We would all like to pat ourselves on the back and tell ourselves that we are worth more since we have so much responsibility. The world however doesnt work like that. Many common jobs take on huge responsibility and are not paid even close to what they are worth. Even though it is romantic to think of the brooding pilot up front who is deeply concerned for everyone in back, the truth is that there is only one person on the plane that they really care about and hopefully the rest make it too. If we were to award pay to the job that deserves the highest merit in regards to risk I think it should go the the foot soldier in Iraq. Not only is his life at risk but takes on the daily risk of killing adversaries and innocents alike. The results are that they will have to live with the mistakes for the rest of their lives. If pilots mess up they usually are not around to live it down.

SkyHigh

 

skyhigh, you're a sick individual. Maybe you didn't care about the wellbeing of your passengers, but I can assure those who read this post that myself and all of the airline Captains I know, ARE concerned for the safety of our passengers. In fact, I'd rather perform a return to service flight after a control surface removal/replacement (no passengers) than I would carry a load of kids to DisneyWorld because the sense of responsibility to the passengers weighs heavily upon me when they are in the back.

You sir, are pitiful.

Skybolt

 

I do know several pilots that survived accidents that resulted in fatalities...And these pilots live with that fact every day...SkyHigh I think you need to apologize to all those that have made it to the position of command and to those who will...Respect is a two way street buddy...And your not driving on this avenue today with a post like that.

 

Ignore him, he obviously isn't happy with his life outside of aviation. (because he posts so often on this Pilot forum). He seems to get his jollies predicting doom and gloom and trying to make others as miserable as he is. ...................Saturday Night Live (SNL) even does a skit about folks like this............"Debby Downer". Ya know the type. The type that always looks at the bad side of things, never sees the postive.

Happy 4th of July to all my professional Pilot Bretheren.

 

I am sorry if my approach was difficult or perhaps offensive but I still believe in my point. I am sure that if asked everyone would claim to be concerned about their passengers but when it comes down to it a healthy self interest serves all aboard. I am not a gloom and doomer but I do not think it is right to be an arrogant public servant either. There are many daily jobs that have a similar risk level or higher and they don't feel the need to pat themselves on the back as much as pilots feel obligated to. Everyday school bus drivers take into their care our children. Nationally accidents happen almost daily and they don't demand 200K salaries for it. Airline Pilots have one of the safest, redundant, monitored and most automated jobs outside of subway drivers and I don't think it is right to be smug about any "Heroics". In fact to me it is far from it.

SkyHigh

I know you guys would like to think otherwise but I am very happy. I just have an opposing view to many of you. Some of you would like to interpret that as dissatisfaction but the opposite is true I can assure you.

 

[QUOTE=SkyHigh]There are many daily jobs that have a similar risk level or higher and they don't feel the need to pat themselves on the back as much as pilots feel obligated to. Everyday school bus drivers take into their care our children. Nationally accidents happen almost daily and they don't demand 200K salaries for it. Airline Pilots have one of the safest, redundant, monitored and most automated jobs outside of subway drivers and I don't think it is right to be smug about any "Heroics". SkyHigh QUOTE]

SKY It is points like this that make me wonder if you were really ever an Airline Pilot. Sure many jobs carry risks. Driving to work in your auto carries risk. Comparing a School Bus driver to an Airline Pilot (assuming you were ever one) is pure Toro Caca..........

First a school bus driver is not regulated. A School bus driver only needs a commerical driver's license. Hell they don't even drug test them. I got my commerical Drivers ticket when I was was furloughed several years ago. I studied for 10 minutes and took the written........You claim to have a B-737 Type. Did you study for only 10 minutes before you took your Oral?
Am I to assume that didn't take any work on your part? Didn't you need an ATP before you got your type? Didn't you need your commerical Pilot's license before you got your ATP? Didn't you need you Private Pilot's license before that?......You did not have to un-couple the auto pilot.

Second If a Bus driver has an Engine problems or Electrical Problems or ....god forbid a Fire..........he would simply pull over to the side of the road. Stop the vehicle if you will.........and hopefully get everyone off.......

Since you never were an Airline Capt, maybe you never had to make any Command decisions ..............I guess you'll never know what it is like to have a cabin depressurize or have to fight a fire or shut an engine down at 30 degrees west..........or 170 degrees EAST........with the nearest divert 3 hours away. I guess you were just a Brain Dead First Officer who was nothing more than the CAPT's autopilot..........does that sum it up

I guess AL Haynes in your opinion was just saving his own ASS and didn't give a ****** about anyone else...................

I can't speak for how or what kind of Pilot you were......but by your comments in this post and hundreds of your previous ones, I am not getting a positive picture..........

The pilots I have had the priviledge to work with here and my other 2 airlines
are of the finest quality people I have ever met. The same for my former Military compadres. Most are unselfish and quite humble, although they do exhibit a certain confidence most people only dream of. They are intelligent, gifted and skilled technitions who I trust my with my life.

Comments like yours are simply pathetic........(with a consistent tone of Jealousy)

The only reason I am even posting today on this is that I am on a layover , unfortunately another Holdiay away from home.......................

What's your excuse SKY? Why don't you go throw a baseball with your kids and grill a hot dog.....................Get a Life and leave the Flying to PIlots.

 

[QUOTE=RedeyeAV8r]Al Haynes...now THERE is a pilot's pilot.

He made Charles Lindbergh look like a student pilot on that June day in 1989.

 

Dear Redeye,

I have healthy background in civilian aviation. My first few years were spent as an Alaskan bush pilot. Later I graduated to contract work for the forest service and charter/medevac Learjet work. As you know my last five years were spent as an airline pilot. I had a long and slow climb up the ladder.

Perhaps it was my experience in other parts of aviation that lead me to have the opinions I do of airline pilots. It always seemed odd to me that these bloated button monkeys actually felt they accomplished something at the end of the day. The life of an airline pilot involves endless repetition to a mind numbing degree, same airports, same hotel, same controller, same plane, same approach day after day. From my perspective it seems that the job requires little skill, intelligence, ability or moral character. Only the ability to follow flow charts and to learn through rote memorization. Our friend BrownTail loves to mention how his education completed as a high school graduate with a GPA of 1.7.

Clearly it is not the realm of heroism or of a great brain trust. I recognised this early on and accepted it as a part of the job. After risking my neck at other places in aviation I was relieved to finally expect to live past 30. In most of the lower rungs of the airlines most seem to have a similar opinion. The mass delusion seems to move in above a certain income level. Perhaps the size of the paycheck has an ego growing side effect or maybe it has been so long since they had a real job they have forgotten what it is like to really sweat. Whatever it is it seems to me that many pilots self image of their importance to the world is out of balance with the reality.

I am glad that you like it and I am happy for you that you can feel good about it. However if any status or respect for the profession remains it is due to the accomplishments of former generations. It seems to me that the rest of the world is rapidly catching up to a more realistic job image.


SkyHigh,

Thank you for asking by the way. It is hot outside and I have a teething baby to tend to. Our home has been blessed with little children. Often we are on house arrest with a sleeping child on our laps and there is little else for me to do besides type notes to you guys. Later though we will be heading over to a friends house for a Barbecue. Sorry you are not at home today.

 

[QUOTE=B757200ER]
Mr. Haynes did what is expected of anyone of us, his best. One of his finest attributes is his humility. It seems a rare commodity amongst many airline pilots.

SkyHigh

 

[QUOTE=SkyHigh]Not the ones I have had the pleasure serving with..............
You obiously have had limited exposure............

Happy 4th........now go grill some burgers and play catch with your kids