Shoot some holes, please! (airline career)
02-17-2013, 07:22 PM
#11
On Reserve
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Feb 2010
Posts: 23
figured people didn't know what a WSO is. i started out as an OSO and was the second pipeline guy to go straight from SUNT to B-1s. was selected as the first of four OSOs to become a DSO, thus making your first B-1 WSO. our plaque should still be there at the school house when we got our Old Crow coins. i was at McConnell for 3.5 years with the 28BS, then went to the 9th BS at Dyess, and then the 28th BS which was now at Dyess. was training flight and Stan/Eval, and a CFIC instructor. i did a lot because i probably more hours than anyone else in the plane with 2,000. did the B-1s first Red Flag and first night Red Flag. sorry for ranting, but it easy to remember the good times.
02-17-2013, 08:09 PM
#12
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Dec 2012
Posts: 480
Originally Posted by skork
figured people didn't know what a WSO is. i started out as an OSO and was the second pipeline guy to go straight from SUNT to B-1s. was selected as the first of four OSOs to become a DSO, thus making your first B-1 WSO. our plaque should still be there at the school house when we got our Old Crow coins. i was at McConnell for 3.5 years with the 28BS, then went to the 9th BS at Dyess, and then the 28th BS which was now at Dyess. was training flight and Stan/Eval, and a CFIC instructor. i did a lot because i probably more hours than anyone else in the plane with 2,000. did the B-1s first Red Flag and first night Red Flag. sorry for ranting, but it easy to remember the good times.
02-17-2013, 08:36 PM
#13
On Reserve
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Feb 2010
Posts: 23
Never had much luck with the Star of Abilene. Something about radiating that plane never allowed it to fly right. Well, hope things are good with you and I wish you the best of luck with any career you are doing.
02-19-2013, 06:03 AM
#14
Self Employed.
Joined APC: May 2005
Position: Corporate Pilot
Posts: 7,119
Skork
Skork,
You seem to be banking a lot on what "could" or "should" happen. I have seen many a sure thing in aviation dissolve into dust. Your plan is long and involves many aspects that are out of your control. It is a huge risk and none of us are getting any younger. If you blow up your life at this stage in the game it would be a disaster.
We can not get through life without regret. It is better to deal with the pain of regret over the lost aviation dream then to risk all that you have now.
Some people choose aviation late in life as a passive aggressive means of blowing up their marriage. You do not seem to be like that. I would listen to what your inner voice is already telling you.
Skyhigh
You seem to be banking a lot on what "could" or "should" happen. I have seen many a sure thing in aviation dissolve into dust. Your plan is long and involves many aspects that are out of your control. It is a huge risk and none of us are getting any younger. If you blow up your life at this stage in the game it would be a disaster.
We can not get through life without regret. It is better to deal with the pain of regret over the lost aviation dream then to risk all that you have now.
Some people choose aviation late in life as a passive aggressive means of blowing up their marriage. You do not seem to be like that. I would listen to what your inner voice is already telling you.
Skyhigh
02-19-2013, 07:35 AM
#15
On Reserve
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Feb 2010
Posts: 23
Thanks Skyhigh. I do believe that you give a much needed balance to the forum. My problem, if you can call it that, is that I have kept delaying doing this because there was no hiring, pilots getting furloughed, bad economy, but I kept getting promoted and thus making more money and more time toward retirement. Back in 2008 the fiscal offset wouldn't have been so great. So that is where the inner voice comes in. Fically I have to agree it is not the best option.
02-19-2013, 08:41 AM
#16
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Dec 2012
Posts: 480
Please also consider the strong and well-informed opinions that say there will be no shortage. I have a few contacts in high places that drink the cool-aid and say there will be a huge pilot shortage, but they use numbers and studies that have been proven wrong over and over again.
If you want to 'live the dream' and have already realized the pay will suck, have you considered just playing the Great Lakes game for the length of their retainer? I believe it's 12 months, but could be wrong. That way, you'd get to be an airline pilot for a while and could go back to doing something that makes money.
If you want to 'live the dream' and have already realized the pay will suck, have you considered just playing the Great Lakes game for the length of their retainer? I believe it's 12 months, but could be wrong. That way, you'd get to be an airline pilot for a while and could go back to doing something that makes money.
02-19-2013, 09:28 AM
#17
On Reserve
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Feb 2010
Posts: 23
Thanks but it is an all or nothing thing for me. Maybe I am just enamoured with all the trappings of the airline pilot thing, not being in an office, capturing the youthful flying thing again as my job and not just a hobby, finishing what I started and spent a lot of time and effort on. I am not sure. The inner voice says "dumb" and outer voice of professional pilot friends say "do it, you'll do great". skyhigh had some good points to consider. Maybe I can't plan for everything and just need to know if the worst case flying career is acceptable or not acceptable. Go/NoGo is almost upon me.
02-20-2013, 08:29 PM
#18
On Reserve
Joined APC: Feb 2013
Posts: 13
Seems like you've thought it out. You are in a better situation than most who get into the business. The regionals are unstable but since your airline career will be shorter than most. I'd just pick a decent place that's hopefully not too far away and hope for the best. Life is short, if it doesn't work out you can bail.
02-20-2013, 09:22 PM
#20
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2013
Posts: 834
Skork, I sincerely wish the best of luck with whatever you choose; however remember an airline cockpit is still an office and a smaller, smellier and noiser one at that! As far as rekindling some of the flying of our youths, remember that was usually on your terms and schedule, usually with fair weather and sleeping in your own bed. Not trying to disuade you, just assisting with the reality check. Just say'n...
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
flyingsioux
Major
30
12-21-2007 06:16 AM
