You wouldn't do it?
11-01-2006 | 12:24 PM
#31
Self Employed.
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 7,120
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From: Corporate Pilot
Unions
Even now I'll bet that you could start and airline and offer minimum wages and easily be able to fill the classroom.
Without unions the pay would free fall. A pilots only value to the company is the cost of their initial training.
SkyHigh
11-01-2006 | 01:06 PM
#32
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 623
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From: Flight Instructor
All FBO's are NOT the same. I hear a lot about CFI's at FBO's. I have been around aviation for ten years and at the airport I fly out of we have two major FBO's, Raytheon and Hill Aircraft. Neither place offers flight training. They are purely a service providing fuel and jet service. I have never seen a CFI at an FBO before.
11-01-2006 | 01:28 PM
#33
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 777
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From: 737 Captain
Let me ask you guys this. How many of you (airlines pilots/ex-airline pilots) found out after following your dreams to become a pilot that your dream was ruined by the low pay and lack of time with your family. I mean I love flying but I'm afraid that going into debt and living in poverty for the next 4 years will turn flying into a bad dream.
This statement might be out of line but being a former manager of over 50 employees why don't the pilots get rid of the unions? Is competition for jobs so bad that they have to lock in low pay rates. Does airline management put down pilots that much. Not to be a union basher. It just seems to me that a pilot that puts over $50,000 into training on top of a college education and then operates one of the most complicated pieces of machinery that man can develope, along with holding the lives of all his passangers in his hands should make more money then a high school drop out. Or am I wrong? Do pay rates increase fast after the 1st year and you can afford to support your self?
I'm just looking for some input. If seems very foggy to me how people are surviving and why don't pilots demand to get paid accordingly for the highly professional jobs they do?
This statement might be out of line but being a former manager of over 50 employees why don't the pilots get rid of the unions? Is competition for jobs so bad that they have to lock in low pay rates. Does airline management put down pilots that much. Not to be a union basher. It just seems to me that a pilot that puts over $50,000 into training on top of a college education and then operates one of the most complicated pieces of machinery that man can develope, along with holding the lives of all his passangers in his hands should make more money then a high school drop out. Or am I wrong? Do pay rates increase fast after the 1st year and you can afford to support your self?
I'm just looking for some input. If seems very foggy to me how people are surviving and why don't pilots demand to get paid accordingly for the highly professional jobs they do?
In reading your post thoroughly, I can tell you that you do not have the passion and commitment to become an airline pilot. The airline pay rates are posted on this site. There is enough information to fill a big barn here and certainly ample for you to make some decisions. The world is full of people who talk of doing things, but never do. You have been given input and yet you continue to wallow in this please help me decide trough. You have already established your fatalistic attitude and distaste for the industry and you haven't even got here. I mean absolutely no disrespect to you but you will save yourself alot of money and countless wasted hours by pursuing something else that you can commit to. The people who will succeed in aviation already know it, and are out working to make it happen rather than asking for others to convince them to do so. I am sure you are a great guy. Go for what you love and for what you are willing to sacrifice for. Stay out of aviation!
11-01-2006 | 01:34 PM
#34
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 211
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From: ERJ
Yup, mom of three and proud of it SkyHigh. I've been a stay at home mom raising them for years, and now that they are older, why should I be at home picking my nose instead of doing something I love? They are well taken care of and loved, and if i'm not here with them, their dad is. Not a bad situation at all. I was a flight attendant until I had #2 and it worked out beautifully.
I appreciate your post and see where you are coming from, but like you said, you don't know me, my circumstances or my kids - so you really can't judge. Peace out brutha.
I appreciate your post and see where you are coming from, but like you said, you don't know me, my circumstances or my kids - so you really can't judge. Peace out brutha.
You are a mother of three?? What are you thinking? Rarely do I directly tell people they shouldn't do something but to be a mother of small children and pursuing a flying career is flat irresponsible and wrong!
We all make choices in life. With each one others are crossed off as opportunity costs. You left behind the right to be able to have a flying career years ago. Even fathers of young children should not consider starting a flying career. It is irresponsible at best and outright family abandonment at worst.
I don't know you or what your actual job is. Perhaps you are a dispatcher, however for your families sake I pray that you are not a pilot. Sometimes I think people take on aviation as a passive aggressive way to shed unwanted friends, spouses and family.
