Originally Posted by
JetJock16
So what start your own business? Fine, how is a broke pilot going to come up with the initial capital, contacts, idea, customers and support. The NFIB (National Federation of Independent Business' Education Foundation) estimates that over the lifetime of a business, 39% are profitable, 30% break even, and 30% lose money, with 1% falling in the "unable to determine" category. The NFIB also concluded that 64.2% of ALL new business fail; now that’s risky and stressful.
You can have all that STESS. I'll gladly take my airline seat, making just as much, as a CA without all that STRESS and enjoying my job. I'll make my own retirement and I'll do just fine. Yes my airline can collapse, but it’s far less likely then being fired for not performing. I do agree that everyone, not just pilots, should supplement their income. That's the best way to build a sevure future.
No matter what you do in life it is stressful and rife with risk. Why not do something worth having? Most airline pilots will tell you that you
will be furloughed, laid off or shut down at
least three times over a career. If a business fails everyone usually ends up broke anyway. To me employees take the greatest risk of all. They take the fall with their employers but give up the opportunity to take the profits as an employee if the business succeeds.
If you have the ability to climb the ladder at SW and to pay your way through flight school then you also have the ability to start a business. It is absurd to have to consider working several jobs to simply keep a flying dream alive. It isn't a job anymore but a hobby.
It all takes the same amount of work and sacrifice. Why take aim at someday hopefully reaching adequate when you have the potential to become so much more?
In the current world the terms "Airline" and "Secure" don't belong in the same sentence.
SkyHigh