Thats where I came from. That job requires endless on call. Long hours. And the problems follow you home. Especially since you can work anywhere any time.

 

It hasn't been a profession for a good, long while. It's just another job. And a mediocre one, at best.

 

But at what point is it not worth it from a dollars and cents standpoint? You spent all that money just to get your medical, plus all the money you had to spend to get all the way through your ATP. Is that worth it to be stuck at a regional for 10 plus years? What other skills do you have? How much money could you be making doing something else? These are things people need to consider.

 

Well that's the point where you treat being a pilot as a second job. Take up stock trading (swing trading not day trading due to stupid PDT rule). I do that + program and takeup freelance jobs and build programs for specific schools/businesses. I've just always wanted to fly because it was implanted in my brain at a young age I guess, like brainwashing but not in a bad way of course! When my mom and dad were yelling, my dad would take me into his car and drive to the airport to watch the planes. Maybe I'm brainwashed from a young age.

 

I have always told “kids” at the FBOs if you want to fly, get a degree and find something else you like that can pay the bills. If you want to fly, then you can do it on the side on your terms.

There are also lots of other flying jobs that are not airline jobs. The glory days of airlines left with deregulation. But for some that is still what they think of when they think “pilot”.

I also tell folks having a successful career as an airline pilot is about like having a successful career as any kind of pro sports player. The odds are probably similar. Your entire time playing at every level you always has several others on the bench that the coach will put in the game to replace you if you don’t “give it everything”. Same thing as a pilot. Oh, he has one more hour. He has one more degree or he has done more community service work. Oh, that regional will do it for $0.50 less per hour.

 

Honestly being a regional pilot is horrible, just tell them the truth

 

Fair enough man, just realize, management uses our love of flying against us.

Which is why I say dissuade the younger generation from flying, don't let them love it.

 

Lots of ways to fly airplanes without being a regional pilot. I’d rather go to a fractional than do something soul sucking like become a middle manager.

 

2,250 United pilots just got their WARN notice. Optimists like to point out that it was estimated to be higher, pessimists think it’s just the first of many to come. The reality is that this can change if demand improves (which, according to the news today, bookings are declining). Conversely, there could be many more furloughs coming as the year progresses.

 

People are starting to have real friends with the virus. It’s hitting closer to home. But there are treatments that are working and the death rate is declining drastically. It’s really over. The media doesn’t get it but it is.