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Old 02-06-2019, 09:19 AM
  #22  
JayMahon
Gets Weekends Off
 
Joined APC: Feb 2019
Posts: 144
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Originally Posted by Airbum View Post
Many things will be out of your control on a journey such as this. Look at the number of times throughout history that airlines have disappeared or gone bankrupt. If you're a finance guy it should be easy. Remember your job is not portable from employer to employer.



You make a mistake, have a FAA action against you. You fail check rides, your Captain makes a mistake you don't catch. You have a simple accident and the CVR confirms you didn't write up the problem when you became aware of it. Now you are someone who competes with others who don't have these issues.

You are already middle aged. Becoming a senior wide body captain at the best paying airlines may not be a option for you based on the seniority system. How many of those jobs are there anyway?

You make a career sacrifice to help the family instead of a divorce.

The highest paying airlines may not want to hire you. They have thousands of applicants. Why hire you over every single military pilot or every single pilot currently at the regional with more experience and ability. The shortage or at least higher demand is in the lower paying positions. These are often contract carriers who do not own any flying and have contracts whipsawed.
The low paying airline may be your only employment opportunity., remember there are pilot in pilot training every year wanting to take your job for much less money.

The economy tanks again. Cabotage is allowed in the USA. Flags of convince become common. Unions weaken at the airlines due to regulatory actions.

Ok i gotta stop I'm depressed!!! It can certainly be a good job. But you said to mention some downside.

Good luck
I've got no illusions I'll ever fly a widebody for a legacy carrier. I don't need to. Getting paid six figures to fly small jets for regionals or narrow bodies for a major would be more than enough.

The economy tanking impacts lots of other industries aside from just aviation. I can't control those larger patterns but I hope that aviation in general has a better opportunity to offer than the work I've been doing thus far.

Is there any real chance of broad cabotage being allowed in the US? I haven't come across this other than just general fear mongering.

Overall, not that depressing. Got any other dark clouds?

Thanks!
-Jay
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