My latest blog post about the profession
04-22-2010, 04:43 PM
#1
Blue Skies
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Aug 2006
Position: C208B
Posts: 778
My latest blog post about the profession
I know there are similar posts, but I still wanted to share this
During my time here, I've been approached by many aspiring pilots, asking for advice. Wanting to know about the pilot profession, the education, where to go and what to do. Feeling I have delved deeply into the pilot community, this post is for you:
The days of the airline pilot you see in the movies (like Catch me if you Can, or any movie portraying a romantic image of an Airline Pilot as an admired individual with a huge salary), is over.
In our era, the airline pilot is a cheap commodity, one that airlines know how to manipulate and use. Pilots are a society of dreamers, and many, many people with the dream will do anything to make that dream come true, and therein lies the problem.
We live in an era where pilots get paid less than the average bus driver. Where a person responsible for the lives of hundreds of people, flying tens of thousands of feet over the land and sea, with a $100 000 education, are being paid less than the security guard at the mall. Where many airlines will seduce pilots with those first jet hours as long as they pay to work for them. Get this, someday you might sit in an airliner, and one of the people up front are paying the highest airfare of them all.
So to all of you thinking about a career in aviation, know what you are considering. Know that of the 200 so people I know of, who have done their ratings and gone home, about 5 of them have a job at this time. That amounts to about 2.5%. Of the ones who does get a job, you can look forward to a life of no job security, probability of lousy pay, and spending most of your life away from home. There is the possibility of a good job, with a good pay, and a good life, but it is not a surefire thing.
So a heed of warning to the individuals who are contemplating the pilot profession just because it seems like a good job, with good pay, and a good social standing. Find something else, you will leave disappointed.
For the ones with the love of flying, the ones whose love of aviation only grows with each hour in the air, I'm not trying to shy you away. Only to give you the true inside of the career of a pilot.
For the ones that are really in it for the flying, not for the lure of money or social standing, I can say that you're left with two choices. Find your second calling in life, get your private pilots license and fly whenever you wish, on your own terms. Or try your luck at the commercial pilot career. Build your network, get those contacts, and maybe some day you will be one of the lucky 5% with a good job.
Whatever you do though, don't sell your soul and pay to fly commercial airliners. You're making the profession worse than it is, and you are basically ****ting where you eat. I know the dream sometimes looks unattainable, but there are ways to get in.
During my time here, I've been approached by many aspiring pilots, asking for advice. Wanting to know about the pilot profession, the education, where to go and what to do. Feeling I have delved deeply into the pilot community, this post is for you:
The days of the airline pilot you see in the movies (like Catch me if you Can, or any movie portraying a romantic image of an Airline Pilot as an admired individual with a huge salary), is over.
In our era, the airline pilot is a cheap commodity, one that airlines know how to manipulate and use. Pilots are a society of dreamers, and many, many people with the dream will do anything to make that dream come true, and therein lies the problem.
We live in an era where pilots get paid less than the average bus driver. Where a person responsible for the lives of hundreds of people, flying tens of thousands of feet over the land and sea, with a $100 000 education, are being paid less than the security guard at the mall. Where many airlines will seduce pilots with those first jet hours as long as they pay to work for them. Get this, someday you might sit in an airliner, and one of the people up front are paying the highest airfare of them all.
So to all of you thinking about a career in aviation, know what you are considering. Know that of the 200 so people I know of, who have done their ratings and gone home, about 5 of them have a job at this time. That amounts to about 2.5%. Of the ones who does get a job, you can look forward to a life of no job security, probability of lousy pay, and spending most of your life away from home. There is the possibility of a good job, with a good pay, and a good life, but it is not a surefire thing.
So a heed of warning to the individuals who are contemplating the pilot profession just because it seems like a good job, with good pay, and a good social standing. Find something else, you will leave disappointed.
For the ones with the love of flying, the ones whose love of aviation only grows with each hour in the air, I'm not trying to shy you away. Only to give you the true inside of the career of a pilot.
For the ones that are really in it for the flying, not for the lure of money or social standing, I can say that you're left with two choices. Find your second calling in life, get your private pilots license and fly whenever you wish, on your own terms. Or try your luck at the commercial pilot career. Build your network, get those contacts, and maybe some day you will be one of the lucky 5% with a good job.
Whatever you do though, don't sell your soul and pay to fly commercial airliners. You're making the profession worse than it is, and you are basically ****ting where you eat. I know the dream sometimes looks unattainable, but there are ways to get in.
