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$300,000 or pilot job????

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$300,000 or pilot job????

Old 07-16-2008, 10:06 PM
  #11  
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Are you freaking kidding me?

A job that gives you money and the time to enjoy it, vs. a lottery ticket.


If you don't win the lottery, you get to help the FA's clean the cabin between turns for a couple years, then when you get furloghed you can use that Geography degree to be a substitute teacher for $65 a day. Which is probably about what you were making as a pilot anyway, so you won't miss the money; just the glamour of staying in a hotel not good enough to be a Holiday Inn anymore, and dashing across the street to eat at the Subway in the gas station.

I was much better off as a ramper.
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Old 07-16-2008, 10:19 PM
  #12  
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How is a job in aviation a lottery ticket? Yes, you can be furloughed, but that is true in pretty much every other occupation. My boss when I worked in the business world was at AON for over 25 yrs, made 300k plus, and one day was sent packing because the business unit was downsizing. As a pilot you can make a good living, and unless your an idiot, you should save for a rainy day. My friend loves his job at Skywest. How is he so much different from everyone else?
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Old 07-16-2008, 11:16 PM
  #13  
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With 25 years experience in the business world, if you get canned, you don't start over in the mailroom making minimum wage. You can often find another position with a better compensation package.

When ATA went under their topped out Captains started competing for Compass FO jobs.

The problem with saving for a rainy day is that regional pilots make so little, and the cost of training is so high, that there may not be anything left over to save after the bills are paid.

The job is great. I love flying into NYC. I love delays at JFK. I love cranky controllers at ORD. I love shooting the ILS into ACK with 200cig/2400RVR. I love not taking my shoes off at security. I love trip trading, timing out, and deadheading home. Its a great job.

On the other hand, its a lousy career. Compensation is horrendous. Benefits laughable. Stability non-existent. Working conditions appalling. How do you provide for a family, if you have to expect to be furloughed 25% of you career or expect half the airlines go out of business, or expect your pension will be liquidated?

Yeah flying is fun. But its not a smart career choice.
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Old 07-17-2008, 07:32 AM
  #14  
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You are right regarding going from executive to the mailroom. However, like I said my boss at AON was fired. He made 300k a year. After he was let go, he found another job with Alstate, I know this because I saw him when I was flying to Phoenix, AZ from Chicago, IL. I asked if he took a pay cut, and he said half. I knew what he made at Aon, so in essence he took a 150K cut. That is pretty large. At a regional, just like any other job, you start out at the bottom of the pay scale. The difference between a pilot gaining seniority, and a someone moving up in the business world is that as you move up in corporate america you work more and get paid more, as a pilot you work less and get paid more. By the way, you can make a great living at a regional. Like I said before, my friend is a 7yr CA at Skywest and made over 110k last year. He isnt worried at all about his job, and loves it. I do understand where you are coming from, but crap exists in all industries. Right now, the airline and auto industries are the bad apples, and you know the saying, "the bad apples always stick out more than the good ones".
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Old 07-17-2008, 08:37 AM
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Flying a plane is fun - for the first while. Then like any job it becomes routine. That said, if I were you, I'd stay in school and go the optometry route. Sure it will become boring and routine, but you'd be making much more money and be home much more than if you went the pilot route. My $.02. Good luck with whatever you decide.
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Old 07-17-2008, 08:48 AM
  #16  
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"my question to you all is what would you do? knowing what you know now as commercial pilots..."

Here's a thought. Go find an optometry forum and see what they say. Wouldn't be surprised if they say it sucks and you should look into flying....

Also, see what your father thinks about you being the next him. I mean, if you would eventually take over the successful business he already built it might be a pretty good deal for you.
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Old 07-17-2008, 08:51 AM
  #17  
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1. Finish your rating and finish school.
2. Instruct and build hours and knowledge while getting your pre-req's done for eyeball school.
3. See how the industry is looking at that point and make a decision then, not now, not from info you get on this board at this point in time.
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Old 07-17-2008, 12:14 PM
  #18  
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Today I had a friend offer to take me under his wing in the financial planing industry. I'm going to take it. I'm 41, A319 captain, unemployed airline pilot. I have to go to INDIA to get a job and pay my bills for 6 months. I'm coming back and it is over.

Some day aviation is going to fun again, but it will never run my life.
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Old 07-17-2008, 04:29 PM
  #19  
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Originally Posted by SeatMeat View Post
1. Finish your rating and finish school.
2. Instruct and build hours and knowledge while getting your pre-req's done for eyeball school.
3. See how the industry is looking at that point and make a decision then, not now, not from info you get on this board at this point in time.

That's actually some good advice-BRAVO seatmeat!

That way-he has a backup plan-which is what i've been preaching here all along-and getting bushwacked for it.

For some-the backup plan has become the primary plan.
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Old 07-17-2008, 04:55 PM
  #20  
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Originally Posted by SeatMeat View Post
1. Finish your rating and finish school.
2. Instruct and build hours and knowledge while getting your pre-req's done for eyeball school.
3. See how the industry is looking at that point and make a decision then, not now, not from info you get on this board at this point in time.

thats actually some good advice. the reason why i didnt want to to do that is because why add more debt to the flying gig if i might not end up pursuing it. but...now that i think about it a little more. not a bad idea.

thanks a ton for the comments and advice guys. this is going to be the toughest decision of my life.
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