Airhoss

Sky

It is truly amazing how much insight you and knowledge you picked up during your one season as a jump pilot.

I've flown as much as 400 hours in a season and as little as 200. Your dissertation was however extremely consistent with all off your other sniveling and whining. You simply got into aviation for the wrong reason I'm glad for your sake that you got out.

After you let the cat out of the bag on how much trouble you had landing a STOL C-207 I'm guessing that you didn't get to do much flying during your long and illustrious career as a jump pilot?

SkyHigh

Airhoss, USMCFLYR,

I flew one season and received an accommodation from the forest service for my help during a rescue, an open offer to return whenever I liked from my employer and a letter of recommendation from every captain I flew with. I also am still good friends with a few guys who still fly there and have recent information from them.

I never wanted to fly in the bush or for the smokejumpers. All I wanted was a line number with UAL or Alaska Airlines. Now is that to much to ask for? Both you guys have had good paying careers. No matter how much fun you are having it still stinks to be poor, it stinks to be lonely, it stinks to be on the loosing side of life.

Every fall I sent out 200 applications, resume's and letters to companies all over the US. The smokejumper contractor called me. I did not even know who they were when the call came in. I took the job so that I could move on to the regionals with some turbine time under my belt.

Perhaps you guys should put your money where your mouth is and quit your comfortable jobs in trade for a studio apartment and dismal future as a smokejumper pilot?

Note: For that matter I have letters of recommendation from every place I ever worked. I am a good and experienced pilot but that does not count in the airlines for much.

Side note: As I write this I am holding my baby son in my lap, and in my home instead of sitting in a lonely ready room someplace reading a ragged months old sorry copy of Flying Magazine.

Skyhigh

Airhoss

Yeah it is. If you got into the business with that goal in mind you were kidding yourself it's a one in a million shot. I am one of those guys who got into flying because I enjoy it and love flying. I have taken something good out of every flying job I've ever had. I was never one of those "got to be airline pilot or life sucks guys". I enjoyed life did what I loved doing and things sort of came to me naturally.

I think you got into the business with false expectations. That is kind like becoming a ski patrolmen because it's a great job but hate to ski then ***** about the poor wages. If you get into flying for the money there is a huge chance that you are going to be sorely disappointed.

Sky you always talk about how USMC had such a cushy career. What stopped you from signing on the dotted line? You think you sacrificed being a civilian GA pilot? How in the heck would you have handled going on a 6 month cruise or better yet going to war?

USMCFLYR

I don't have to put anything where my mouth is Sky.
I have earned everything I have.
If that makes you jealous then add it to the list of things that have disappointed you in your life.
You sure patted yourself on your back quite a bit in that last post.
Just who are you trying to reassure?

USMCFLYR

Sidenote: He doesn't know Hoss, but he sleeps well under the blanket.

Airhoss

Yes he does..


It's amazing to me that Mr. Sky (the Forrest Grump of aviation apparently) lucks into a jump job one which many many people would gladly give an appendage to have and gets to do some of the most incredible flying known to man in some of the most gorgeous wild country on the planet. And his take on it was that he didn't get enough instrument time and it wasn't a prime airline time builder.

One mans lottery ticket is Skyhigh's burning hell. I for one am very happy that a no account, ungrateful, (attempted) ladder climber, like Sky is out of the business. There are plenty of folks who are hoping and praying for a chance to that kind of flying. And a guy like Sky is nothing but a career blocker to real pilot who loves to fly. Good riddance.

For everyone of Sky's bad examples and tales of losers and reprobates I know ten guys who made it. I know several who got on full time with BLM or the USFS which for Sky's information are (also by Sky's estimation) the holy grail of jobs. GOVERNMENT JOBS. They make more than mailmen, they live in really cool places and they have great medical, dental and retirement.

News flash!!!! Not everyone who gets into flying wants to be a major airline pilot. Try to keep that in mind Sky.

SkyHigh

I was not interested in a military career. I would not have liked a 6 month deployment.

I studied to be a Flight Officer in college. We all graduated after passing a 727 flight engineer school taught by retired UAL airline pilots. Guys who graduated just a year or two ahead of me would return in AA, CAL, Eastern or UAL uniforms to give speeches to the underclassmen about how great it was to be an airline pilot.

My university was allotted 10 internships at UAL the year before I was eligible. We did not have APC then. My peers and I had no reason to think that we were getting into a wasted career. For myself all I knew was that I had a special knack for flying. I passed every test, check ride and class with flying colors. I was fit, had perfect vision and was well liked by my employers. I suppose that is why I like to spend some time here. People need to know what they are getting into.

My generation of pilots all had the same expectations of our flying careers. It was a job similar to that of an electrician, plumber, engineer or accountant. We all had paid dearly and sacrificed much to develop a special skill for the job market. Had I known the truth about what folly aviation was I certainly would not have chosen flying.

The same goes form many here. They also hold dreams of having a life one day, owning a home, creating a family and building a life. Or perhaps they do not even realize what it is that they are giving up by choosing job like being a smokejumper pilot. Before you know it you have blown all your other chances at life and are stuck to become another jumpship burnout destined to live their lives out of a suitcase. No real home, no family, hobbies or retirement plan, just a stack of logbooks and a few pictures on the wall.

What I am writing about is what it takes to make for a successful life. Something that transcends what you do for a living. We all know that flying for the airlines stinks on ice but we do it because if you are lucky it can provide just enough sometimes to have a life too.

Skyhigh

SkyHigh

I would have been very happy to have walked straight out of college and into a FE position with a major airline. Someone there is blocking me from my dream.

As I have said before I went into aviation to have a rewarding career what I got was an adventure instead. I "lucked" into all kinds of flying jobs that plenty of others would have given their pinky fingers to do. I also flew a lot of off airport stuff in Beavers and Cessna's, air ambulance in Learjets and Citations, air attack for the forest service and recently was offered a highly coveted taildragger job for a nationally known company.

It is not my fault that my career was sidetracked into that stuff. I just wanted a good airline job and I don't think I can be faulted for that. We all have our dreams.

Skyhigh

SkyHigh

I am sure that you and Hoss have earned everything you have. My point is that having a solid paycheck direct deposited into your bank account and a healthcare card in your wallet is something that I never knew as a pilot. It is no fun to be poor.

Skyhigh

Airhoss

It doesn't work that way. Get over yourself.

And that person is named Skyhigh.

SkyHigh

Airhoss,

It does work that way in some airlines and parts of the world. UAL hired 200 hour guys in the 1960's, but I knew that I was going to have to put some time in part 135. As a kid my fathers flight instructor was hired on with UAL in the mid-1970's with only 1500 hours of total time. 50 of that being as SIC in a lear jet. All I said is that I would have liked it is all.

It does not currently work that way however given the path that wages and compensation have been taking I would not be surprised if in the near future the legacy airlines would start up a cadet program. People are getting wise. Most look to aviation as a career and not as some sort of personal vision quest. Take away the pay and so goes much of the incentive.

Hobby pilots fly for fun. Professional Pilots fly for money. (or at least they use to.)

Skyhigh