Originally Posted by
aeroengineer
No sir not at all.
I know that there are those who gravitate to the job and the mission and I'm certainly one who sees it for the important job it is. They helped keep me and my buddies safe in times past. I do know there is/was a substantial flow through by those waiting for a call by the airlines and that translated into more opportunities for others in the industry. PIC job openings have seemed to be a continuous fixture on most contractors websites reflecting the need. With all the furloughs/potential furloughs I know there'll be plenty more highly qualified individuals including those with active clearances who will need to pay the bills. I would certainly be doing the same in their position.
I honestly think that most people enjoy it, too. I believe the reason most people leave is because they feel that a career at the airlines is more secure because contracting can "go away over night." Well, history has shown several times that the airlines can too. Nothing in life is secure. That is why you see constant openings for PICs. People leave to get the job that others tell them they should have and not necessarily the job they want. However, for the foreseeable future, I don't see many pilots here jumping ship unless they all ready have a retirement. Contracting has been around for a long time too. Long before the war on terror. Just need to know where to look. The demand might ebb and flow with the pace of operations but I don't ever see it going away.