Originally Posted by
clipperstall
This is one of the best threads I have read in a long time. I would like to revive it considering the fact that I am considering leaving my good career to go fly for a regional.
I would like more input from first officers who have to commute to reserve AND have kids/wife/significant other at home.
Does the fact that you enjoy the job trump the enjoyment you gain from being at home with your family?
Not sure whats been written in the past 9 pages, but to add another opinion: It's just not worth it.
To me it boils down to why, truly WHY do you want to leave a good career, as you say, to become an airline pilot.
I've always thought that more people enjoy the fact of being known as the "Airline Pilot" amongst their circle of family and friends than actually doing the job.
Enough has been said of the low pay, reassignments, no support from the company, horrible schedule, divorces, no respect.....yet people still line up to do this job.
I used to work in the training department with my airline. I saw guys literally their first day on the job. They looked happy, smiling, raring to go. They paid attention, tried to do the best job they could and once they were done they ran to the line to do IOE. Fresh uniform, shiny new bag, the whole nine yards.
Then I'd get them back a year later in recurrent, and boy what a year its been! The smiles were gone, the attitudes were a complete 180, they all had stories of scheduling/chief pilot/gate agent/flight attendant/etc. and how bad it is to work here.
These FOs, whether they were a 'career changer' or not, had the love of their job sucked from them. Too many people show up with a "Love of flying" and left after a few years to work elsewhere. I'm not saying don't come over, but make sure you really heed the advice of folks on here rather than watch "Catch Me If You Can" and think your life is gonna be grand.