Not now. Not ever.
08-09-2008, 08:35 AM
#11
Self Employed.
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Joined APC: May 2005
Position: Corporate Pilot
Posts: 7,119
Acceptance
Originally Posted by jedinein
It ain't over 'til you take your last breath.
Deciding to not put up with the BS that is the airlines does not make one a failure. I almost quit on the spot putting up with parking tag BS. What are you willing to handle and what are you willing to put up with?
I grew up with my father in construction. We moved more times than the military, more times than those in the witness protection program, even more times than pilots, combined. Dad was gone for weeks and sometimes months. We'd get to move on short notice. Pay sometimes sucked. Construction projects sometimes ended with a chain around a gate and a note, "everyone is fired". Sometimes there wasn't a note. This world is going to kick you, beat you, work you hard, spit you out, and all you have to show for it is a nice headstone which may get replaced to something that is easier to maintain, or removed completely to make way for a new bypass. Life sucks, then you die. And in a hundred years, you probably won't matter anyways, except possibly to be another annoying name to learn in someone's history class.
The secret, and possibly the insanity of this, is to be happy where you are, even as you strive for something better, and no matter which choices you make. That really irritates other people who think you should be at least as miserable as they are, if not more miserable.
Deciding to not put up with the BS that is the airlines does not make one a failure. I almost quit on the spot putting up with parking tag BS. What are you willing to handle and what are you willing to put up with?
I grew up with my father in construction. We moved more times than the military, more times than those in the witness protection program, even more times than pilots, combined. Dad was gone for weeks and sometimes months. We'd get to move on short notice. Pay sometimes sucked. Construction projects sometimes ended with a chain around a gate and a note, "everyone is fired". Sometimes there wasn't a note. This world is going to kick you, beat you, work you hard, spit you out, and all you have to show for it is a nice headstone which may get replaced to something that is easier to maintain, or removed completely to make way for a new bypass. Life sucks, then you die. And in a hundred years, you probably won't matter anyways, except possibly to be another annoying name to learn in someone's history class.
The secret, and possibly the insanity of this, is to be happy where you are, even as you strive for something better, and no matter which choices you make. That really irritates other people who think you should be at least as miserable as they are, if not more miserable.
Some would say that I should have been satisfied with Horizon Air. Their advise might be to "just let go of your dreams and settle with 9 legs a day". To that kind of thinking I say "No thanks". I sacrificed and paid dues for more than what life at a regional can offer.
I am happy with where I am at. The point of my story it to bring to others the challenges and hardships that many face in this industry. I believe that the return offered is not in congress with the effort and sacrifice it takes for some of us to get there.
Who cares really right?? I mean, we all are going to be dust one day anyhow. However, I would rather spend my days doing something that values me and my contributions and rewards me in kind. If others are prepared to accept less then so be it. I am still reaching for the brass ring.
Skyhigh
08-09-2008, 09:13 PM
#12
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Mar 2008
Position: FAA 'Flight Check'
Posts: 13,837
Originally Posted by SkyHigh
I agree with much of what you have written about however it is important to be dissatisfied at times. If I were to have accepted my situation as a gas station attendant then that is where I would still be. Instead I used my dissatisfaction to propel me through college and into what I thought was going to be a better future.
Some would say that I should have been satisfied with Horizon Air. Their advise might be to "just let go of your dreams and settle with 9 legs a day". To that kind of thinking I say "No thanks". I sacrificed and paid dues for more than what life at a regional can offer.
I am happy with where I am at. The point of my story it to bring to others the challenges and hardships that many face in this industry. I believe that the return offered is not in congress with the effort and sacrifice it takes for some of us to get there.
Who cares really right?? I mean, we all are going to be dust one day anyhow. However, I would rather spend my days doing something that values me and my contributions and rewards me in kind. If others are prepared to accept less then so be it. I am still reaching for the brass ring.
Skyhigh
Some would say that I should have been satisfied with Horizon Air. Their advise might be to "just let go of your dreams and settle with 9 legs a day". To that kind of thinking I say "No thanks". I sacrificed and paid dues for more than what life at a regional can offer.
I am happy with where I am at. The point of my story it to bring to others the challenges and hardships that many face in this industry. I believe that the return offered is not in congress with the effort and sacrifice it takes for some of us to get there.
Who cares really right?? I mean, we all are going to be dust one day anyhow. However, I would rather spend my days doing something that values me and my contributions and rewards me in kind. If others are prepared to accept less then so be it. I am still reaching for the brass ring.
Skyhigh
And no one can have the flying job that values the person and rewards them in kind huh?
USMCFLYR
08-10-2008, 04:42 AM
#13
Self Employed.
Thread Starter
Joined APC: May 2005
Position: Corporate Pilot
Posts: 7,119
Not True
Originally Posted by USMCFLYR
"Who cares really right?? I mean, we all are going to be dust one day anyhow. However, I would rather spend my days doing something that values me and my contributions and rewards me in kind. If others are prepared to accept less then so be it. I am still reaching for the brass ring."
And no one can have the flying job that values the person and rewards them in kind huh?
USMCFLYR
And no one can have the flying job that values the person and rewards them in kind huh?
USMCFLYR
Skyhigh
08-10-2008, 09:32 AM
#14
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Mar 2008
Position: FAA 'Flight Check'
Posts: 13,837
Originally Posted by SkyHigh
No there are good flying jobs out there. I bet you will find a good job. Most of us however will not.
