Yep, that's the mindset I'm talking about, ATC doesn't work for us and we don't work for them, we work together sonny. Now that we have TCAS, your job is also separation. ATC's job has always been safety in addition to "separation" and dealing with bonehead pilots.

Got 30 years of jet PIC, no accidents, incidents or violations. I've been teaching young men and women how to be a FO or Capt or just a pilot for 23 years.

The Captain's job is to use their resources in ensuring that we have a safe flight and that everyone is working together towards that end - all the while making the plane preform to it's max capabilities.

In 30 years, I can count on one hand the number of times I've said, "Unable." There's been plenty of times when I said "Sorry, everybody has a first day at work and today is his or hers" while doing OE.

I've also made my share of mistakes, but I've learned from every one of them. I don't move my plane until I'm sure of what is expected of me. Sometimes that's embarrassing but it's the safest thing to do.

I was doing Captain OE and the candidate ended up high as he!!. I showed him how to get down safely and he said something I thought was profound. He said, "I guess one of the first things you need to learn on a new airplane is how to recover."

Yes, sometimes the best "recovery" is a go-around but if you are actually paying attention to what the airplane in front of you is doing, what the controller is doing and what your plane is capable of, you will rarely find yourself in a surprise situation.

It kills me when I ask, "What aircraft is three ahead of us and what two airplanes are behind us" and the pilot I'm flying with has no clue.

How many pilots pre-tune ground after we switch to tower? How many pilots know what type (size and make) of the airplane above us or below us in the NAT Tracks? How many pilots start to taxi without a clue of what the previous three airplanes taxi instructions were? How many pilots screw up a clearance because they didn't listen to the clearances before ours?

Are you actually a PROFESSIONAL pilot or just some schmuck working the radios, tiller, yoke or joystick.

I listened to a Captain saying he was going to report ATC at DCA because EVERYtime he went to DCA they left him high. Is that ATC's fault or just a lack of interest or understanding on how the system works every single friggin day?

Do you know what they do at ORD or MDW or SAN or HKG? If you don't than find another job, because you're obviously not a professional pilot.

You guys want to be paid as professionals but the majority spend as little time as possible getting to know their aircraft, the challenges any given airport presents and taking pride in being 30 miles ahead of your plane instead of 10 miles behind it.

A great flight doesn't happen by accident and the better someone is at their job, the easier it looks. That begins and ends with preparation.

It's sad to see the degradation of the profession as the pilot ranks are filled with people (who are not not pilots) chasing the dollar and having all the gee-whiz stuff from flight hour one, causing them to never develop the skills to be in charge and blame everyone else for their failures.

The last little jet I flew, like a 145, I did everything, from working with the FAA, to bidding the price of the flight, stocking the aircraft, ordering the catering, filing the flight plans, selecting tech stops, arranging transportation and hotels for millionaires, building the MEL's and all other manuals, cleaning the hanger until it shined, hiring cleaners or cleaning the plane with my Co-Captain, hiring the flight attendants and FLYING the airplane. I loved that job. I don't know that I'd want to go back to it for what it paid then, but it was a great experience in my mid 20's.

You just sit down, sign a piece of paper and wait for everyone to tell you when to push. It doesn't seem like you have much to worry about except being a professional pilot which entails left, right, up, down and working with the system with a modicum of interest, pride in a job well done and being a professional pilot. You're very entitled, self-centered and short sighted.

So quit whining and do your job as a professional or get out. And try not to say "unable" for a year or so.