While YOU are sitting here typing about how people have strikes against them, THEY are out there crossing them out. They are putting time between them and their DUI, they are losing weight, they are taking night classes for their degree.

They aren't from a family of aviation but darnit, they are out there networking and meeting people and getting into an airline's inner-workings through internships, through throwing bags and taking lessons, and being in the right place at the right time.

They aren't military and they don't need to be, 'cause half the pilots hired these days fit that bill.

SkyHigh, you could have been so much more than you are right now as you read this because your attitude totally sucks. And from what you wrote in strike three, it sounds like you are an ugly non-golfer who has no people skills.

Direct your abundance of negative energy to something positive in YOUR life.

 

My thoughts exactly

 

Yes, we all can do whatever we desire so long as we are not hurting others. I always assume that most desire to have friends, family, financial security and perhaps even kids one day. To me aviation was supposed to be a path to those things when in fact it tears one from them.

Skyhigh

 

You are right about my attitude towards aviation "it sucks". It was created over nearly 20 years of wasted effort and from watching my peers be cut down by a pointless career.

Just because I am on the opposing side of the argument does not mean that I am negative. I am positively for filling in the entire truth about aviation.

SkyHigh

 

With 15 years over 11,000 hrs total time and two type rating. Two economic downturns Lay offs lay offs. I miss it , but highly unlikely I’ll ever go back. Just the thought of going back to $ 21.00 / hr on a 75 hour guarantee just makes me ill Just wait for the next down turn of the business cycle you’ll see . If you don’t have decent seniority your screwed big time good buy Sky high is right you need to have a real career with real money that at least keeps pace with the cost of living. The 747 dream is just like playing the lottery good luck .

 

I don't think that is as big of a "strike" against you nowadays as it was in the past. Considering that in the past it was just about the only way to get flight training. Nowadays there are tons of reputable flight schools that train pilots who are just as capable.

That "strike" can easily be elminated by some networking in the Aviation industry.

Some of these are valid, but others are not, plus things like weight you have control over.

Are you trying to explain to us why you did not make it in the Majors??

I think at most there are 1.5 strikes here. Not being in the military can hurt you, but not as much as it once did, I consider that about half a strike. The family thing is not a strike at all, like I said, all you have to do is go out and network and you'll have the same connections. If you don't network, thats your own fault. The last one has some possibly valid strikes, such as a DUI.

None of these are reasons not to pursue the career. Besides, what fun would it be and what sense of accomplishment would you gain if everything came easy?

 

The strikes are very valid. The only reason that a high percentage of civilian pilots are getting hired is that there are only so many F16 pilots to go around. Watch things tighten up a bit at the regionals and you will see the number of military pilot increase dramatically.

Networking can only get you so far. In order to be successful most require a well liked captain to actively campaign on your behalf at the chief pilots office. The best most networking can do is to have a friend drop a resume on HR's desk. It takes much more to be a shoe in. If you are not from an aviation family then your best hope is to marry into one. Daddy does not want to see his princess married to a regional pilot.

I am trying to explain why this career is a facade for most. If you have two strikes against you from day one then your shooting for a slim margin.

SKyHigh

 

I once worked with an F16 guy at a local Jet charter outfit. He was a smart and well liked guy however he only had 700 hours of total time and most of it was in the F16. We tried to get him checked out in the Cessna 182 but it was like giving primary instruction. Then he was sent to the turbine twin and he struggled with prop feathering and the rudder. Finally he was reduced to flying right seat in the Learjet and there he stayed till six months later when he was hired at AA with less then 1000 hours.

It takes a considerable amount of high calibre civilian time to match up to an ex-military fighter pilot. If all else is equal the military guy will win out every time. If the guy has both CRJ PIC and is ex-military then the world is his oyster and he will have his choice of plum airline jobs.

Strike one. Not an ex-military pilot.

By for now. I have a house to paint.

SkyHigh

 

Maybe if your dad knows someone at FDX...no nepotism allowed at UPS so you'd be SOL. This secret handshake that you think exists does(in all aspects of life not just aviation), but it's not nearly as widespread as you claim it to be.

 

I agree but you have to play to win the game.