All of us need to be Mom's and Dad's first of all!
Skyhigh
We all make choices in life. With each one others are crossed off as opportunity costs. You left behind the right to be able to have a flying career years ago. Even fathers of young children should not consider starting a flying career. It is irresponsible at best and outright family abandonment at worst.
I don't know you or what your actual job is. Perhaps you are a dispatcher, however for your families sake I pray that you are not a pilot. Sometimes I think people take on aviation as a passive aggressive way to shed unwanted friends, spouses and family.
All of us need to be Mom's and Dad's first of all!
Skyhigh
11-01-2006 | 01:52 PM
#35
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 297
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I like the way you think CalCapt, it is clear why you made it into the major's. I want to become an Airline Pilot, and I can see past the hard years in the regionals (like someone said, regionals are not the pinnacle of our careers, they are stepping stone’s for something better). I one day hope to be able to fly 787's for Continental or any of the legacy carriers.
11-01-2006 | 02:07 PM
#36
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 777
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From: 737 Captain
Say what/
Calcapt,
I hate to contradict your brilliant post, however it is often the case that famous people in history lead train wreck personal lives. It demands a high price to achieve greatness. People need to realize what they will have to give up in order to become a Ben Franklin or Abe Lincoln. The 9 to 5 stooge gets a lot in return for supplanting a few dreams. The pain of a failed dream will fade over time however a failed life will haunt you to the grave.
In my opinion often the pursuit of youthful frivolous dreams is natures way of culling the herd.
SkyHigh
I hate to contradict your brilliant post, however it is often the case that famous people in history lead train wreck personal lives. It demands a high price to achieve greatness. People need to realize what they will have to give up in order to become a Ben Franklin or Abe Lincoln. The 9 to 5 stooge gets a lot in return for supplanting a few dreams. The pain of a failed dream will fade over time however a failed life will haunt you to the grave.
In my opinion often the pursuit of youthful frivolous dreams is natures way of culling the herd.
SkyHigh
I agree, the post was brilliant. My greatness, and great wisdom I might add, has been achieved with little personal destruction, but did require sacrifice and hard work. Despite your assertion that the pain of failed dreams fade, I respectfully disagree. One only has to look at you to prove otherwise. You have convinced yourself that the abandonment of this career was in your best interest, and perhaps it was; however, the pain of being out of the cockpit is manifest in almost all of your posts. I am happy you have found success in other venues, but don't try to convince me that you don't miss sitting where I do. Sky, you and I are friends, and I strongly agree with you that this career is not for everyone. There are however, many who inquire on this very forum, who will go on to achieve what most would call dreams. Their quest will be achieved and their commitment and sacrifice will pay off. There are others, who for whatever reason, will not make it. We hear some of those sad stories here, including yours. There are many here who have made it and it should be through their inspiration and advice, combined with those like yourself, that newbies balance out their decisions about getting into this profession. I hope this finds you well up in the nippy Northwest.
11-01-2006 | 02:13 PM
#37
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 777
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From: 737 Captain
A smart man!!!
11-01-2006 | 03:03 PM
#38
On Reserve
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: none
Northwind:
In reading your post thoroughly, I can tell you that you do not have the passion and commitment to become an airline pilot. The airline pay rates are posted on this site. There is enough information to fill a big barn here and certainly ample for you to make some decisions. The world is full of people who talk of doing things, but never do. You have been given input and yet you continue to wallow in this please help me decide trough. You have already established your fatalistic attitude and distaste for the industry and you haven't even got here. I mean absolutely no disrespect to you but you will save yourself alot of money and countless wasted hours by pursuing something else that you can commit to. The people who will succeed in aviation already know it, and are out working to make it happen rather than asking for others to convince them to do so. I am sure you are a great guy. Go for what you love and for what you are willing to sacrifice for. Stay out of aviation!
In reading your post thoroughly, I can tell you that you do not have the passion and commitment to become an airline pilot. The airline pay rates are posted on this site. There is enough information to fill a big barn here and certainly ample for you to make some decisions. The world is full of people who talk of doing things, but never do. You have been given input and yet you continue to wallow in this please help me decide trough. You have already established your fatalistic attitude and distaste for the industry and you haven't even got here. I mean absolutely no disrespect to you but you will save yourself alot of money and countless wasted hours by pursuing something else that you can commit to. The people who will succeed in aviation already know it, and are out working to make it happen rather than asking for others to convince them to do so. I am sure you are a great guy. Go for what you love and for what you are willing to sacrifice for. Stay out of aviation!
