The Stockholm Nonstop
08-28-2016, 09:35 PM
#11
Guest
Posts: n/a
The old advice( from when we were young)...When you get hired as an engineer, live like you didnt get hired....When you upgrade to copilot, live like an engineer....When you upgrade to captain never stop living like you are a copilot....and of course.."it is cheaper to keep her"
08-29-2016, 07:18 AM
#16
Banned
Joined APC: Mar 2016
Posts: 292
Originally Posted by Klsytakesit
The old advice( from when we were young)...When you get hired as an engineer, live like you didnt get hired....When you upgrade to copilot, live like an engineer....When you upgrade to captain never stop living like you are a copilot....and of course.."it is cheaper to keep her"
08-29-2016, 08:36 AM
#17
New Hire
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Aug 2016
Posts: 7
Didn't go the ex-pat route though I knew a few who did. Seemed like a tough existence that wasn't conducive to family life, or Americans.
What I have found is that nobody, in a purely economic sense, has the ability to "destroy" anyone's life or livelihood.
While we as pilots, are part of the so-called professional class, we are in reality skilled tradesmen. In college, I pursued and attained a four-year degree in English Lit while obtaining my ratings as electives, simply because the airlines required a four-year degree. I took the path of least resistance because I like to read and English is my native tongue. And business classes are utterly eye watering. But it's a totally useless qualification. Unless I wished to endlessly regurgitate the ideas and arguments of my professors regarding the Transcendentalist movement in an academic career, nobody hires an English major to fly their jet. No, the thing I was pursuing was a trade, not different than that of an HVAC technician, an electrician or an A&P. Like my dad, who obtained all of his ratings at the local aerodrome whilst he was a DC-3 cabin attendant, a trade offers sanctioned, often internationally recognized credentials that are specific to the trade. And therefore salable.
I explained this concept early to my children: a bachelor's or master's degree confers no ability to make a living unless it comes with a salable credential, and often some kind of apprenticeship period. Thus the world is littered with useless undergrad degrees. If your major has the term "studies" or references some bygone era of world history, you have been taken and will likely find no employment in your field of endeavor. Good luck.
I realized, while fuming and sputtering through my airline career, that unless I was happy with other people making my career decisions, I would have to put my credentials to the test in the marketplace. And I wasn't happy. I also knew that sitting in the right seat of a baby Boeing, connecting 12 city pairs together for the next decade or two wasn't doing anything for my credentials - or my attitude. I also understood that as long as I didn't sexually harass somebody, passed my physical and showed up for training, nobody really gave a damn whether it was me, or somebody that looked like me, that showed up that day. I could then pursue a life of acquiring stuff without regard for where I was headed professionally: it was out of my hands.
So after the dreams of falling, suffocation and drowning became too much and my wife mused on the likelihood of pleading temporary insanity to the impending violent death of her husband, I went forth, with some help and encouragement from friends to another, more vibrant sector of aviation where I have apparently, unaccountably...prospered.
What I have found is that nobody, in a purely economic sense, has the ability to "destroy" anyone's life or livelihood.
While we as pilots, are part of the so-called professional class, we are in reality skilled tradesmen. In college, I pursued and attained a four-year degree in English Lit while obtaining my ratings as electives, simply because the airlines required a four-year degree. I took the path of least resistance because I like to read and English is my native tongue. And business classes are utterly eye watering. But it's a totally useless qualification. Unless I wished to endlessly regurgitate the ideas and arguments of my professors regarding the Transcendentalist movement in an academic career, nobody hires an English major to fly their jet. No, the thing I was pursuing was a trade, not different than that of an HVAC technician, an electrician or an A&P. Like my dad, who obtained all of his ratings at the local aerodrome whilst he was a DC-3 cabin attendant, a trade offers sanctioned, often internationally recognized credentials that are specific to the trade. And therefore salable.
I explained this concept early to my children: a bachelor's or master's degree confers no ability to make a living unless it comes with a salable credential, and often some kind of apprenticeship period. Thus the world is littered with useless undergrad degrees. If your major has the term "studies" or references some bygone era of world history, you have been taken and will likely find no employment in your field of endeavor. Good luck.
I realized, while fuming and sputtering through my airline career, that unless I was happy with other people making my career decisions, I would have to put my credentials to the test in the marketplace. And I wasn't happy. I also knew that sitting in the right seat of a baby Boeing, connecting 12 city pairs together for the next decade or two wasn't doing anything for my credentials - or my attitude. I also understood that as long as I didn't sexually harass somebody, passed my physical and showed up for training, nobody really gave a damn whether it was me, or somebody that looked like me, that showed up that day. I could then pursue a life of acquiring stuff without regard for where I was headed professionally: it was out of my hands.
So after the dreams of falling, suffocation and drowning became too much and my wife mused on the likelihood of pleading temporary insanity to the impending violent death of her husband, I went forth, with some help and encouragement from friends to another, more vibrant sector of aviation where I have apparently, unaccountably...prospered.
08-29-2016, 08:42 AM
#18
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2011
Position: retired 767(dl)
Posts: 5,724
Originally Posted by likenotomorow
Didn't go the ex-pat route though I knew a few who did. Seemed like a tough existence that wasn't conducive to family life, or Americans.
