Daily Life as an airline pilot
 

Hey guys. I'm a mil guy considering making the jump to the good life. Specifically curious about the following items w/ respect to a major airline:

1. Daily routine flying the line (i.e. play-by-play of the day, from driving to the airport to crashing in bed at the La Quinta)

2. Ease of "commuting" to your hub. Is jumpseating a guaranteed/smooth process every time?

3. As a new hire, how easy is it to get domiciled in a big city of your choice? (specifically Chicago)

4. How do guys pass the time in the cockpit? Do Captains expect endless small talk or is it normal to quietly chill out with a kindle/magazine while the other guy monitors A/P and does radios?

5. Average days off per month vs time spent flying the line. New guy vs senior guy?

Appreciate any insight into these questions!

Too many variables for generalization: short-haul vs long-haul, night freight vs pax, legacy vs low-cost carrier...

Jumpseating is NEVER guaranteed! Plan on spending a day at it, until you figure out the specific routes and trends.

Check individual airlines for junior domiciles.

Some pilots are chatty, others not. Again, lots of variety.

Number of days off may not vary so much as distribution. You may fly 3 on/4 off, or 5 on/2 off, or 16 on/15 off, or any variety. Again, depends on airline, airplane, and seniority.

You will have much better luck getting info on airlinepilotcentral.com which focuses on US airlines.