Yesterday I found myself actually advising a friend to consider a career in the airlines.

He is a seasonal lodge pilot in Alaska and is very tired of it now but can't find a way to get off the merry go round. The money and job are fairly easy but he has reached a point where he hates the sight of a De Havilland Beaver.

He has all the credentials and experiences but has always been cold to the thought of flying a heartless airliner. As I thought of his situation I realised that he would stand to benefit a lot from working at a regional. He is married but no kids and they don't want any. They already live like nomads and have interests all over the west coast and could benefit from the free jump seats.

The best part is that he has reached a point where he hates flying and as a regional airline pilot you don't really fly at all. I think it would help to get him by for a few years anyway till he found something else to do.

Skyhig

 

Sky, Airliners are not heartless. I had a brand new filly today that felt soooo good. She flew straight and protected her crew and carriage from freezing cold temperatures and turbulent air. She rewarded her captain with one of the smoothest landings I have had in years despite a strong crosswind. As I parked her at the gate and handed her over to a good friend of mine, I told him to take real good care of her as she meant alot to me. Before we left for the hotel, I again thanked her for taking good care of me and I promised her we would do it again sometime. I wish real girls had that much heart!

 

Next thing is a massive quake, then meteors from the sky, then rivers running red with blood, then the dead rising.

 

Don't forget the flying pigs!!

 

How is it good advice to point someone who 'hates flying' to starting over at the bottom tier of a commuter airline? Am I missing something?

 

The options he has are slim he has been a pilot most of his adult life. Pilots are neat worthless on the outside job market, so it is either working as a ski lift operator or get up at 3:30AM for a 5:15AM show time.

SkyHigh

 

Actually it is my friend who has the opinion that the airlines are "heartless". Of course he is coming from the low rumble of a P&W radial engine chugging slowly across the virgin wilderness of Alaska all the while staring at a panel that hasn't changed since the day it rolled off the assembly line in the 1950's. It is a different type of appreciation. I like to compare it to Harley Davidson guys to street racers.

SkyHigh

 

What am I missing here? What's the difference between this guy, and all the people within earshot of this forum that you don't even know, but have been "counseling" against going into aviation?

What it tells me is that every individual's situation is different and that even you recognize that. So, instead of making blanket assertions that nobody should ever consider a career in aviation for any reason, perhaps you could, in light of the fact that you seem to enjoy hanging out with people who have an affection for aviation, be more supportive of one's aviation goals. With your supposed experience, you could help to guide people around the pitfalls, instead of just broadly trying to forbid people from considering it at all.

 

this guy is already in aviation, so hes already screwed. He already jumped off the bridge. I doesn't matter now which pile of crap he lands on.

That was my best SkyHigh Impression, maybe a little too cynical, but I think I got it!

 

That's what I'm starting to notice. I don't even try to read the "Addiction" thread anymore, pointless pessimism.

Maybe another 135 carrier in Alaska could pick him up??? I'm sure his experience would put him in a great position for a job up there. Just my thinking. I'd think even flying a different type of A/C would be a good change, new challenges etc....