My $0.02
12-02-2010 | 08:59 AM
#41
Self Employed.
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 7,120
Likes: 0
From: Corporate Pilot
Raised in the Air Force, no trust fund, wife has a great job and far removed from your realities. See, sometimes you can be partly right, just not very often.
12-02-2010 | 11:01 AM
#42
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 13,843
Likes: 1
From: FAA 'Flight Check'
Flying is just a job and that is all. If you truly love to fly then you should not do it as a career since it eventually will suck the life out of it. Good and positive feelings about aviation will be replaced with bad ones. The magic of flight will be exchanged with the nine leg daily grind.
USMCFLYR
12-02-2010 | 12:22 PM
#43
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 5,738
Likes: 5
From: Sleeping in the black swan’s nest.
Originally posted by Skyhigh:
Sir please explain why you are keeping your credentials current? I thought you were out for good?
In addition the main reason why I own a plane is to help maintain professional credentials and currency as a pilot. I have never quit aviation but rather am forced to wait until a suitable job comes my way. My plane helps to keep that door open.
12-02-2010 | 04:18 PM
#45
China Visa Applicant
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,964
Likes: 16
From: Midfield downwind
Sky has always said that he'd be back if the circumstances were right. He'd be a fool to not be prepared if that ever happens.
12-02-2010 | 04:38 PM
#46
Self Employed.
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 7,120
Likes: 0
From: Corporate Pilot
If conditions change
At least it is an excuse to stay flying.
Skyhigh
12-02-2010 | 04:41 PM
#47
Self Employed.
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 7,120
Likes: 0
From: Corporate Pilot
Regionals
USMCFLYR,
You always made a good living flying the best of the best with ample benefits to take care of you. Try flying for the regionals at $492 of take home pay every two weeks. Nine leg 16 hour days and a crummy hotel at the end of it all.
No good !! Boring. No job satisfaction as you punch out approach after approach all day long.
"Gear down" "Flaps 15" "Landing checklist" over and over and over again.
Airplane swap!! "Origination checklist" "before start checklist" "after start checklist" "Before taxi Check list" "After taxi checklist to the line" You get the picture.
Skyhigh
Last edited by SkyHigh; 12-02-2010 at 04:55 PM.
12-02-2010 | 04:47 PM
#48
Self Employed.
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 7,120
Likes: 0
From: Corporate Pilot
Waiting
I have to fly at least 50 hours a year to maintain currency. 
However I can not afford to waste another year at new hire wages for another regional or dead end start up.Also I am not going to fly overseas. I need to be home more than once every two months. I have a family to support. They are happy where and how we live. I can not mess that up for just anything.
Skyhigh
12-02-2010 | 04:56 PM
#49
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 13,843
Likes: 1
From: FAA 'Flight Check'
People work for money not because of soul searching. We need money to support what does mean more to us, our families and lives. Flying is just a job and that is all. If you truly love to fly then you should not do it as a career since it eventually will suck the life out of it. Good and positive feelings about aviation will be replaced with bad ones. The magic of flight will be exchanged with the nine leg daily grind.
Try flying for the regionals at $492 of take home pay every two weeks. Nine leg 16 hour days and a crummy hotel at the end of it all.
No good !! Boring. No job satisfaction as you punch out approach after approach all day long.
No good !! Boring. No job satisfaction as you punch out approach after approach all day long.
I pointed out a different experience of aviation. As you always say Sky - my view is just as pertinent as yours. I'm new to professional aviation, but even since leaving my easy life where everything was 'given' to me as you have pointed out before, things are still not approaching the end of the world. I know that you don't believe there can a balance in a career in aviation, but I think you are wrong. Maybe the key word in your last post above was job satisfaction. Maybe you were never going to find job satisfaction in aviation
I'm sorry for that.USMCFLYR
12-02-2010 | 08:30 PM
#50
Self Employed.
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 7,120
Likes: 0
From: Corporate Pilot
Jobs
Sky:
I read your post again and I didn't see where you quantified your comment that is was solely expressing views of Regional Airline flying. Your first post seem to lump ALL flying careers into your singular view of doom and desperation.
I pointed out a different experience of aviation. As you always say Sky - my view is just as pertinent as yours. I'm new to professional aviation, but even since leaving my easy life where everything was 'given' to me as you have pointed out before, things are still not approaching the end of the world. I know that you don't believe there can a balance in a career in aviation, but I think you are wrong. Maybe the key word in your last post above was job satisfaction. Maybe you were never going to find job satisfaction in aviation I'm sorry for that.
USMCFLYR
I read your post again and I didn't see where you quantified your comment that is was solely expressing views of Regional Airline flying. Your first post seem to lump ALL flying careers into your singular view of doom and desperation.
I pointed out a different experience of aviation. As you always say Sky - my view is just as pertinent as yours. I'm new to professional aviation, but even since leaving my easy life where everything was 'given' to me as you have pointed out before, things are still not approaching the end of the world. I know that you don't believe there can a balance in a career in aviation, but I think you are wrong. Maybe the key word in your last post above was job satisfaction. Maybe you were never going to find job satisfaction in aviation
I'm sorry for that.USMCFLYR
I took the jobs that were offered. Most were on the poor side of the equation. You have enjoyed better situations. All I can say is that you should consider a mile in my shoes before you make judgments.
You have only exchanged one government job for another. I can assure you that the private sector is not nearly as financially rewarding or secure however I bet you already know that since you did not pursue an airline career.
It is possible that you will never know what a true sweat shop job in aviation is really like. All the better for you. I can tell you that a legacy airline job is much better than that of a regional. Longer legs, more money and better conditions all around.
I liked my job well enough to endure hardships and sacrifices that a plumber would not. My last job was the best. One leg a day usually and a good hotel at the end. Too bad.
Heaven and hell in the airlines is a measure of only a few degrees. We wear the same uniforms fly similar craft on the same routes. However one goes home to a nice upper middle class neighborhood the other to a bunk in a crash pad with six other pilots.
Aviation is becoming more turbulent every year. Mergers, shutdowns, layoffs. A 25 year old pilot could have as many as 40 years in the industry. That is plenty long enough to be tossed out and have to start over many times. It is unlikely that modern careers can go unscathed.
A hero one day could be someones FO tomorrow and the guy on the street the chief pilot at the next great start up next week. It is unlikely that I will ever find my place in the sun however fortunes can change in an instant. I still have reason for hope in that.
In any case I can not afford to waste any more years on dead ends. I have seen the results of that in my past co-workers and for the sake of my family have taken a different course.
Skyhigh
Last edited by SkyHigh; 12-02-2010 at 08:45 PM.
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