Originally Posted by
SkyHigh
USMCFLYR,
All I can say is that you should consider a mile in my shoes before you make judgments.
Who is judging you Sky? Just because I think that you are unnecessarily negative on professional aviation? That has nothing to do with judging you and not having taken the same path in aviation in you. It comes from reading a few years of your ramblings. You know that I have said many times that I agree with much of what you say and that if your true purpose was to teach young pilots about the dangers of professional aviation that you would reach many more ears if you were not so extremist in your negativity. Others have mentioned it too. Your one-sded, unbending view turns more away from your worthwhile message than it does get through to them - IMO.
You have only exchanged one government job for another. I can assure you that the private sector is not nearly as financially rewarding or secure however I bet you already know that since you did not pursue an airline career.
Having never wanted to be an airline pilot, I didn't have very far to look to cement my decision to not pursue an airline career no matter how crazy my peers thought I was - then or now. So I went from one gov't job to another. Is it your opinion that I haven't really "lived life" because of it? I might as well say that since you nevered in the military that you have no love of country and are selfish for only chasing the all-mighty dollar in your pursuit of wealth. You know nothing of sacrifice for a greater good. But I won;'t becuse it is just as much a statement made of fancy as yours' when you have belittled me in the past for my career path.
It is possible that you will never know what a true sweat shop job in aviation is really like. All the better for you. I can tell you that a legacy airline job is much better than that of a regional. Longer legs, more money and better conditions all around.
Absolutely possible (darn near certain!) that I'll never know what it is like to fly at a Regional. Does that mean that I can't point out the good of aviation? Is it possible that you will never have a good job in the aviation sector (you say you haven't in your long career), but you are still able to point out ONLY the negatives. Why it that Sky? Different rules for you since you had it so rough?
Heaven and hell in the airlines is a measure of only a few degrees. We wear the same uniforms fly similar craft on the same routes. However one goes home to a nice upper middle class neighborhood the other to a bunk in a crash pad with six other pilots.
As far as your last few paragraphs - right on. Turbulent - absolutely. Changing fortunes - almost certain. Top of the heap one day, someone's FO the next - could happen.
Sounds like the ups and downs, uncertainty, and luck of the draw do what you can to help yourself, cycle of LIFE. I'm sure that being a proerty manager and small beef operation is the most sure thing in the world and no one has ever fallen on hard times in that industry; or could it be that YOU are having good luck there and others aren't?
USMCFLYR