Pilotpip

It's all about perspective. After you pay your bills, it's about doing what you enjoy.

I had no problems living within my means on first year pay. Yeah, it wasn't always fun being cheap, and yeah I'm furloughed right now. I'll go back when I get recalled. It wasn't hard finding another job that made ends meet but I can't imagine paying the bills while still having this many days off, seeing the places I get to see, and meeting the people I get to meet in many other professions. You dust off, and you keep going.

I'm sure sky will chime in on my remarks. I know a lot of people in skilled trades that are out of work right now. Also have two friends working in the financial field that just lost jobs that were supposedly secure. Times are tough.

Rascal

Your friends might have lost their jobs but they probably made enough money to put into a savings account. And one more thing... They will find another job with weekends off and they will get more than 20k a year.

rickair7777

Anyone who is considering an aviation career should hear from folks like Tony and Sky...things do not work for for everyone. Cost vs. benefit is different for everyone, and folks should do some soul searching to decide if they are likely to be dissatisfied with the dues-to-payoff ratio, or if a career setback will be too much for them.

SkyHigh

The good thing about being a pilot is that we do not have far to fall. Most gas station jobs can provide enough to replace a regional FO's income.

Sure a lot of people are out of a job right now. Some of them are pilots who have 90k or more in student loans to pay back. Income is important. Over time you will watch as your peers buy houses, get married and begin to build lives.

People do not become plumbers because they think it is fun. They do it because it holds a real promise of providing a good living for their family. Have fun but know that it comes at a price. Often those who have to pay are the ones who are counting on you to provide for them.

SkyHigh

de727ups

"Anyone who is considering an aviation career should hear from folks like Tony and Sky...things do not work for for everyone."

I actually agree. Insofar as facts aren't made up to support arguments and stories don't change with the birth of a new thread.

And then, only to be fair, guys like Tony C and I should get our own flag waiving, "being a pilot is great" fourm, just to keep things fair. Then we could start threads bashing the plumbing, teaching, and nursing professions and talk about how great it is to be a successful professional pilot.

It is VERY important for newbs to hear about the realities and sacrifices involved in professional aviation. They won't get that reading the ads for Delta Connection Academy, All ATP's, or MAPD in flying magazine or on the internet. I've been over at JC fighting that for years. But you're not going to reach those people here at the "leaving the career" forum at APC.

Sky and Tony should tell their stories at the home page of JC if they want to reach the newb masses about the downside of this career. Otherwise, it's very easy to accuse those guys of being here to simply vent their ex-career-pilot anger. Not that there's anything wrong with that....

Planespotta

"We?"That's actually kinda funny

Learflyer

"I was under a year old and flew on a TWA 747 (1990) to Jamaica. I sat at the very front and barfed all over my mother's lap I guess that's good luck because Yeager did the same thing on his first, too"


Yes junior, you too. Based on this post, you are a young man.

Planespotta

You didn't understand me. I wasn't trying to imply that I'm invulnerable and won't face any difficulties in the path ahead.

Sky goes ahead moaning and groaning about the industry and just how terrible piloting jobs are and then includes himself in the corps of professional pilots that he is deriding by going ahead and saying "we don't have far to fall." I wasn't using that to refer to myself. I was just so surprised to see Sky talking about himself that way. It seemed a bit hypocritical to include himself in a group he highlights as foolish, shortsighted, and lowly.

SkyHigh

I have more of a claim than you. I am still on the roster as a instructor at a local flight school. Occasionally I do instruct. According to your profile you are not even done with training yet.

Skyhigh

SkyHigh

When I started things were different. You have no excuse. Go back to your touch and go's.

SkyHigh