Know pilots that walked away from the career?
04-21-2018, 05:41 PM
#11
Prime Minister/Moderator
Joined APC: Jan 2006
Position: Engines Turn Or People Swim
Posts: 39,293
Originally Posted by Pilatus801
I'm trying to evaluate all sides of the career. I'm currently working towards my commercial license and building time to make a career out of it. But I want to understand why some leave the professional pilot career. And I do see that opportunities and wages are Incressing which I think is much needed to get pilots compensated as they should be for a skilled trade.
04-21-2018, 06:25 PM
#12
Disinterested Third Party
Joined APC: Jun 2012
Posts: 6,026
Ironically, I've fielded a long string of emails enquiring about entering the industry, in the last week. It's the usual question; I want to become a pilot, but I don't know if I want to subject myself to the long path and the low wages, and how do I jump to the front of the line and bypass instructing?
Low wages...are the highest they've ever been. Entry times and requirements, despite all the hubub and hoopla about 1500 hours, is still dirt simple and fast. I can only imagine what some of these guys would have done if they'd had to enter when many of us did...when entry wages were well below poverty and it took half a decade past a decade to get anywhere at all.
The industry has long taken some effort and personal sacrifice to get a career started, but the enquiries are always about how to jump to the front of the line. How do I not have to do, what everyone else has had to do?
There are plenty of reasons that one might not want to do this, and for those who don't, more power to them.
To those who do, more power to them, too. Just be prepared for the realities, and don't turn a blind eye to the simple fact that in this industry, one has never had it so good. Or so easy.
Low wages...are the highest they've ever been. Entry times and requirements, despite all the hubub and hoopla about 1500 hours, is still dirt simple and fast. I can only imagine what some of these guys would have done if they'd had to enter when many of us did...when entry wages were well below poverty and it took half a decade past a decade to get anywhere at all.
The industry has long taken some effort and personal sacrifice to get a career started, but the enquiries are always about how to jump to the front of the line. How do I not have to do, what everyone else has had to do?
There are plenty of reasons that one might not want to do this, and for those who don't, more power to them.
To those who do, more power to them, too. Just be prepared for the realities, and don't turn a blind eye to the simple fact that in this industry, one has never had it so good. Or so easy.
04-22-2018, 08:38 AM
#13
Banned
Joined APC: Jan 2015
Posts: 516
Originally Posted by JohnBurke
Ironically, I've fielded a long string of emails enquiring about entering the industry, in the last week. It's the usual question; I want to become a pilot, but I don't know if I want to subject myself to the long path and the low wages, and how do I jump to the front of the line and bypass instructing?
Low wages...are the highest they've ever been. Entry times and requirements, despite all the hubub and hoopla about 1500 hours, is still dirt simple and fast. I can only imagine what some of these guys would have done if they'd had to enter when many of us did...when entry wages were well below poverty and it took half a decade past a decade to get anywhere at all.
The industry has long taken some effort and personal sacrifice to get a career started, but the enquiries are always about how to jump to the front of the line. How do I not have to do, what everyone else has had to do?
There are plenty of reasons that one might not want to do this, and for those who don't, more power to them.
To those who do, more power to them, too. Just be prepared for the realities, and don't turn a blind eye to the simple fact that in this industry, one has never had it so good. Or so easy.
Low wages...are the highest they've ever been. Entry times and requirements, despite all the hubub and hoopla about 1500 hours, is still dirt simple and fast. I can only imagine what some of these guys would have done if they'd had to enter when many of us did...when entry wages were well below poverty and it took half a decade past a decade to get anywhere at all.
The industry has long taken some effort and personal sacrifice to get a career started, but the enquiries are always about how to jump to the front of the line. How do I not have to do, what everyone else has had to do?
There are plenty of reasons that one might not want to do this, and for those who don't, more power to them.
To those who do, more power to them, too. Just be prepared for the realities, and don't turn a blind eye to the simple fact that in this industry, one has never had it so good. Or so easy.
04-22-2018, 12:27 PM
#14
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2006
Position: 767A (Ret)
Posts: 6,248
If we hate our job, we also hate to admit that the reasons are mostly things that we knew (or should have known) long ago.
Instead, we prefer to claim that it’s not our fault, because somebody lied to us.
Instead, we prefer to claim that it’s not our fault, because somebody lied to us.
04-22-2018, 07:13 PM
#15
Gets Weekends Off
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Jul 2017
Position: Family guy
Posts: 144
An excellent test of any career is to see if the working professional would actually recommend their career to their kids? So if any of you want to sound off on whether or not you would recommend commercial pilot and list why/why not...that would be a useful tool for aspiring pilots who are considering such a career.
My guess is JohnBurke would recommend it. Do you have kids and are they pursuing aviation to follow in your footsteps?
My guess is JohnBurke would recommend it. Do you have kids and are they pursuing aviation to follow in your footsteps?
04-22-2018, 08:59 PM
#16
Disinterested Third Party
Joined APC: Jun 2012
Posts: 6,026
I didn't recommend or not recommend aviation to my kids. I don't do that. I let them focus on what they wanted to do without any pressure as to what I might want them to do. They chose directions that varied from military to overseas unpaid volunteer duties to college to industrial skills.
04-22-2018, 11:13 PM
#17
Banned
Joined APC: Jan 2015
Posts: 516
Originally Posted by tomgoodman
If we hate our job, we also hate to admit that the reasons are mostly things that we knew (or should have known) long ago.
Instead, we prefer to claim that it’s not our fault, because somebody lied to us.
Instead, we prefer to claim that it’s not our fault, because somebody lied to us.
04-23-2018, 09:00 AM
#18
Prime Minister/Moderator
Joined APC: Jan 2006
Position: Engines Turn Or People Swim
Posts: 39,293
Originally Posted by kevbo
The pre Internet/911 guys were glory hounds that would fly for free if they could. Without that perceived prestige the career stinks on ice. Even in today's overinflated environment.
But today you're still going to get a better money/stress ratio than almost any other career, and schedule flexibility. The flexibility is what you make of it. You could live in base and have lots of time off, commute and live where you want but be there less, or pick up OT for bank.
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