Interview with American Eagle

[zmiller4]

Originally Posted by WestIndian425

I'm so sorry I didn't see this post sooner. To answer your question, I do have roots in the West Indies. I have family in St. Lucia, and so many close friends and family in other islands including Trinidad, Grenada, and Martinique. "West Indian 425" is actually the callsign for BWIA flight 425 JFK-POS. This was my favorite airline of all time. Alas, at the end of the year, it'll be no more.

Cool! I spent a lot of overnights in St. Lucia, but never made it to POS, FDF, or GND. St. Lucia and Dominica are the two islands I'm definately going to visit when I get back that way.

The 700 seems like a cool airplane, but I'm not a huge fan of flying the 200 with captains who mostly fly it--they forget to push things sometimes.

[DE727UPS]

"Well, I made it"

Contgratz, Subpilot. I can remember when you were asking us which flight school to go to. Any feedback on what you'd do different if you had it to do over?

[NJA_Capt]

Originally Posted by WestIndian425

I do have roots in the West Indies. I have family in St. Lucia,

"West Indian 425" is actually the callsign for BWIA flight 425 JFK-POS. This was my favorite airline of all time. Alas, at the end of the year, it'll be no more.

What is happening to Bee Wee?? I have some Vincy ties myself and rode on them as a kid.

[WestIndian425]

Originally Posted by zmiller4

Cool! I spent a lot of overnights in St. Lucia, but never made it to POS, FDF, or GND. St. Lucia and Dominica are the two islands I'm definately going to visit when I get back that way.

The 700 seems like a cool airplane, but I'm not a huge fan of flying the 200 with captains who mostly fly it--they forget to push things sometimes.

Where do you guys stay when overnighting in SLU?

Also, how does scheduling work out of SJU? Do the more senior guys get the schedules which bring them back to base at the end of the day, while other junior compadres overnight at the other islands?

[WestIndian425]

Originally Posted by NJA_Capt

What is happening to Bee Wee?? I have some Vincy ties myself and rode on them as a kid.

BWIA West Indies Airways will be taking its last flight on December 31st. Then it will be shut down, and a new carrier, Caribbean Airlines, will be taking its place on January 1st.

[zmiller4]

Originally Posted by WestIndian425

Where do you guys stay when overnighting in SLU?

Also, how does scheduling work out of SJU? Do the more senior guys get the schedules which bring them back to base at the end of the day, while other junior compadres overnight at the other islands?

We stay in Castries at the Auberge Seraphine, which is just south of the airport. The overnight was only 10 hours or so when I was there. I forget who bid what, but a lot of the FO's were commuters, so the more senior guys were getting the 4-day trips when I was there. Crashmbern would know a lot more.

[crashmbern]

October was nice in SLU. Eagle had a flight from SJU to SLU and then to Canuon CIW. But the hotels close in CIW for October so there was 2 overnights in SLU. Mine got in at 430 and we left at 6am. The next got in at 8pm and left at 11am. It was nice we actually got to walk downtown and then have diner, then the next crew got in which the FO was my college roomate. It was fun actually having time to relax, have diner, along with a few adult beverages. But most overnights are 9-10 hours of rest at best.

As far as schedules are in SJU, they really stunk for December. Probably the worst since I have been hear. I still can't hold 4 day trips and have 2 day back to back trips. There is actually a lot of local FO's. They bid for just about everything except the 4 days trips. The 4 days trips usually go to the senior first year FO's. But I have been down here since april and can't hold them. But a lot of guys ahead of me are goin to the jet the next month.

adam

[WestIndian425]

Originally Posted by zmiller4

We stay in Castries at the Auberge Seraphine, which is just south of the airport. The overnight was only 10 hours or so when I was there. I forget who bid what, but a lot of the FO's were commuters, so the more senior guys were getting the 4-day trips when I was there. Crashmbern would know a lot more.

I know Castries. Got lots of family there. Glad you're liking it.

Originally Posted by crashmbern

October was nice in SLU. Eagle had a flight from SJU to SLU and then to Canuon CIW. But the hotels close in CIW for October so there was 2 overnights in SLU. Mine got in at 430 and we left at 6am. The next got in at 8pm and left at 11am. It was nice we actually got to walk downtown and then have diner, then the next crew got in which the FO was my college roomate. It was fun actually having time to relax, have diner, along with a few adult beverages. But most overnights are 9-10 hours of rest at best.

