Valuing to be home every night perhaps does not sound like a function of self respect, but if you ask me it is. Years ago the only future I saw for myself was in jobs that started at 5pm and after. I felt like a second class citizen. I vowed to get the same daily schedule normal society has. I got it, and find the privilege to be worth having. But part of the sweetness I perceive in it is the knowledge that if I had not responded to my inner desire for self respect and changed my occupation I would not have it.

In one of my previous lives I did missionary work. There was always a type of a manager within our organization that would misuse the devotion and commitment exhibited by underlings to get things done for free. This type would often go so far as to declare their misuse.

I see a similar thing in aviation. While there are many important functions that can only go on at night like night freight, those who do it should be well-paid for the disturbance it creates in their lives. And to accept a tradeoff is not necessarily the absense of self-respect. 727 claims to receive what I would call more than adequate compensation for his troubles. But acceptance of a disturbance for as little as a pipedream in compensation, or to supposedly one day skip to a better life without any guarantee, strikes me as folly. There are many more night freight jobs than there are adequately compensated pilots performing them.

 

Sky, if your life is so incredibly good, why do you spend so much time on this board? Why don't you spend your time enjoying that family you refer to so much? Maybe you should talk to Dr. Phil about this....

 

Unfortunately I had to spend many nights awake at 3:00am flying redeyes. I am sure that plenty of other pax companies have to do the same. I wan't trying to target you or anyone else.

Skyhigh

 

that sounds like you respect the person not the profession but I can live with that. you never answered #1 though. why should they get out if they don't respect the profession.

do you respect the pilot who will step on someones toes because they are just trying to get ahead.
do you respect a pilot who will only look at a contract and see that they are taken care of and not worry about the pilots junior to them.
do you respect the pilot who doesn't care that a regional, who flew for them, just lost 100% of it's flying because the stood up to management.
do you respect a pilot who doesn't care about anyone else except themself while talking about unity at the same time.

 

I am sure that many here envision me hovering over my computer all day. I can assure you that a few minutes is all I spend here.

Skyhigh

 

I decided to put my time in at a regional and get PIC vs. going to get bigger airplane experience at lower than standard pay just to get ahead. I tried to get pay and quality of life better there.

how much time did you get at national to rise above the masses and what kind of PIC time do you have. just curious

why do you think I am a regional pilot. I've never stated who I worked for on this board. I might be at a major or then again I may actually work at a regional...

 

I wish you would acknowledge how lucky you are. You didn't "love" flying more than the other guy. You did not use a better attitude to get to the brass ring. Nor was is a long string of sacrificial years of your life either. Ten years ago who among us would have foreseen the rise in prominence of the cargo carrier? The freight outfits were the stopping ground of riff raff and industry wreckage. The legacy carriers were the place to be. How can you claim to have such a profound knowledge and skill other than that of a lottery winner?

As far as I know you have never been furloughed, never been laid off, did not donate a decade or more to the military, didn't have to suffer the humiliation of poverty in your 30's. It seems to me that you have enjoyed a story book career. So how can you really claim to know aviation at all? Seems to me that you have missed out on much of what I write about. Yet here you are like a drug pusher spreading false expectations to another generation of cannon fodder. I think it is self glorification and that it hurts people.

The only difference between me and many of the pro-aviation flag waving supporters is that my company shut down. Had it succeeded or had I made it to Alaska Airlines I would most definitely have been thankful however I don't think I ever could advise this profession to anyone. People die in the pursuit of it. They watch as the best years of their lives get sucked up into a blurr of 5 day trips and the same concrete hotel room. Luck is the only decider for most and nothing more. I spent long enough. By the time I got out only more pain and hardship awaited me for my continued sacrifice.

SkyHigh

 

In past posts I thought that you stated that you were a newly graduated UND guy.

As you know many here view the regional at similar to a LCC. Every RJ displaces a 737 at a major airline. You are fooling yourself if you think any different.

As for the LCC job, a big jet beats out an RJ on any day. There are thousands of active and flying regional captains. Stand in line at a job fair and you will see what I mean. If I were to have made it to the left seat of the 757 I would have been a made man. As a regional captain I had a one in three chance at best.



SkyHigh

 

I respect my profession too.

I study and review the books, flashcards, etc.

I also demand respect by showing respect to others, by ironing my shirt, dry cleaning my uniform once in a couple of months, shining my shoes every overnight, staying in shape.

Also, I have started a side business so I don't have to fly 95 or even 80 hours a month. Sadly a lot of people have to do that and consequently become haters of their profession.

 

I wish airlines would offer 30 and 45 hours lines so that one can have a real job outside of flying so that they can pay the bills.

Hopefully in the future airlines will realise that they can offer benefits, upgrade and more flexible working conditions in trade for pay. Then we all can get past the concept of expecting aviation to be the bread winner when in fact it is closer to a working hobby for most.

SkyHigh