SkyHigh

During my time as a bush pilot in Alaska I was able to get to know an Airfrance captain and his family. He lived in Paris but bought a failing lodge in the remote Alaskan wilderness. Every summer we would fly in his family and enough supplies to last for two months. On occasion we would fly in friends and family who would stay at the lodge on their dime.

Through the best of the summer they would fish, hike and adventure in the wilderness. The Airfrance pilot was hardly 40 years of age at the time. Now just take a step back and ponder how he was able to pull that off. Not only did it take a mountain of cash to do it but enough control over his schedule to be able to depart from his company during the summer for months at a time.

That is the way things were for major airline pilots. They lived like kings. I remember well an article in Career Pilot magazine from the now extinct FAPA. The article encompassed the personal life of a Northwest Orient 747 captain. He lived on a private lake in Minnesota in a massive log house. In his boat house was a collection of hand made wooden canoes and a bass master fishing boat. Outside tied to the dock was an amphibious Cessna 185 that he bought new a decade prior.

Airline pilots were rich, respected and had more control over their lives. To step back and take measure of how far we have fallen is disheartening to say the least and should be a wake up call. Things are not getting better. A USair pilot here on APC a few year ago wrote that in the late 1980's a 737 captain made 420K in today's dollars plus a full ride retirement. Now that was a return that is worthy of all the rest. Not anymore though

Skyhigh

GoPats

Folks, this is a discussion and debate forum. It's not my place and I'm not interested in being anyone's moral guide, especially in an anonymous setting.
I appreciate everyone's viewpoints. I'd like to think that I can learn something from everyone.

USMCFLYR

EXACTLY!
And according to the TOS you are suppose to treat others in a neighborly fashion, not calling them sociopaths and other assorting insults or saying that many professions have no honor. The ONLY reason Sky gets away with it (at least with my moderation) is because he doesn't call a particular person a sociopath; if he did, that post would be pulled and he wouldbe issued a reminder/infraction as appropriate. Still doesn't make it right.

GoPats - you said yourself that if he did such a thing then he should be ashamed of himself. I provided the proof that he did in fact do that but you have chosen to look past it. That is ok too - using another poster's favorite type of come back on here where they don't agree with something said screaming "management" - I'll use the 'ostrich syndrome'. Bury the head and ignore the facts - - but it is there

You can learn something from everyone - even me - and I won't even call you names while I do it!

USMCFLYR

SkyHigh

The term "Sociopath" is not name calling but rather a title for a personality disorder.

SKyhigh

USMCFLYR

I'm sure you would think the same thing if your kid came home crying that others had been them him/her by calling them such Sky. Nowdays - if a kid commits suicide after being taunted on Facebook and they found others calling them such it would be called internet bullying.

Keep justifying your comments Sky.
It really sends a clear message on your own character. I'm sure some find it enchanting

I see that you have still not addressed your contention that our military members have no honor either after your initial statement. I'm still waiting for the play on words with that one.

USMCFLYR

DeadHead

So is retardation, but calling someone a retard isn't exactly a nice thing to say.

jungle

Sky, tell us something we don't know. How much are you making, what are you doing, how many hours a month does it take, what is the potential?

Aviation did not work out well for you, it may not work out well for others-let's hear about the alternatives.

Layoffs, lower wages, poorer conditions and lack of rewarding work are, as many here have noted, endemic regardless of career choice.

I know many in various other high paying occupations who have had their share of setbacks.

One man's "personality disorder" may be another's key to real wealth. The dime store psycho babble is pretty much a waste of time.

Ski Patrol

Sky has really gotten to you.....I'm sorry. Seriously though let it go already....on second thought never mind if it weren't for you two this thread would have died a long time ago.

USMCFLYR

Or have I gotten to him?
Like Sky says this is his entertainment, calling him out for his preposterous commentary is mine.

You must be one of those enchanted ones or one of the "converts". If you are a believer in what he thinks of pilots though, I invite you to openly admit on this forum that you are all the things that he has called pilots (just in that one post). Do that and I'll give you a nice 'THMUBS UP' symbol as a reward. HMP has yet to take that opportunity to agree with Sky, GoPats has yet to admit that Sky was shameful in what he said even though he said that he was [if he really that those things and in that manner]. What say you Ski Patrol

USMCFLYR

....and no Ski Patrol, I won't let it go.

jungle

Sky is pretty harmless and it is probably a good thing to educate the pups in the realities of life.

On the other hand it is not a good thing to imply that people who don't see things his way are mentally ill, or worse.

Most of us understand that it is impossible to dictate a formula for happiness that is entirely suitable for another, and we fully understand that your happy place may be a living hell for another.

It has been my experience that happy people tend to talk more about what makes them happy than bitter types who live in a very sad past.

If anyone isn't happy with what they are doing, by all means do something else and tell us how wonderful that experience will be or has been.