As far as schedules are in SJU, they really stunk for December. Probably the worst since I have been hear. I still can't hold 4 day trips and have 2 day back to back trips. There is actually a lot of local FO's. They bid for just about everything except the 4 days trips. The 4 days trips usually go to the senior first year FO's. But I have been down here since april and can't hold them. But a lot of guys ahead of me are goin to the jet the next month.

adam

Hopefully things will get better for you soon, man. Sounds like you're enjoying it, though. What other islands have you had the opportunity to overnight?

[zmiller4]

Originally Posted by WestIndian425

I know Castries. Got lots of family there. Glad you're liking it.

Should be was liking it. I've, uh, moved on. I live where I'm based now.

[Maximillian_Jenius]

Originally Posted by zmiller4

Should be was liking it. I've, uh, moved on. I live where I'm based now.

Tucson (my hometown) sucks!

[crashmbern]

Originally Posted by WestIndian425

I know Castries. Got lots of family there. Glad you're liking it.



Hopefully things will get better for you soon, man. Sounds like you're enjoying it, though. What other islands have you had the opportunity to overnight?

I think I have overnighted at all the ones eagle has except CUR(curacao) and we just started overnighting in PTP. All the overnights suck in SJU, because they are all short and you don't really have time to do anything. The only semi long ones are Nevis and Canuan. We have to land there by sunset so that makes for about a 13 hour overnight.

Its been fun in SJU, more of an experience. I wouldn't want to be based down here permanenlty but its something I can look back on and say I did for a year. Now I'm just looking forward to being based in LGA and driving to work instead of a 4 hour flight. Hopefully by the middle of the summer I'll will be up here for good.

[saxman66]

Hey subpilot: Just wondering about what your times are. I'm just working on getting a little more multi.

[subpilot]

1150tt, 100multi

[flyguy969]

Good luck man. That is where my instructor plans on going. It seems to be a good place.

[subpilot]

We left Fresno on Sunday and just made it into DFW tonight. 5 days on the road with a wife, 2 kids, and 1 cat. One flat tire and we left behind a $300 power cord for our 5th wheel back in Arizona but hey... "WE MADE IT." We get the weekend now to get settled in because I start ground school on Monday.

[crashmbern]

good luck on monday. I just got back from Dallas today, I had my first year probation ride and passed. Man was it cold in Dallas, just as cold as it is in NY today. Good luck again and have fun.

[ready2fly]

Originally Posted by subpilot

We left Fresno on Sunday and just made it into DFW tonight. 5 days on the road with a wife, 2 kids, and 1 cat. One flat tire and we left behind a $300 power cord for our 5th wheel back in Arizona but hey... "WE MADE IT." We get the weekend now to get settled in because I start ground school on Monday.

Subpilot - have ya'll found a place/area where ya'll want to live yet??? If not, let me know.

We live in Saginaw. GREAT area! Also, we used THE BEST realtor to find us this place! We did ZERO leg work! She's the shiznit, bro!! Seriously!!

Welcome to Eagle!

I'll be at the "schoolhouse" Jan. 7-9 for recurrent. But, if you want to contact me before then, drop me a PM.

Stan

[subpilot]

We drove around yesterday and really liked the Grapevine area. We are going to buy a house come summertime. I figure it takes at least 6 months to learn an area enough to know where you want to settle down. For now we are in Arlington, about 10-15 minutes from the training center. See you around Stan

[Aero_Engineer]

Originally Posted by subpilot

We drove around yesterday and really liked the Grapevine area. We are going to buy a house come summertime. I figure it takes at least 6 months to learn an area enough to know where you want to settle down. For now we are in Arlington, about 10-15 minutes from the training center. See you around Stan

Good luck on everything, Congrats again!!

[subpilot]

Got DFW on the Saab. The breakdown for my class was 18 new hires, 3 ATR FO's transitioning to the EMB and one ATR capt transitioning to the EMB. Out of the 18 new hires: 6 ORD EMB, 3 BOS EMB, 5 DFW Saab, 2 LAX Saab, 2 MIA ATR. The ATR was fought over and DFW went to all the junior guys. I was the only one who actually chose DFW but that was because I have my family here while the others were single and wanted the jet (can you say SJS?). Indoc is a breeze so far. Next week is the beginning of systems and then I should start getting homework. We get 4 days off for Xmas and another 4 days off for New Years with positive space travel back home both times and with full per diem the whole time. Not bad at all!!!

[OldTownPilot]

Sounds like you are having a blast.

I would take BOS ERJ for the commute. Then any other ERJ (to get back to BOS). A BGR-BOS commute is drivable as a line holder, but not reserve (4.5 hrs), and there is 7 flights a day between the 2 cities (4 AAeagle and 3 Comair).

We shall see where I end up in 2 years or so. Comair and XJT are possible with some of the connections I have, but Colgan would be awesome for the bases, BHB to be specific.