Originally Posted by
wizepilot
I threw in the towel back in '07 from CHQ. I was hired there at the age of 54, had my ATP, been flying since '73, been a CFI since '75. I guess I had blinders on my eyes to not see the state of 121 flying. I guess I still had the wild dream that airline flying was like it was when I first started flying back in '73. Forget it! I was so disillusioned after I started training that I thought "what the hell did I get myself into?". Never home, paid $23 and change with a 75 hr guarantee. I resigned with only 3 days left in training before I went on IOE. I still instruct part-time, have my own contracting business, and am a lot happier. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE to fly. But not like that.
Same way here, except I made it past training and onto the line for nearly a year and a half. I wouldn't trade the experience for ANYTHING. But I remember when I passed my new hire ride, the examiner who wrote up my temp ticket told me that I didn't seem too happy about it. In actuality, I was happy about it - the accomplishment of it all compared to the flying I was used to put me on quite a high - but I knew that the dogs (crew scheduling) were salivating over the chance to give me the worse schedule possible as the most junior guy on the line. I was pretty home sick to boot after living away from wife, dogs, and home for three months.
Sure enough, the next day after IOE, *ring ring*, they've built be a schedule. I forget the details, but it was quite inconvenient considering I had to relocate my car 900 miles back to FL and take care of some serious logistics at home after several months living out of a hotel room.
I am still hoping to get back in, but only if it gets better. It could go either way it seems. I'm patient.