for you!

12-14-2004, 01:24 PM	#6 (permalink)
Kristie Admin/Owner Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Scottsdale, Arizona Posts: 6,630 Recipes: Thanks: 7 Thanked 17 Times in 17 Posts	Re: hi new to board and frustrated with dh job! so he has to be at his base for 22-25 days a month? do they have work rule regs such as "12 hr call for commuter" (I can't remember the actual term for it) like DAL has? does he have any idea on when he might get a line? $24/day for a hotel is pretty good...having to stay there, when your not being used just sucks! what kind of transportation does he have over there? his own car...is he close to the airport? how far away do you live from the base - hr flight, 2 hrs or more? are they in an efficiency or regular hotel room (minus the kitchen)?

12-14-2004, 04:15 PM	#7 (permalink)
skibum515 Jetgirls Ol' School Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Park City Posts: 1,247 Recipes: Thanks: 2 Thanked 9 Times in 9 Posts	Re: hi new to board and frustrated with dh job! there are hotels called Extended Stay America - they are really cheap and usually have a small kitchen in addition to the beds and all that. Maybe look into that instead of the current hotel he's at?

12-16-2004, 08:22 PM	#8 (permalink)
Tambralyn Jetgirls Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Farmington, MO Posts: 182 Recipes: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: hi new to board and frustrated with dh job! Welcome to the board. I can definitely relate to what you're saying. DH's pay is about half what it was during training now that he doesn't get per diem every day and is paying for benefits. All the above posts have some great advice as far as looking for new crashpads, so I can't really add anything there. One thing that John does (he's also on reserve) - he calls scheduling every day, begging for a trip. I don't know if it really has any affect, but he does seem to be flying a lot. It doesn't save him any money on the crashpad, and actually costs him more in food, since he can't really stock up on perishable groceries and eats at the airport a lot, but at least he'll start seeing per diem on his check again, and he gets to do what he loves instead of sitting around the airport all day. But your DH is probably already doing that too. As for trying to convince him to change jobs. Well, all I can say is good luck with that. It seems to be in their blood, and as much as they whine to us about how bad the industry is, they just can't seem to walk away. Am I right girls? [img]images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

12-16-2004, 10:47 PM	#9 (permalink)
Kristie Admin/Owner Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Scottsdale, Arizona Posts: 6,630 Recipes: Thanks: 7 Thanked 17 Times in 17 Posts	Re: hi new to board and frustrated with dh job! yuppers! i wouldn't wanna take the pilot out of doug.. it's just who he is and even if i didn't like it, i wouldn't ask him to give it up.. he'd be miserable!

12-17-2004, 02:08 PM	#10 (permalink)
tlhrn Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: MI Posts: 5 Recipes: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: hi new to board and frustrated with dh job! I just want to thank everyone for the great advice. It helps to hear other people's stories. I know I'll NEVER like my DH's job, but maybe I'll get used to it some day or maybe he will realize just how bad the industy is and find a different job. Happy Holiday's! Thanks Again for listening to my vent.

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