My goal, since my "commuter airline" days was to fly for a freight company like UPS or FedEx. Job sercurity was most important to me and flying people had lost it's luster after enduring the airplane is "Too small" and I was "Too young" daily comments from the self loading freight. Most often heard comment over the years, "Hey, did you remember to wind up the rubber bands?"
As far as our work schedule goes, it really depends on if you commute to work or live in domicle. I live in Louisville and mostly fly "turn" lines. That means you're out and back the same day. Typically, turns lines consist of flying 3 weeks in a row (usually 4 days each week) and 1 week off.
You can fly a line consisting of morning turns or a line of evening turns. Morning trips report around 3:30am and leave around 4:30am. You'll fly outbound to a gateway somewhere, sit a couple hours and return back to Louisville arriving between 9-11:00am. Afternoon turns report around 4:00pm and depart around 5pm. You'll fly to a gateway, sit about 3-4 hours (go to dinner and/or watch TV) and return back to Louisville around midnight-2am.
I usually fly turn lines because a) I can; b) I like being home everyday; and c) No commercial deadheading! I mostly fly morning turns and occasionally fly afternoon turns when I can get them (they go very senior out of Louisville)! Currently, I'm flying afternoon DFW turns.
Commuters generally fly lines that are week on/week off and have commercial deadheads on both ends of the trips. This gives them more time at home. International crews may be gone 12-14 days and have the rest of the month off.
Sorry, this is the short version as I'm a little busy with the family this weekend.
