What's the longest amount of time you've sat in a commercial jet on the taxiway waiting to take off? I just broke my personal record the other day, clocking in just under five hours on the ground, in the cockpit. I was called while on reserve for a "repo." No, not repossession...but repositioning! The company needed the aircraft in Chicago, but it was sitting in Minneapolis. So in this case, a Captain and I were assigned to relocate the plane... no passengers and no flight attendants on board.
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| These are clouds |
REPO DAY:
| Time | Event |
| 630 | Crew support calls... have a repo to ORD for me |
| 800 | Take light rail to MSP and get through KCM |
| 832 | Show Time...meet Captain at aircraft |
| 856 | Prepared the CRJ900 for push back...but an indication shows up that required us to call maintenance |
| 908 | Issue resolved... but ORD issued a ground stop until 1100: due overhead thunderstorms in Chicago, no aircraft were coming or going. Sat in plane at gate. |
| 1030 | Push back, get a call that ground stop has been extended another two hours, until 1300. Parked us at 12L de-ice pad. |
| 1349 | After sitting in the plane for over three hours, they cancelled the repo. (We didn't go anywhere!) |
| 1400 | Required to sit ready. That means stay at the airport and be ready to fill in within 20 minutes of a phone call from crew support. Would be released at 1600 (and able to go home....yay!). |
| 1515 | Crew support calls. Have a flight for me to EWR (Newark) and will most likely be an overnight because I will have timed out. |
| 1539 | Take off for Newark |
| 1940 | (Local time): Land in Newark. Have two voicemails... one says they can't find me a hotel and probably going to deadhead me home. The next says they did find me a hotel and I will stay overnight and deadhead back in the AM. |
| 2000 | Call the hotel, they don't have a shuttle... take an Uber... to the WRONG hotel... get another Uber... do a ride share...we pick up another person... they drop me off at correct hotel... |
| 2100 | Realized my phone was at 18% battery... on phone with Sara who realized she had moved my charging cord bag to her desk and so they were at home. Needed to walk to Target to get another charge cord since I'd have to sit ready the next day and needed a full charge. Also got my son a train car. Then back to hotel for sleep. Credited 8:44 but only flew a total of 3 hours. What a day. |
Have to be up for anything on reserve, I guess! Last month I wrote about
life on reserve in Chicago. I am glad that is over. Being on reserve in a city you don't live in is as they say...not fun. So much time is spent commuting and away from home (and family) whether you fly or not. I did get to take a day to do some sight seeing with my friend Adam who was coincidentally on reserve there the same day in Chicago... that was a good day!
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| The Bean, Chicago, IL |
This month has been completely different, being on reserve in MSP where we live. I have already spent more nights at home this month than I spent at home the entire month of June (circa 15 nights). In fact, the Newark story has been my only overnight so far this month. The trips I've been called for in MSP have primarily been "
locals." That means I fly several legs in a day but end up back in MSP and able to come home, usually after 5pm. This is ideal as we are expecting a baby soon!
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| Sara & Baby Boy #2 |
Many of the days I've been on reserve I have not received a call at all. It's been a huge blessing to be able to spend quality time with my son before he becomes a big brother. One highlight was taking him to see Cars 3; we practically had the theatre to ourselves. I've also learned that he would be content swinging for hours... no slides necessary!
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| Isaac loves swinging |
My wife and I have had more opportunities for quality time--in big thanks to family and friends willing to take our son off our hands for a time. We've had important conversations about our new lifestyle, and wondering what it will be like to have two boys. We find ourselves processing moving back to a place we have lived before--encountering what has changed not only in our surroundings, but in ourselves.
The most rewarding parts of my job this past month have been:
- The feeling of accomplishment after a great landing
- Flying with and learning from very skilled and likable Captains
- Margin in life to read for pleasure...and even finish a book!
- Discounts on airport food :-P
- Ultra high job satisfaction! Such a great feeling to have a skill that benefits other people in a very tangible way
But I'm curious... how long have you sat in a plane before takeoff? What's your story?