What I have found is that nobody, in a purely economic sense, has the ability to "destroy" anyone's life or livelihood.
While we as pilots, are part of the so-called professional class, we are in reality skilled tradesmen. In college, I pursued and attained a four-year degree in English Lit while obtaining my ratings as electives, simply because the airlines required a four-year degree. I took the path of least resistance because I like to read and English is my native tongue. And business classes are utterly eye watering. But it's a totally useless qualification. Unless I wished to endlessly regurgitate the ideas and arguments of my professors regarding the Transcendentalist movement in an academic career, nobody hires an English major to fly their jet. No, the thing I was pursuing was a trade, not different than that of an HVAC technician, an electrician or an A&P. Like my dad, who obtained all of his ratings at the local aerodrome whilst he was a DC-3 cabin attendant, a trade offers sanctioned, often internationally recognized credentials that are specific to the trade. And therefore salable.
I explained this concept early to my children: a bachelor's or master's degree confers no ability to make a living unless it comes with a salable credential, and often some kind of apprenticeship period. Thus the world is littered with useless undergrad degrees. If your major has the term "studies" or references some bygone era of world history, you have been taken and will likely find no employment in your field of endeavor. Good luck.
I realized, while fuming and sputtering through my airline career, that unless I was happy with other people making my career decisions, I would have to put my credentials to the test in the marketplace. And I wasn't happy. I also knew that sitting in the right seat of a baby Boeing, connecting 12 city pairs together for the next decade or two wasn't doing anything for my credentials - or my attitude. I also understood that as long as I didn't sexually harass somebody, passed my physical and showed up for training, nobody really gave a damn whether it was me, or somebody that looked like me, that showed up that day. I could then pursue a life of acquiring stuff without regard for where I was headed professionally: it was out of my hands.
So after the dreams of falling, suffocation and drowning became too much and my wife mused on the likelihood of pleading temporary insanity to the impending violent death of her husband, I went forth, with some help and encouragement from friends to another, more vibrant sector of aviation where I have apparently, unaccountably...prospered.
What I have found is that nobody, in a purely economic sense, has the ability to "destroy" anyone's life or livelihood.
While we as pilots, are part of the so-called professional class, we are in reality skilled tradesmen. In college, I pursued and attained a four-year degree in English Lit while obtaining my ratings as electives, simply because the airlines required a four-year degree. I took the path of least resistance because I like to read and English is my native tongue. And business classes are utterly eye watering. But it's a totally useless qualification. Unless I wished to endlessly regurgitate the ideas and arguments of my professors regarding the Transcendentalist movement in an academic career, nobody hires an English major to fly their jet. No, the thing I was pursuing was a trade, not different than that of an HVAC technician, an electrician or an A&P. Like my dad, who obtained all of his ratings at the local aerodrome whilst he was a DC-3 cabin attendant, a trade offers sanctioned, often internationally recognized credentials that are specific to the trade. And therefore salable.
I explained this concept early to my children: a bachelor's or master's degree confers no ability to make a living unless it comes with a salable credential, and often some kind of apprenticeship period. Thus the world is littered with useless undergrad degrees. If your major has the term "studies" or references some bygone era of world history, you have been taken and will likely find no employment in your field of endeavor. Good luck.
I realized, while fuming and sputtering through my airline career, that unless I was happy with other people making my career decisions, I would have to put my credentials to the test in the marketplace. And I wasn't happy. I also knew that sitting in the right seat of a baby Boeing, connecting 12 city pairs together for the next decade or two wasn't doing anything for my credentials - or my attitude. I also understood that as long as I didn't sexually harass somebody, passed my physical and showed up for training, nobody really gave a damn whether it was me, or somebody that looked like me, that showed up that day. I could then pursue a life of acquiring stuff without regard for where I was headed professionally: it was out of my hands.
So after the dreams of falling, suffocation and drowning became too much and my wife mused on the likelihood of pleading temporary insanity to the impending violent death of her husband, I went forth, with some help and encouragement from friends to another, more vibrant sector of aviation where I have apparently, unaccountably...prospered.
08-29-2016, 08:49 AM
#19
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2013
Posts: 2,756
Nice piece of writing. I feel fortunate that I have not had to endure what you did, though I have been furloughed and worried about supporting my family. However, you seem as if you haven't liked or respected the people you worked with, and feeling as if you don't fit in makes a job truly miserable. I have been blessed to work with people I respect and enjoy. Sure, many are wealthy and enjoy their "stuff", and complain during negotiations and when things are screwed up, but that doesn't define their entire existence.
As tough as things get sometimes, your situation is often what you make of it. It's good that you recognized the job was not for you, and found something else with a better fit.
To add, you probably would have felt more comfortable if you had been better prepared. Only two years at a regional, and hired with almost no PIC time? Wow, that's amazing that you would get hired with that background, and it's no wonder you were terrified.
As tough as things get sometimes, your situation is often what you make of it. It's good that you recognized the job was not for you, and found something else with a better fit.
To add, you probably would have felt more comfortable if you had been better prepared. Only two years at a regional, and hired with almost no PIC time? Wow, that's amazing that you would get hired with that background, and it's no wonder you were terrified.
Last edited by busdriver12; 08-29-2016 at 09:08 AM.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Breton
Hangar Talk
0
06-24-2005 02:57 PM
