Why is it so important to you that people walk in your shoes?
I don't think anyone is trying to tell you that you are wrong. You are just not playing with a full deck if you tell people that this job is so bad.

I ask, why are there thousands of kids getting into it, if what you say is general knowledge?

 

Sky. You've met me. I've flown your plane. You are friends with the first CFI I ever had. You live 25 miles from where I grew up.

I've been furloughed, between jobs, and otherwise have seen the tough times that are part of the career.

I walked in your shoes right up until the day you decided to do something else for a living...

Nothing wrong with quitting. It was a good call for you if one looks at the combination of your distaste for the career, your unwillingness to leave WA state, and your family situation. More power to ya.

I just disagree that, family or not, everyone should run away from a job where you can make 100K a year and work half the month. Kinda like where you'd be if you stayed at Horizon. And I also disagree that being a plumber or office worker, just to be home every night, makes those careers a better deal than being a pilot.

 

I don't know how you come up with this stuff. I know very accurately where I would be had I stayed at Horizon Air. I am friends with the guy who was one number ahead of me and with the guy who is one number below me.

Neither of them is making even close to 100K. Both of them expect to come close to being downgraded within the next year. On top of that they are gone much more than when I was there with them.

Besides all that I have spent most of my adult life as a pilot living and working away from my home state. I am not opposed to making a sacrifice but there had better be a light at the end of the tunnel.

SkyHigh

 

I am not trying to stop a true believer from joining the ranks. The problem it that there is a lot of mis-information out there. People are being led into false expectations in order to sell pilots licenses.

Thousands of kids are getting into an over bloated market only to find out later that they have wasted years of their lives and a small fortune. There are 40,000 applications at SWA. Pilots who meet SWA's high standards for the hope of 400 jobs.

The only way this profession makes financial sense is for there to be a job at SWA or UPS within a few years of graduating. 39,600 pilots will leave empty handed.

Skyhigh

 

I guess that makes you average or below, and the rest of us are above average.








.

 

"I don't know how you come up with this stuff. I know very accurately where I would be had I stayed at Horizon Air."

I thought you were at Horizon in 1996. That would make you a 12th year Capt, today. According to APC, 12th year jet Capts make about 97K. ($101/hr times 80 hour guarantee times 12). Add in per diem and you're at 100K.

It's true that the jets are going away and they are going to furlough, but Horizon is a good company and when the economy bounces back I think they will be fine.

 

"I am not trying to stop a true believer from joining the ranks."

Really? Could have fooled me.....

"The problem it that there is a lot of mis-information out there. People are being led into false expectations in order to sell pilots licenses."

I agree. But if you want to save the world, you're in the wrong place. Go over to Jetcareers and bash the big academy marketing tactics, like I do. It's great fun. They hate me at the ATP forum....

 

I agree with DE(and that has not always been the case), a true believer no matter what knowledge they possess will do it no matter what. I also think DE is right, Sky you might want to go over to JC and post to the newbies that would actually benefit from your +20yrs of professional flying experience. They're the ones that would benefit from some of the harsh realities of professional flying that a newbie is not exposed to in the flashy ads from places like ATP, etc.

For the most part I agree with most of Sky's comments, but sometimes it does get overly negative. I know plenty of my friends that are happy with their careers in aviation no matter what the setbacks they've suffered. My experience was different than theirs so were my priorities, hence they are willing to put up with certain aspects of the job I'm not. More power to those who do. Either way I think we can all agree that we'd all like to see improvements in the industry for the betterment of the pilot group.

 

I'm only speaking for myself here - but I am bored to tears of flying. I did data entry for a year in college, so I know what it's like to be bored. And yes - I am that bored on just about every flight I do. Damn bored! It's one of the reasons I want out. I feel myself growing older each flight. Oh well, at least I can read the paper, and that'll pass a few minutes. /yawn

Yet I fly with guys who seem enthralled with it. I was once, too. But the guys I'm flying with have been flying as long as I or longer. Different strokes for different folks and all that.

 

My thought is this:

Since the 50's families have increasingly required TWO incomes for a middle class life. America also now competes, not so much dominates, in global economics. Competition tends to level the playing field.

So the folks in China, India, etc. are getting more of our lifestyle, while our American lifestyle becomes harder maintain without working harder.

Deregulation and management aside, I don't think we young folks can expect to do the same job for the same pay and time off any more. The WORLD is changing. Pilots are just one ingredient in the global market.

Increased efficiency and competition. Makes everyone lean and mean. And so are our paychecks.