04-23-2010, 09:48 AM
#2
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Mar 2009
Posts: 124
You make good points and I'd like to add one more:
Patience. Don't get hot and bothered with getting those ratings NOW. Right now, it's prime time to take it slow and really enjoy the training and building hours portion. What a great time to test out the career and see if people are really cut out for it or not. There is no reason to dump 50k-100k into an academy, when they can pay as they go and if they find out they don't like it, then at least they will perhaps have a PPL for hobby use.
I admit, that I was starry-eyed when I first got into flying. Of course, I didn't know about sites liket his one, which offer the bad side as well as the good. I bought into the "image", big time.
There will always be those that have no clue sites like this exist, but I feel that people are finally starting to realize that it isn't all fun and games.
Patience. Don't get hot and bothered with getting those ratings NOW. Right now, it's prime time to take it slow and really enjoy the training and building hours portion. What a great time to test out the career and see if people are really cut out for it or not. There is no reason to dump 50k-100k into an academy, when they can pay as they go and if they find out they don't like it, then at least they will perhaps have a PPL for hobby use.
I admit, that I was starry-eyed when I first got into flying. Of course, I didn't know about sites liket his one, which offer the bad side as well as the good. I bought into the "image", big time.
There will always be those that have no clue sites like this exist, but I feel that people are finally starting to realize that it isn't all fun and games.
04-24-2010, 11:08 AM
#3
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Mar 2006
Position: DHC-8 SIC
Posts: 634
Some really good stuff, thanks. I am one of those who continue to train because of the passion alone and trying to get in that 5% of making it a career. I enjoy my life right now, full-time stable job, flying in the weekends etc. Many pilots I run into strongly discourage pursuing flying as a career. Like the above poster said, right now is a great time to take your time on acquiring those ratings, hitting the books, and just wait till how it all plays out.
04-24-2010, 12:58 PM
#4
Blue Skies
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Aug 2006
Position: C208B
Posts: 778
Indeed. However when people contact me these days I am more prone to giving advice phrased more like my post instead of saying "go for it".
You can't stop a dreamer, but may be able to stop the ones that just want to find some kind of job
You can't stop a dreamer, but may be able to stop the ones that just want to find some kind of job
04-27-2010, 02:30 PM
#5
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Dec 2007
Position: Brazilian Left Seat Driver
Posts: 197
I have been a CFI for only 3 months and I already hate it.... Long days, terrible pay, being at the school 6 days a week, no benefits, no nothing....... I am totally depressed about this career and I just don't know what to do...
Im so frustrated.....
Im so frustrated.....
04-27-2010, 03:38 PM
#6
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Mar 2008
Position: FAA 'Flight Check'
Posts: 13,837
I think that it is in the best interest of the profession to not persuade or dissuade someone from the profession, but rather EDUCATE them about the profession.
In this manner you are able to leave out any personal biases that you might have and deal only in facts. Let the other person decide if the profession is right for him or her.
One person's lonely nights on the road are another person's time for travel for example - but they should know that TRAVEL and TIME on the road and away from home are the norm for a airline pilot.
ebuhoner - your situation might be a perfect example. It sounds like you are not happy with your current situation with instructing, but it certainly doesn't mean that ALL instructing jobs are bad. You could talk to someone about about what you are experiencing as an instructor and why it is/or is not working for you, but the situation might be very different for a person who just looking for a part-time job to keep their paws in aviation after a career in the military for instance.
Photon gives good advice in the OP, but it is just one view and one path that might take shape. Your advice that: "So a heed of warning to the individuals who are contemplating the pilot profession just because it seems like a good job, with good pay, and a good social standing. Find something else, you will leave disappointed." is no more accurate or non-bias than the so-called Flag Waivers who have found the needle in the hay stack and tell everyone that the water is fine and too jump right in; things couldn't be better!
USMCFLYR
In this manner you are able to leave out any personal biases that you might have and deal only in facts. Let the other person decide if the profession is right for him or her.
One person's lonely nights on the road are another person's time for travel for example - but they should know that TRAVEL and TIME on the road and away from home are the norm for a airline pilot.
ebuhoner - your situation might be a perfect example. It sounds like you are not happy with your current situation with instructing, but it certainly doesn't mean that ALL instructing jobs are bad. You could talk to someone about about what you are experiencing as an instructor and why it is/or is not working for you, but the situation might be very different for a person who just looking for a part-time job to keep their paws in aviation after a career in the military for instance.
Photon gives good advice in the OP, but it is just one view and one path that might take shape. Your advice that: "So a heed of warning to the individuals who are contemplating the pilot profession just because it seems like a good job, with good pay, and a good social standing. Find something else, you will leave disappointed." is no more accurate or non-bias than the so-called Flag Waivers who have found the needle in the hay stack and tell everyone that the water is fine and too jump right in; things couldn't be better!
USMCFLYR
