Originally Posted by
JohnBurke
How would you know?
What a ridiculous generalization that is.
You assert that pilots who began flying in the late 80's had it rough and couldn't have made it in a career, yet this board (and airline cockpits) are full of pilots who did just that.
You assert that a working pilot should be single, but nearly everyone I know, myself included, is married. My wife stays at home, incidentally. She could work, but we have a family life, and she's comfortable with that, in our home, not single-bedroom apartment.
I flew long haul, and when I came home I didn't find a cleaned out house with legal documents on the counter. I came home to a wife who picked me up at the airport, and we went out to lunch, then dinner. We had a great life while I was on the road, and we still do when I'm out and about. The difference is that as a working aviator, I spend a lot more time at home and have a lot more opportunity to interact with my family than most people in the work place. Even on jobs that keep me away for a period of time, I'm still home a lot more, and when I'm home, it's not just for a few hours of the evening.
The better choice may be for you to stay single. You can't really say what's best for working pilots who didn't abandon their careers, because you wouldn't know about that.
At the entry rungs, finances are tight, there's no denying it. It seems that you never got past that point, and don't know what lies beyond. It's too bad, really, because the career can be very enjoyable and very beneficial for those who commit. You just didn't stick around enough to find out, and now spend your time in false pretense to share your hollow expertise of what you suppose the industry to be.
But how would you know?
John,
I spent 20 years in the effort. Over that time I worked a wide variety of pilot jobs and had contact with hundreds of pilots whom I studied and followed in their careers. Beyond that I enjoy reading and analyzing aviation as an interest that I follow. That is plenty of time and experience to be able to hold an opinion.
Here is something else for you to get upset about
:
Last summer USA Today ran an article regarding what it costs the average family of four to provide for the full cost of the American dream. To save you the time to read the article the amount is $130,000. That is what it costs, on average, to provide for everything including savings for college and a self funded retirement.
Price tag for the American dream: $130K a year
No matter how lucky a new pilot expects to be in their career it is still very difficult to be able to expect to be able to raise a family and retire given the average career trajectory unless they are sponsored or have a spouse with a real job to pay for everything.
My story is well known here while you have remained a virtual mystery. I don't know if you have suffered a stagnated seniority list at a regional or are a trust fund baby. Perhaps you should list your credentials?
Skyhigh
PS I did not leave the career I was laid off from my 757 FO position when my company shutdown with a stay at home wife, two kids and one on the way. We had no health insurance and no job prospects anywhere at the time that could support a family in the USA as a pilot.