Don't come into this industry...now that Age 65 is essentially passed, and that the US economy might be in a recession next year, and oil is high, I'm not going to recommend ANYONE to start working at a regional...because there is now a good chance that person could be at that regional for 8-10 years. I'm not going to wish that upon any of my friends, unless they're independently wealthy and like having an unstable job.

The only problem I have with the "get into this industry only if you love to fly" position is that it's detached from the constraints of real life. No one should be expected to starve in order to go to work. Saying flying is for the purists is acknowledging this vocation is a de facto hobby. I know the majority of pilots would take exemption to having their "profession" labeled a hobby, and many would jump to the rant about the level of responsibility they carry in flying people across the country, and how serious they take their day to day duties.

Yet, that is exactly what the airline gig has effectively become on an economic basis. A hobby. For all the time away from home, the lack of lateral mobility in case of loss of employment (yikes!), and the below-cost-of-living compensation at the regional level for the same relative level of responsibility as those in the majors, the only economic rationalization to making that the model for your family's ability to put food on the table is that you'd do it for free if that's what they offered. That's a hobby. Otherwise you couldn't possibly argue the money is no object, since it doesn't take an accountant to prove you can't possibly sustain a family at the same level your median college graduate buddy can on his line of work with similar years of experience (let's assume you have a 4 year degree like most pilots do). What's the opportunity cost? Sunsets at FLXXX? Travel to different cities (if the layover hotel counts)? That value will of course depend on the individual. A single 22 y/o will probably regard that cost as worthwhile whereas a 32 y/o head of household with 2 kids and not cheating on his wife would probably not. So like one poster alluded to above, the audience here matters.

Like many of us, flying is my passion, but I live in the real world where those feelings don't occur in a vaccum. I also have a (soon-to-be) wife and expectations of a family, and what the industry currently offers in terms of compensation and TAFB is just not worth the pain in my opinion. Of course, that is something every hopeful needs to evaluate for themselves as personal circumstances are unique to each individual. For my money, unless you live on base (somebody already suggested above the rather ellusive nature of domiciles and how they're so keen on changing) and are on your early 20s, I wouldn't do it [the regionals]. As for the majors, sans age, same deal applies, I think history has proven they are no less suseptible to fold and leave you high and dry, without lateral moves as a career. It's not for everybody. At the very least I'm not sure it's for me nowadays, albeit I did have military aviation available to me, so I've found my sugar substitute, but had I attempted to do it through the regionals I don't think I would've hacked it.

Good luck in your career.

20 years ago
 

Heck even ten years ago most planes had only an HSI as the hottest thing in the instrument panel. You had to navigate and orient yourself using mathematics and mental spacial orientation skills. If you got the numbers reversed in your head or lost your position on approach you were dead.


I agree.

There are very few opportunities for new pilots to get real hand flying skills. Now pilots just sit back and watch the little plane track a course across the sky and the MFD. Holding patterns are merely a few button pushes. Even student pilots have full glass cockpits. Practically the only oasis of pilot skill left is the old cross wind excuse.

In the near future hand flying will be an emergency procedure.


SkyHigh

Happy Pilots
 

Today in order to be happy pilot you need to be young, single and rich.

Who cares about pay when you are independently wealthy and why go home to an empty house when you could be on the road and staying in a cold hotel room?



SkyHigh

SkyHigh's neighbor....

When I was in high school a classmate lived in a single wide mobile home, his Dad was a commercial pilot. When I started chasing the dream my flight instructor lived in a single wide mobile home on the airport. I didn't understand why these commercial pilots lived in mobile homes.

Fast fwd. I became a commercial pilot. ( 121 commuter ). Thought I had it made. "Living the dream"

My kids were raised in a mobile home. :(

Now I know why commercial pilots live in mobile homes.

At least you have that!! I live in a van, down by the river!!!

For all the Matt Foleys on this forum:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhTsZ...eature=related

Dude you must be independently wealthy or you would be on our side on the age 65 thing. Do you work for XJet or Mesaba? Your avatar and callsign on here are divergent.

Single wide King
 

I will never forget the time when I was a new FO at Horizon Air and I saw a senior captain pulling out of a trailer park on his way to work. Later I found out that many captains lived there. I began to become very concerned at that point.



SkyHigh

XJ is Mesaba. No I have no money. I just don't get so fired up on the subject. I know guys that retired from NWA at 55. So what? I've been around for awhile and good and bad comes and goes. No one and I mean 'no one' knows what will happen with all this crap! The older I get the more I realize somethings are beyond my control, so I don't worry about it. "It is what it is". To quote a fellow pilot.