Bolt,

I actually was trying to be nice by comparing a pilot to a crane operator. We all know that the crane operator earns far more and is home every night.


SkyHigh

 

Sorry to disappoint. I have over 6300 hours TT and 1500 SIC in the 757. I also have a degree in aviation and almost 20 years in search of the dream.

The minimums I referred to were 190 part 141 commercial MEL.

SkyHigh

 

A real veteran.............

 

SkyHigh,

You are on the airline payroll, aren't you? You are the equivelant of oil analysts that say "OIL SHORTAGE! OIL SHORTAGE!" when there is no shortage at all, and OH GUESS WHAT? There's plenty of oil miraculously EVERY time and yet the prices went up 30% or MORE.
You do the reverse of this equation on people who actually need the money (verus mr. exxon) and I would NOT be surprised to find out they pay you to feed us with your CRAP.

 

Thanks for the endorsement Red! You are correct I am a true veteran of the underbelly and lower rungs of the industry. I have been through almost every pit of despair company in the west coast in efforts of making a difficult situation into a dream come true. In that I am a huge veteran and expert.

If I need a source on which Mercedes to buy or how to invest disposable income I definitely will refer to you.


SkyHigh

 

Do you really think I could get paid for this CRAP??

SkyHigh

 

Thank you SkyHigh for saying this. I just finished my second class in ground school. Tonight, it was about carburetor heat, atmospheric principles, the horrible things that can happen to you if you make altimeter errors, density altitude, more altimeter mumbo jumbo, parasitic drag and this fella Bernoulli. I thought I was toast! But you have given me hope. I'm not going to give up. If my friend Browntail can make it, I'd like to think I can, too.

 

I agree. No one would pay you to post this crap!

 

20 years and only 6300 hrs.? Are you counting the years from when you took your first flight lesson? If I did that I would be 23 years in "search of the dream".

You must have also had bad luck in picking airlines/employers.

I have over 8000 hrs, plenty of SIC time (1900, MD80, A-320). And something like 1300 hrs PIC turbine (1900,SF-340,MD-80,A-320).
I also have a degree in aviation (from THAT place).
And 23 years in search of the dream.

Maybe if you tried THREE more years, you'd be where I am. Happy, wife's happy,etc. I mean come on, it doesn't take much to BE and airline pilot right?

Skyhigh, you need to move on! Let it go! You didn't keep at it, didn't make the cut, grade, whatever. You say you want to warn others of the profession.
Let them talk to pilot's who stuck it out, who sacrificed for their dream. I would be honest with that person. It's like any other jobs. Good and bad.

 

Piloting isn't like every other job. Not by a long shot. Most other careers have transferable experience and education. As you know picking an airline is like horses at the track. Perhaps had I chosen a winner things would be different. You might think that you have all the right answers but it is impossible to tell who the winners will be.

I did move on. I am happy at me new profession and feel that it is important to tell others so they don't get slanted information from guys like you. Life as an airline pilot is full of surprises. You might be comfortable now but you don't know what the future holds. Someday you could be kicked to the curb and realize that there are few opportunities for a family man in the airlines.

My suggestion to you is to enjoy what you have but always have a plan "B". No one it seems is untouchable in this industry. Lastly I hope that you realise that luck had a huge part in your good fortune. A humble and empathetic attitude would suit you better.

SkyHigh