The Truth About the Profession
01-03-2010 | 02:12 PM
#61
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 797
Likes: 0
From: 767-400
Your attitude is admirable. It sounds like all your hard work has paid off. However let us not forget that for every person like you that has made it in this industry there are another 5 pilots out there that have not been so fortunate, many times through no fault of there own. The furloughed one too many time pilot who gives up on the industry, the regional captain that is now too old to move on to more lucrative jobs because there was no hiring when he was young enough to move on, the pilot who's company got bought out and so on. The AF and guard does not take everyone. Not everyone is lucky enough to start their career on the cusp of a boom. Not everyone has made the right contacts. This career is still promising if you are smart enough to get your ratings cheaply, if you are young enough and if luck is on your side. So not to diminish your position and hard work, but lets be honest here, it sounds like you have been fairly fortunate in your career. If this were a commercial there would be something at the bottom of the screen that read results not typical.
01-03-2010 | 09:47 PM
#62
Bracing for Fallacies
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 3,543
Likes: 0
From: In favor of good things, not in favor of bad things
I appreciate anyone getting the truth out there, so kudos to you.
Three things I'd suggest;
1. More white space and / or larger font. Which will make for easier reading, more eye grabbing. Epecially for the youngsters who have shorter attention spans.
2. Easier google search-ability. I tried searching airline pilot, pilot jobs, etc... and I couldn't find your site coming up. Gotta be searchable for the young 'ens.
3. There is still pay for a job happening, though at the freight level, but none the less it is alive and well in the U.S.
Thanks again for your efforts!
Three things I'd suggest;
1. More white space and / or larger font. Which will make for easier reading, more eye grabbing. Epecially for the youngsters who have shorter attention spans.
2. Easier google search-ability. I tried searching airline pilot, pilot jobs, etc... and I couldn't find your site coming up. Gotta be searchable for the young 'ens.
3. There is still pay for a job happening, though at the freight level, but none the less it is alive and well in the U.S.
Thanks again for your efforts!
01-03-2010 | 09:52 PM
#63
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 125
Likes: 0
What industry is this not the case? Not everyone is successful. Bad things happen in every industry. Banker's, Lawyer's, Dr's, etc, every industry has its problems. I will tell you that in my opinion, flying a plane still beats working for a living and I get more time home than all my neighbors even as a junior FO. Don't get me wrong there are downsides too. But isn't that life?
not going to lie to a prospective pilot, it is still a job. A job where I need a second job to make ends meet. A job that often takes more than it gives.
01-03-2010 | 10:38 PM
#64
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 306
Likes: 0
My father beat all this in me when I was 17.( Lucky for me he was an aviation businessman and Regional Air pioneer in the 60's and 70's) Now at 50 with 24 yrs seniority at the same Major I sit next to dream chasers whose $$$ College Professors failed to detail the realities of the business.... But gladly took the daddy's money.
My total college loan. was 7500.00
A/P, 4 yr degree Tennessee, work work work...7 yr college plan. work work work. Turn wrenches, drive 200.00 cars, work work work. No pot to pee in, work work work...
Lucky break at age 27. FE job on a DC10 with toes in the sand HNL base
Work work work and more work...DC10 Fe, 727fe, 727fo, 727fo, 756fo, 737ca still working but back to stagnation again
Oh forgot...now Im supposed to work less and take less pay to keep jaded pilot on the property with 2 yrs seniority. NOT
Im quite proud of my path. Hand built custom not like a store bought Harley.
You need to get this out to the prospects so I dont have to sit next to some 28 yr old sucking the wind out of my cockpit as his reality sets in.
Regards,
Still driving 200.00 cars, wait it was 500.00
Happily married
three kids
house I built with own hands
Worked on Christmas
Work most weekends
NOT a Scab...
My total college loan. was 7500.00
A/P, 4 yr degree Tennessee, work work work...7 yr college plan. work work work. Turn wrenches, drive 200.00 cars, work work work. No pot to pee in, work work work...
Lucky break at age 27. FE job on a DC10 with toes in the sand HNL base
Work work work and more work...DC10 Fe, 727fe, 727fo, 727fo, 756fo, 737ca still working but back to stagnation againOh forgot...now Im supposed to work less and take less pay to keep jaded pilot on the property with 2 yrs seniority. NOT
Im quite proud of my path. Hand built custom not like a store bought Harley.
You need to get this out to the prospects so I dont have to sit next to some 28 yr old sucking the wind out of my cockpit as his reality sets in.
Regards,
Still driving 200.00 cars, wait it was 500.00
Happily married
three kids
house I built with own hands
Worked on Christmas
Work most weekends
NOT a Scab...
It must be lonely up there.......upside down smiley face
01-03-2010 | 10:39 PM
#65
Self Employed.
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 7,120
Likes: 0
From: Corporate Pilot
Well Done
Your attitude is admirable. It sounds like all your hard work has paid off. However let us not forget that for every person like you that has made it in this industry there are another 5 pilots out there that have not been so fortunate, many times through no fault of there own. The furloughed one too many time pilot who gives up on the industry, the regional captain that is now too old to move on to more lucrative jobs because there was no hiring when he was young enough to move on, the pilot who's company got bought out and so on. The AF and guard does not take everyone. Not everyone is lucky enough to start their career on the cusp of a boom. Not everyone has made the right contacts. This career is still promising if you are smart enough to get your ratings cheaply, if you are young enough and if luck is on your side. So not to diminish your position and hard work, but lets be honest here, it sounds like you have been fairly fortunate in your career. If this were a commercial there would be something at the bottom of the screen that read results not typical.
I wish this post could be set aside for every lucky guy who made it to the majors to read whenever they start to think that they are better and have all the right answers.
Luck and circumstances plays the largest factor. This profession is a generous mother to a select few and brutal and cruel mistress to the remaining majority.
Skyhigh
01-03-2010 | 11:43 PM
#66
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 284
Likes: 0
A banker gets a severance package and can start appyling for jobs the next day that start at close to six figures. A pilot has to move his family to a desert half way around the world to make a decent salary. A programmer or businessman does not start out back at $20,000 their first year after accepting a new job. They put their experience on their resume and are compensated accordingly. I agree, flying a plane for a living is great. However I am
not going to lie to a prospective pilot, it is still a job. A job where I need a second job to make ends meet. A job that often takes more than it gives.
not going to lie to a prospective pilot, it is still a job. A job where I need a second job to make ends meet. A job that often takes more than it gives.
I'm not saying that we shouldn't have a seniority based system. We should. But you can't compare ours with an industry that that has an entirely different structure.
01-04-2010 | 09:36 AM
#69
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 320
Likes: 0
From: missionary
The average age of my new hire class at UPS was 38. That's 16 years after college...just to knock on the door.
01-05-2010 | 07:16 AM
#70
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 634
Likes: 0
From: Airbus
Great site... add some pictures of dirty crash pads, tired pilots, college loan bills, and evil management to increase the emphasis.
Add anti-labor quotes like this:
"I would replace flight attendants with vending machines if I could"
-Jonathan Ornstein
"Professionalism is not tied to compensation"
-Phil Trenary
Add anti-labor quotes like this:
"I would replace flight attendants with vending machines if I could"
-Jonathan Ornstein
"Professionalism is not tied to compensation"
-Phil Trenary
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
