| Msg ID: 2792633 |
I have a job offer 7/7 +3/-2
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| Author:Just leaving military and “retiring”
9/3/2023 1:14:27 AM |
It's in Arizona I'd be working a base near/in Phoenix. But I'm going to live outside the city, i think. Anyone fly HAA in Arizona? Is it a decent way to live and fly? |
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| Msg ID: 2792636 |
I have a job offer 7/7 +4/-3
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| Author:2 hot
9/3/2023 4:40:21 AM Reply to: 2792633 |
bro.
u can do better |
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| Msg ID: 2792640 |
I have a job offer 7/7 +10/-2
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| Author:Road Trip
9/3/2023 7:38:07 AM Reply to: 2792633 |
Go visit the base and talk to the local pilots. You will get opinions here from guys in Idaho. |
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| Msg ID: 2792649 |
I have a job offer 7/7 +11/-1
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| Author:This is the way
9/3/2023 11:12:42 AM Reply to: 2792633 |
If you are looking into HAA find where you really want to live...then look for an HAA company. Not the other way around. Current employment prospects are excellent right now. Don't be desperate. |
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| Msg ID: 2792672 |
I have a job offer 7/7 +3/-1
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| Author:Depends
9/3/2023 4:32:28 PM Reply to: 2792649 |
On a lot of non informative info you gave. What part of Arizona are you going to be working at? Does it have pilot housing? Do you have to live at least an hour from the base that most companies offer no matter who you work for. Unless you're a poor pilot and usually you have to live within an hour of a major airport. Phoenix metropolitan is pretty expensive and Scottsdale. Live a little bit south and you'll enjoy it more comfortable living more affordable. Like Gilbert, Queen Creek, Mesa, etc. just depends how far you want to commute plus are you also going to rent or own? I've lived out here seven years and enjoy the weather all year round. Yeah it can get hot in the summer time, but just go inside and turn on the air conditioning or jump in your pool. People talk about how hot it is but when they're freezing our asssssses off in the Midwest with the snow, you're enjoying it little bit comfort level of living in Arizona. |
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| Msg ID: 2792676 |
I have a job offer 7/7 +3/-1
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| Author:No
9/3/2023 6:25:10 PM Reply to: 2792649 |
better advice than that. You'll need to be pleased with where you live in order to pit up with HAA. It's doable in that sense. |
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| Msg ID: 2792673 |
As with all things, it depends. +8/-1
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| Author:AZ Dude
9/3/2023 5:48:10 PM Reply to: 2792633 |
Base, company, and where you want to live will all impact the answer I give you. I work in the PHX metro area and it's pretty good. I live where I want, less than 10 minute commute, happy as a clam. If you're not from AZ rent first and figure out where you want to live. After that figure out if the base you're going to has longevity, and fits the type of work you want to do. I.e. working at Banner 4 is going to hammer you a lot harder than working at Native 1, or Evac 12. Talk to the other pilots at the base and see what they think, although they'll all probably tell you the base is great because they need the seat filled for job security. AZ in general is pretty nice of you can tolerate the summers. Can live in the PHX metro area, have nice restaurants and decent schools around, less than an hour from a lake, 90 minutes away from camping and forests. Less than 3 hours away from snow sports in the winter. Plenty of hiking and biking trails around. Housing prices have gone a little nuts, but I guess that means people want to be here. If you have any more specific questions I'd be happy to throw my two cents in. |
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| Msg ID: 2792699 |
As with all things, it depends. +2/-1
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| Author:OP
9/4/2023 10:17:25 AM Reply to: 2792673 |
Is Arizona really the new California? |
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| Msg ID: 2792700 |
Still no beach +2/-0
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| Author:Less rain, hotter weather
9/4/2023 10:33:52 AM Reply to: 2792699 |
Nothing beats the coast, but it's good enough. Tech jobs are coming in, prices going up. If you've already locked in a nice rate on a mortgage and bought a house before the prices doubled though, it's pretty sweet. Depending on how far you want to drive, and what you want out of life, there are numerous openings in smaller towns further outside of of two major metro areas. Show Low specifically seems like they always have openings across all the companies operating out of there. Nice little town up north in the woods, long flights though, and it gets awfully cold/snowy through the winter. |
