Originally Posted by
sherpster
Imagine there is a family function, say your sisters wedding or say your kids first communion. It is on the 6th. Your schedule comes out and you are working on the 6th because well, at the very least you will be working half the month which means for half the month you will NOT BE HOME. You are in some ratty hotel by the airport on the 6th while your wife/girlfriend facetimes you at the event. How do you feel now?
Missing Christmas, holidays, special events all have a price. Are you crazy to try and become an airline pilot? Yes! It isnt that much fun. Flying is fun but flying for the airlines is not that much fun. Flying out of a grass strip is fun, flying at uncontrolled airport is fun. Dealing with gate agents, TSA, ramp delays, ground controllers at NYC airports, etc is not fun
This world operates on a 24/7 basis and every family has at least one family member doing shift work who is going to miss a holiday. You schedule these things accordingly.
"Hey kids, guess what? Santa is extra busy this year and needs dad to help fly the presents around in his airplane. This means dad isn't home on Christmas, but in return Santa said you guys get your presents early."
The kids really won't care too much if it isn't on the exact day and as a result they get Christmas twice. Like another poster pointed out- depending on family dynamics a legitimate excuse to miss holidays may even be a blessing!
And I agree with another poster about not being smart enough to be a pilot if you can't manage to schedule a day off around something that you plan- like a communion. Or something like a wedding that gives you a years notice.
Being a pilot gives you half the month OFF. That means being alive at home... not having to spend all the time sleeping because you work 12 hour overnight shifts five days a week or gone all day doing the typical 9-5 wasting away in traffic.
Right now I am not working as an airline pilot and I'm thankful that when I do become one I will have an enhanced perspective.
Right now I typically get 3 hours a day during the week of quality time at home. 16 hours a day on both of my days off. That adds up to 188 hours a month.
An airline pilot who has 16 hours of quality time at home on his 15 days off has 240 hours at home. That doesn't sound bad to me.
Ratty hotel? It isn't like you're living under a bridge. It's work. It shouldn't be expected to feel like vacation.