Last night I saw the movie "The Wrestler" starring Mickey Roorke and I liked it. Mickey's character "Randy the Ram" reminded me of old washed up airline captains that I have met in my career just before they were pushed out at 60.

Watching my ex-coworkers struggle with facing the end of the rainbow only then to realize that they had no friends, family, money or anything else to return to was prophetic to me. They had given everything to aviation and in the process left behind wives, children and the ability to build a life.

I will never forget when one old timer swung by the company office to hand in his stuff and blew out of town in is sole possession a 1970's corvette stingray and six months of cash to live on. It wasn't pretty.

I did not want to end up like those guys. It is a good movie.

Skyhigh

 

Sky,

There are millions of "Wrestlers" out there, and the vast majority of them are not airline pilots. You would have seen the same thing in most other careers, but with one additional tragedy: those guys never enjoyed what they did for a living.

 

That movie remind me nothing of the successful airline Captains that retired at age 60 that I know/knew. They are nothing like what you describe. They had enjoyed their time in the cockpit and airline world and after the career left with a sense of fullfilment and accomplishment. They also had happy wives, kids, and dogs. Guess it is all about the different people you met. You must hang out with an interesting group of people Sky. You seem to have flown in just about every possible type of aviation environment yet have never met ONE successful or happy aviation professional. Amazing!

USMCFLYR

 

I spent my airline career at an LCC and Regional airline. I suppose that things are different at the legacies. (or at least they use to be different) Everyone starts out in aviation with expectations of becoming a Hulk Hogan but a lot of pilots end up like Randy the Ram. Flying is not like most other professions. It is closer to that of an entertainer or professional baseball player. Passion for the occupation can obscure long term damages.

I had one middle aged captain tell me that his secret was to go from start up to start up. As each one failed he worked to position himself for the next one. His life and career was a broken string of scuttled companies. I suppose that he was trying to find the next SWA. Maybe he will find it, however to me that is no way to build a life.

During my time at a regional I studied the guys who had been at the company for a long time. Each one of them had a story of their original dreams of making it to the big time. They had a job and seniority but they were not prospering. They were stuck at the regional and had developed an apathetic attitude.

To me for most this industry is a war of attrition. Every year the career wants another pound of flesh in order for you to remain in the saddle. Each setback demands that a pilot has to sell another portion of his life to the dream. Over time wives and children get left behind. Thoughs of retirement plans get washed away as each move, furlough or shutdown drains the savings account.

I can understand how a long time legacy pilot might not understand my perspective. To them the world is round. However on the outside aviation is not so comfortable. Pilots have to go through a lot to keep their dreams alive. At some point you realize that you just are not going to make it but often that realization comes too late.

There are two category's of pilots. Those who make it to the big time and the rest who are drowning in the hardships of life in the lower rungs. As time goes by it seems that there are more struggling pilots and fewer of the truly good jobs that are stable, productive and prosperous. As with Randy the Ram if a pilot is not careful and lets themselves get swept away without keeping an eye on the big picture then in end you could be left with nothing. I saw a lot of guys like that in aviation.

Skyhigh

 

Not what I would consider as successful. I don't think that most of them would have thought they were successful either. They may have earned a bit more and had four bars but, their personal lives paid a high price.

Another thing in the movie struck me as something I have seen in aviation. The Ram was hoping for a big "comeback". I flew with plenty of ex-Eastern Airlines, TWA and Continental pilots. Either they were laid off or left what turned out to be a good opportunity had they stayed. All they could do it seemed was to lament over the glory days and hold out for their big comeback. Right now most everyone in aviation is holding their breath for an industry comeback. However as with the Ram it never will be as good as it was.

Skyhigh

 

Well there it is. In the time I've been on the forum I don't think I've ever seen you acknowledge that someone might have a differnet perception than you on what successful means; therefore in your opinion no one can be successful so it is kid of a moot point
Second point - I think they would have said that they were successful. Well...since we aren't having to offer any PROOF here - I'll just take the counter argument just for the fun of it.

USMCFLYR

 

Aviation is different from most other professions. It is closer to that of a pro-baseball player. Passion can drive one well beyond time to hang it up. And, there is a price to pay for such indulgences.

Skyhigh

 

Absolutely correct. If someone wants regular hours, familiar surroundings, low entry cost, and freedom from risk, they should look elsewhere. It's not suitable for everybody, but this has been well-known since Orville and Wilbur flipped a coin for seniority.

 

Success is a relative term. What is success in regards to aviation? Flying a big jet? Buying a huge house? A new CFI might consider me as a success in aviation given my accomplishments however I do not see it as such since I did not meet my goals.

In aviation you really do not know if you have been a success until retirement day. Few really are safe. A pilot might have 15 years of seniority by 45 years of age at the major airline of his dreams only to open the paper one day to see that everything he had worked for has gone down the drain.

Unlike other professions success in aviation largely relies on luck and circumstances. I was never very comfortable with that. Often a pilot never knows if he is the next Randy the Ram until it is too late.

Skyhigh

 

People need to know what a long shot this industry really is.

Everyday people are out there blowing a fortune on a fancy aviation college education and flight training on what really amounts to a thin hope that they will ever be able to earn the investment back. I can not believe that most pilots who sign on the dotted line to take out a 100K loan for flight training really know what they are getting into. When given all the facts what kind of logic would permit such a foolish commitment?

Universities and flight schools are not out there spreading reality. They are selling a lie and that is exactly my mission here and elsewhere. I believe that everyone has an interest in self preservation and if they are presented with the cold hard facts up front by people who are in the trenches they would make a different decision.

Everyone who signed a loan for flight training over the last five years expected to be flying for SWA within a few short years after flight school. How else could the accept such a punishing payment schedule and honestly expect to be able to pay it back?

Skyhigh