Today I heard an old song that took me back to 1998.

It reminded me of a time when I was driving on a short road trip in my old rusted Jeep Cherokee. I was a new hire FO at Horizon Air. When I moved to PDX for the job earlier in the year my entire life's belongings fit inside it. I recalled the feelings of despair and sadness I felt, powerless to make a change in my life. After 10 years as a professional pilot the best I could do was $492 every two weeks flying for Horizon and to be treated like a worthless slave by my newest employer.

I was loosing hope since being on the job for a few months by then the reality was sinking in that the promises made during the interview were not being kept. I knew I had to make a change but didn't know how to do it. In the airline system your advancement is tied to your seniority number and I was a prisoner to it. My future rested on the actions of others and upon the winds of fate and it was a very uncomfortable position to be in. People grew old and irrelevant the the right seat there and I did not want to join them.

I was caught in a trap. My dream was dying right in front of my eyes and I didn't know how to save it. Alaska Airlines liked young success and at 30 years old and didn't have time to burn. I also knew that I was suckered in and was stuck there for at least two years. During that road trip I contemplated all of my options and couldn't come up with any reasonable alternatives.

Recently I met a guy who was an older FO for Horizon Air. He told me that he was growing increasingly miserable and unhappy as an FO and couldn't see a way out. I did my best to console him but all the while I was thinking "thank God I am not in that situation anymore". The song and this guy I met brought all that back to me.


SkyHigh