I don't plan on staying out of aviation. I don't mind you judging me, but I've been successful in all parts of my life and I've done that by finding out all parts to the story and that is why I'm asking your advice. I may have been venting a little too or just worried from what I've reading here. My passion for flying goes far beyond what I could communicate on a web site.
I'm glad to hear that there are people out there living the dream. That's what I wanted to know. I would hate to think that there is no light at the end of the tunnel. Although I have not made up my mind altogether I do appriacate everyone's input. I do have a passion for flying I'm just trying to find out if being an airline pilot will fullful my passion. Until I came on this site and read what some of the pilots are posting I thought the life of a pilot would be challenging but would pay off in the end. There are always different ways of finding what you want. Both my father and grandfather flew small planes and loved every minute. I can't tell you how big the smile on my face was when I soloed for the 1st time in a glider. Who knows maybe my fate is to make a lot of money and buy my own plane and bypass the poverty stage.
I think there are a lot of guys out there like me that have a passion for flying but don't want to distroy that passion by sacraficing everything we have. I wonder if there are pilots out there that put all their time and money into their career to find it wasn't what they had dreamed about but it was to late to turn back because they were in debt and had no where alse to go. You don't have to be a don't hold everthing back kind of guy to find your love in life and be successful at it.
11-01-2006 | 03:36 PM
#39
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 762
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Sky:
I agree, the post was brilliant. My greatness, and great wisdom I might add, has been achieved with little personal destruction, but did require sacrifice and hard work. Despite your assertion that the pain of failed dreams fade, I respectfully disagree. One only has to look at you to prove otherwise. You have convinced yourself that the abandonment of this career was in your best interest, and perhaps it was; however, the pain of being out of the cockpit is manifest in almost all of your posts. I am happy you have found success in other venues, but don't try to convince me that you don't miss sitting where I do. Sky, you and I are friends, and I strongly agree with you that this career is not for everyone. There are however, many who inquire on this very forum, who will go on to achieve what most would call dreams. Their quest will be achieved and their commitment and sacrifice will pay off. There are others, who for whatever reason, will not make it. We hear some of those sad stories here, including yours. There are many here who have made it and it should be through their inspiration and advice, combined with those like yourself, that newbies balance out their decisions about getting into this profession. I hope this finds you well up in the nippy Northwest.
I agree, the post was brilliant. My greatness, and great wisdom I might add, has been achieved with little personal destruction, but did require sacrifice and hard work. Despite your assertion that the pain of failed dreams fade, I respectfully disagree. One only has to look at you to prove otherwise. You have convinced yourself that the abandonment of this career was in your best interest, and perhaps it was; however, the pain of being out of the cockpit is manifest in almost all of your posts. I am happy you have found success in other venues, but don't try to convince me that you don't miss sitting where I do. Sky, you and I are friends, and I strongly agree with you that this career is not for everyone. There are however, many who inquire on this very forum, who will go on to achieve what most would call dreams. Their quest will be achieved and their commitment and sacrifice will pay off. There are others, who for whatever reason, will not make it. We hear some of those sad stories here, including yours. There are many here who have made it and it should be through their inspiration and advice, combined with those like yourself, that newbies balance out their decisions about getting into this profession. I hope this finds you well up in the nippy Northwest.
BTW, the Jets you fly, is it just like playing Pac Man???
11-01-2006 | 04:14 PM
#40
Line Holder
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 68
Likes: 0
From: she flies thats all it matters
no regret
SkyHigh you don't honour your nick name putting the people always down
, I disagree also with what you said to MileHighMama ....wow how easly you judge the people and try to discourage them 
MHM I think you are a hero...you are an example for all of us and for your children first.
favila008 do you know what your name means in italian? i think it fits you.
, I disagree also with what you said to MileHighMama ....wow how easly you judge the people and try to discourage them MHM I think you are a hero...you are an example for all of us and for your children first.
favila008 do you know what your name means in italian? i think it fits you.
