Hello All...
This is my first comment on this site... in fact, I haven't even taken my very first lesson to become a pilot yet. I always dreamed of flying jets for the military, but my eyesight wasn't up to par. I thought that would be the only way I could ever be a jet pilot. Life started, marriage, children (4) and a career... but, I never stopped looking into the sky every time a jet flew by, or any other plane for that matter. Now my children are in high school, the oldest is on his way to college and I am considering a career change.
I have been reading these forums for a couple of weeks now to get an idea of what I am in for in this industry. I plan to attend ATP for all of my training from PVT all the way through to CFII and CRJ training. No... Mommy and Daddy won't be paying my way, I will. This forum thread has been very interesting to me and I have a question for any of you military jet jockey's out there.
Don't the Air Force and the Navy and the Marines all take very young pilots with very little experience and put them behind the controls of $50 to $180 million dollar high performance jets? In fact, not only do they do that, but many of those jets don't even have another pilot on board to help when things get a little crazy.
Granted, they don't have 40 to 70 lives on board with them, but the point remains.
Furthermore, I have read many posts around this site where people have complained about their responsibilities as a FO... basically that they are mindless "go-fors" for their CA's. Do this, do that, don't do this or that...
It is up to the FAA to set the limits on what is acceptable levels of experience for a commercial airline pilot holding an ATP license. And it is up to the management and the investors who own airlines to make sure they don't expose themselves to lawsuits that could bankrupt the company by employing grossly underqualified pilots.
This is a market economy in America... it is what has made our country great. The laws of supply and demand are still alive and well. It is not young pilots that are driving wages down in the airline industry... it is the passengers who shop the internet for the least expensive way to get from point A to point B. They don't care if they are flying with 39 other people on a plane or with 239 other people... They don't care if the airline serves peanuts or caviar. They simply want the least expensive way to travel.
Just look at Wal-Mart. They broke all the "rules" of general stores and have changed the entire industry forever. Ask yourself this question... Do you shop at Wal-Mart or at the local general store that has a fraction of the selection and at twice the price level just so the owner of that store can continue to take home a sizable income?
As for me, I will be expediting my training as quickly as I can. I will teach and I will apply for positions. I hope to get hired by a regional as quickly as I can and I will soak up as much experience as I can as quickly as I can. We all know that the only time that matters is PIC time when it comes to getting a job where life is more enjoyable and more lucrative. I want that PIC time wherever I am able to earn it.