Skyhigh
Skyhigh
You certainly had a varied career. Didn't you also fly up in Alaska for a time? I'm up here in Fairbanks right now and thinking of buying a hat that says "Alaska - Bush Pilot" - just something to keep the dream alive a little longer
USMCFLYR
08-10-2008, 09:53 AM
#15
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Joined APC: May 2005
Position: Corporate Pilot
Posts: 7,119
Get the Hat !!
Originally Posted by USMCFLYR
Thanks for the vote of confidence
You certainly had a varied career. Didn't you also fly up in Alaska for a time? I'm up here in Fairbanks right now and thinking of buying a hat that says "Alaska - Bush Pilot" - just something to keep the dream alive a little longer
USMCFLYR
You certainly had a varied career. Didn't you also fly up in Alaska for a time? I'm up here in Fairbanks right now and thinking of buying a hat that says "Alaska - Bush Pilot" - just something to keep the dream alive a little longer
USMCFLYR
SkyHigh
08-10-2008, 02:16 PM
#16
Self Employed.
Thread Starter
Joined APC: May 2005
Position: Corporate Pilot
Posts: 7,119
Fairbanks
Originally Posted by USMCFLYR
Thanks for the vote of confidence
You certainly had a varied career. Didn't you also fly up in Alaska for a time? I'm up here in Fairbanks right now and thinking of buying a hat that says "Alaska - Bush Pilot" - just something to keep the dream alive a little longer
USMCFLYR
You certainly had a varied career. Didn't you also fly up in Alaska for a time? I'm up here in Fairbanks right now and thinking of buying a hat that says "Alaska - Bush Pilot" - just something to keep the dream alive a little longer
USMCFLYR
Skyhigh
08-10-2008, 07:14 PM
#17
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Joined APC: Feb 2008
Position: Anything available/Right
Posts: 32
Originally Posted by SkyHigh
Some would say that I should have been satisfied with Horizon Air. Their advise might be to "just let go of your dreams and settle with 9 legs a day". To that kind of thinking I say "No thanks". I sacrificed and paid dues for more than what life at a regional can offer.
Skyhigh
Skyhigh
08-11-2008, 06:48 AM
#18
Self Employed.
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Joined APC: May 2005
Position: Corporate Pilot
Posts: 7,119
Horizon Air
Originally Posted by kt61
Skyhigh, when did you fly for Horizon? Sounds like it was awhile ago? I flew for them about 4 years ago...
I never wanted to fly for them but my dream was to get on with Alaska Airlines so that is what I did. When I hired on guys were upgrading within a year. By the time I left it was like a four year wait. I made $492 of take home pay every two weeks.
I did not like it there. Here I was doing the same job as a guy at Alaska Airlines but I was making 30% of what an Alaska Airlines FO made and I had to work much harder for it.
During my time there only 4 pilots went from Horizon Air to Alaska Airlines and they all had strong internal connections. Alaska at the time was punishing Horizon Air pilots by not hiring them. Going to Horizon Air was the biggest mistake of my career.
Some good did come from my time at Horizon though. It was the first place that gave me dental insurance. Life as a regional pilot provided me with a schedule and more stable lifestyle. I started my 401K with them. I met my wife during that time. I enjoyed Portland and flying in the Northwest.
In some ways it would have been good to stay but there just wasn't enough money and the job took too much out of me.
Skyhigh
Last edited by SkyHigh; 08-11-2008 at 06:56 AM.
08-11-2008, 07:22 PM
#19
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Joined APC: Apr 2007
Posts: 49
I have to say as much as I hate to admit it I am a Skyhigh fan. You make very very good points. When I first came to this website a little over a year ago now??? when the industry was starting to turn around and people were hiring I thought you were full of it. (That old man knows nothing....I am invincible).
I feel like I have been beating my head against a brick wall since I began this aviation bit over 2 years ago. Call me a quitter...but I dont plan on banging my head against that wall until I am 65. I have a life to get on with....screw the airlines.
Now I see the light. Its been a long and painful struggle with denial haha but I must say that i am glad i came across your writings sooner rather than later.
Thank you sir.
I feel like I have been beating my head against a brick wall since I began this aviation bit over 2 years ago. Call me a quitter...but I dont plan on banging my head against that wall until I am 65. I have a life to get on with....screw the airlines.
Now I see the light. Its been a long and painful struggle with denial haha but I must say that i am glad i came across your writings sooner rather than later.
Thank you sir.
08-11-2008, 09:11 PM
#20
Self Employed.
Thread Starter
Joined APC: May 2005
Position: Corporate Pilot
Posts: 7,119
Hey Thanks Man
Originally Posted by shane123
I have to say as much as I hate to admit it I am a Skyhigh fan. You make very very good points. When I first came to this website a little over a year ago now??? when the industry was starting to turn around and people were hiring I thought you were full of it. (That old man knows nothing....I am invincible).
I feel like I have been beating my head against a brick wall since I began this aviation bit over 2 years ago. Call me a quitter...but I dont plan on banging my head against that wall until I am 65. I have a life to get on with....screw the airlines.
Now I see the light. Its been a long and painful struggle with denial haha but I must say that i am glad i came across your writings sooner rather than later.
Thank you sir.
I feel like I have been beating my head against a brick wall since I began this aviation bit over 2 years ago. Call me a quitter...but I dont plan on banging my head against that wall until I am 65. I have a life to get on with....screw the airlines.
Now I see the light. Its been a long and painful struggle with denial haha but I must say that i am glad i came across your writings sooner rather than later.
Thank you sir.
SkyHigh
