Airport Reserve

If you were reading the phone book and watching paint dry, while snacking on white bread, that might be one third as boring as airport reserve.

One of the most dreaded parts or being a new airline pilot is airport reserve. With those of you unfamiliar with that term, it means sitting at the airport, in uniform, with your bags packed, ready to be assigned a flight immediately should it need a crew member.

AM Airport Reserve

Let me start by saying I am so remarkably grateful to be starting a career as an airline pilot. I have been wanting to fly since I was a little boy. I took an 18 year detour in radio but am finally living the dream.

So, back to airport reserve...

My alarm went off at 3:10am and I opened my eyes to my beautiful wife on my left and great dane snoring on my right. Pretty good start. I got in to uniform and headed to work. I got to employee parking, took the shuttle, then meandered to the crew room. Thats where the fun began...

5 am: spent 20 minutes in line at Starbucks.

5:20 am: sat in C gates until I was told there is a quieter place in D gates (pictured above)

7:00 am: went to the spot in D gates

7:20 am: waited in line at Starbucks for another 20 minutes.

7:40 am: went back to D gates.

8:00 am: Pondered what makes a grown man wear footy pajamas to the airport on Monday morning.

8:10 am: Heard my old friend Sir Mix A Lot's recorded message on the airport loudspeaker and texted him to tell let him know about it. (Story on how we know each other in later post)

8:50 am: Began keeping a running tally of number of service dogs I saw in the airport.

9:10 am: Worked on some playlists for my wife for her classes at OrangeTheory in the coming weeks.

9:50 am: Started listening to an audiobook that one of my instructors told me about while I was in training.

10:10 am: Walked around the airport for a while, looking at people.

10:30 am: Worked on this post.

12:15 pm: Went back to the crew room to heat up my lunch.

1:00 pm: Took the shuttle back to my car.

1:30 pm: Drove home

Honestly, its hard to complain knowing that you're getting paid all of that time. I'm trying to find things I can do eat up time while this is life. My wife told me that people who speak Mandarin are in high demand. I could do that. If you know of anything else I could do, feel free to let me know.

Airport reserve is a necessary evil and from what I understand, most new pilots have it at least some point in their career. It is part of paying your dues for what is shaping up to be the best career decision I have ever made so I will call it a win and remain grateful.