AIRLINE PILOTS: What are we?
 

This OPINION POLL is non-scientific. I cannot control who participates or who does not. I would be interested in knowing the opinions of all FedEx pilots, but there's obviously no way to do that with an APC poll. I would prefer to hear only from airline pilots, but I realize there's no way to exclude participation by anybody with a screen name.

This is not a VOTE. By offering your opinion, you will not be making a decision about an outcome. It is what it is, and your opinion won't change that. I'm simply interested in knowing your opinion.

Participation is ANONYMOUS. Comments in the thread below are welcome, but not required.

Thanks for your participation.


THE QUESTION:

Airline pilots. What are we? Blue collar laborers, or White collar professionals.






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Here's an interesting read on the subject from 2008 that looks at the entire industry - not just FedEx:

The collar-color identity crisis of the airline pilot | Evan Sparks's Aviation Policy Blog


"So, to recap, airline pilot is a mostly working-class profession that requires middle-class credentials and that once upon a time allowed pilots to maintain a middle-class lifestyle."

Any pilot who thinks he is anything but blue collar labor is fooling himself. We are easily replaceable, especially when you're talking about exchanging top of the scale Captains for new hire F/Os.

I personally think we are working in a blue collar occupation with a white collar self image. How we are catagorized also depends on who is doing the evaluation the general public or our own management.

We're the worst kind, highly compensated blue collar with the self-image of being white collar. Just think of a certain notorious fellow, soon to retire, who treats fellow pilots, ramp personnel, drivers and hotel people like garbage due to his inflated sense of self-worth. There are many like him out there, he's just the easiest to point out.

Bluuuuuuuuuue!

Collar workers - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia According to this, we are "grey collar" workers, a white collar subcategory.

I propose you add a 4th option hybrid ~ White collar laborers :D

That's what we really are, IMHO :p

This thread is dumb.....

We could actually be 'Gold Collar', by that wikipedia article.