Originally Posted by
BobZ
Ftb......habit? Ambition? Money? Lifestyle?
Probably some measure of all of the above. Although if a group of individuals spent their entire airline career doing something other than in a cockpit it would be reasonable to expect they would become reasonably competent at the alternative activity.
Once in awhile I fly with a Captain who says "oh I knew [name] back when we were in the [branch of the military] and it was the same back then. He went to a desk job as soon as he could. And then he got hired here and did the same thing."
Happens on the regional side too. From hired at ASA to CPO to hired at Delta to CPO.