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| Msg ID: 2792694 |
Base longevity +4/-0
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| Author:AMC Guy
9/4/2023 8:39:18 AM Reply to: 2792633 |
If a base does at least 30/month then it's probably safe from closure, so consider that before buying a house X distance away. May be different in Arizona, though, based on payer mix. If base is in big city or really nice area and it can't keep pilots it's bad management, a-hole lead pilot, or bad medcrew. Find out why. If base is slightly remote (even a ring base around a big city) and/or the specific town it's in is crappy (bad schools, poor neighborhoods) then that's probably why. I was at a base with great medcrew, pilots, mech, management, etc. but town just sucked. Had to live 30-45 min away minimum. Everyone has their driving limits. Remember, you'll work a 12.5 hr shift every day of your 7 on. That can easily go to 14 many days depending on how busy your base is or how close the pilot switch time is to the local ambulance shift switch (lots of ambulances drivers call a helicopter because they don't want to drive the long distance to X hospital because it's close to their shift change time). Shoot to live as close to base as possible and you negate most of those frustrations (and it's also easier mentally to take an extra shift vs if you have the "ugh, it's an hour too the base" feeling"). Depends on how many years you see yourself doing it but if a base has pilot housing (minus AirEvac which does at every base I believe) then it could mean revolving door of pilots. Also, consider shift change time and it's impact on your family. Some love the 0600 change vs the 0800 and vice versa. Those 2 hours of difference can make/break your family acceptance of your job. Depends on age of kids but you may miss every ballgame, practice, dinner together, etc. if on the 0800/2000 shift. I was a military guy too and know the impact on family (even if you have the 7 off; they'll feel you're still deployed all the time). For the 0800 change example if your family are night owls then no biggee; you'll eat dinner late, watch something together, and won't feel bad about missing them at bkfst and you'll sleep in later. My fam and I hated the later shift, so to each their own. Would love to fly in AZ. Dry heat is amazing and it's hot everywhere in the country for 4 months of the year anyway (worse when your flight suit is completely soggy in 2-3 min due to humidity everywhere else vs dry heat where you have 10-15 min before a slight sweat even starts). Scenes where you have to shut down or remote hospitals with pads that are unsecure and not near a bldg with AC are maybe 20% of the job or less. Most of the time you'll be out of the heat in no time. If hot and can't get out of the heat, and you get one of those low-height, recliner-type camping chairs (less than 2 lbs and poles remove to fit in a bag that's only about 18 inches long) you can typically sit under the tailboom in the shade of the horizontal stab where you can get a breeze and be super comfy while the crew is gone. |
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| Msg ID: 2792716 |
Base longevity +5/-1
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| Author:Helpful Replies
9/4/2023 1:44:54 PM Reply to: 2792694 |
it was nice to read some helpful replies to the question asked by a fellow pilot... Good to see that we still have a number of good viewers on the Forum. |
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| Msg ID: 2792718 |
I have a job offer 7/7 +1/-0
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| Author:OP
9/4/2023 1:53:01 PM Reply to: 2792633 |
Thanks for the replies, gents. Much appreciated. |
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| Msg ID: 2792725 |
I have a job offer 7/7 +2/-0
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| Author:i work the AZ
9/4/2023 2:40:19 PM Reply to: 2792718 |
side....it all depends on a lot of factors....i live in the PHX area but my base is down south, and housing is provided on shift....so it is doable within 1.5-2hrs from home....if you want to go home every night, then there is the sacrifice you have to weigh...i would rather deal with the drive and a NON drama base....but look at areas like Gilbert, Queen Creek, San Tan, Mesa or even Peoria...better and safer areas to live in than PHX metro itself especially if you have kids, and the housing market....the Market has stayed strong in PHX for awhile...and they are continuing to build all around.... espeically south of phx now, and building up the area between Tucson and San tan/Florence area.. |
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| Msg ID: 2792937 |
I have a job offer 7/7 +4/-0
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| Author:Shop
9/7/2023 7:27:10 PM Reply to: 2792633 |
around awhile. DO not jump at your first offer unless it truly fits your interest. BTW, leave your military behavior behind you. 2 cents. |
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