Skyone

To all you young pups out there, if you like it, stick with it, if not or too many sacrifices, get out. That's obviously what Skyhigh did. And look on the bright side with all the negativity, less competition by fence sitters.

I've been doing this 1980, one airline for 25 years. I have also had and done businesses on the side. I have gotten a look at the corporate world (as a consultant) and tried starting my own company. Let me tell you, from my perspective being an airline pilot beats the corporate world hands down. I can't imagine going into the same office day in, day out.

And again, from my perspective, if you get with a union carrier, support your union 100%, but I have also seen pilots get so wrapped up in union rhetoric and politics that they become angry, depressed, and unhappy individuals, always looking for how the company wants to screw you.

Finally, there is not much out there in the corporate world that can match getting into your jet (be it ERJ or 777), meeting a like professional for the first time, and getting the job done.

Keep at it pups. Some will love their career and lifestyle and others will just collect the paycheck. Good luck.

Hope ya'll don't mind perspective from an old dog.

Cubdriver

As an aspiring pilot, though not a young one any more, I enjoy any and all sincere views on the subject from people who write well and who are thoroughly honest in what they have to say. Skyone, bla bla bla, Skyhigh, SAAb, ups- you are all sincere writers in my humble opinion though you have widely disparate points of view on the subject. I know from my exposure to corporate life what that life is all about, and have held jobs in a number of industries over the years, and I have read and studied for a number of years now in order to get a more complete picture of what airline life is like. One day I may actually step forward and get into it- perhaps less than a year from now. I have a very good job designing aircraft systems and I have a lot to lose if I don't get something I really like out of flying if I should do that. This makes me a sincere reader of what you guys and gals post.

My conclusion thus far is, airline life is a rewarding life if and only if one is careful about how they get into it and what they want from it. The thought that if I can just get into flying for an airline, any airline, all is golden is too naive for anyone to believe. Piloting requires heavy, costly educational requirements and the stiff competition for pilot jobs makes people think that to get into any airline at all is the only goal, when many airline jobs are not worth having best I can tell even if they are accepted as stepping stones.

Skyhigh generally is my favorite poster on here not because he writes lucidly, has a lot of experience, or because he smears the industry which perhaps makes me fell a little better about my little office job, but because he truly wants the good things in life and he has an open mind about what this really is, and is willing to consider many aspects of this subject, and has the sense to realize as human beings we are all in it together at some level or another and need to share our views for our mutual benefit however dissonant they may be at times.

I don't know my poets that well, but I think Soctrates said the unexamined life is not worth living. Our local Skyhigh assists in this endeavor. As long as they are sincere, I have no problem with contrarian viewpoints from anyone. If I had listened to people like him years ago I would have not become 39 before I had a decent living and I would have probably even pursued my piloting dreams successfully instead of doing what I did all those years, short order cook for IHOP (just kidding).

pilotrod

I love to fly, play golf, and fish. None of those pay very well. Many people choose a career teaching, because they like it, not because they will get rich. You can complain, blame management, blame pilots who will work for low wages, (very hypocritical I might add).And you will still be making the same amount of money. It is as if many who post in these forums try to discourage new aspiring pilots, hoping to create a pilot shortage out of desperation. Not going to happen. Many here act as if they were deceived, had no idea what pilots were paid when they chose their profession. I find that hard to believe. Many act like they knew, but somehow thought the great union would get them what they wanted. An airline is a business. Businesses are started by investors who put up capital, hoping to make money. They hire employees to help them do this. I have never known a business man who started a business because he simply wanted to hire people in order to help them. We live in a free capitalistic society, where people make choices, there are no guarantees. Sure in the perfect world, we would all be rich, doing what we want. Many in this country now blame others, and somehow rationalize that their problems are someone else's fault. I credit the democratic party with this national brainwashing.

ToiletDuck

I don't want to pry but if you've been there for a few years then why aren't you making decent money now?

ToiletDuck

If I may ask what kind of consulting are you doing?

Skyone

Working with an engineering company trying to get them involved in cargo and baggage security using RFID (radio frequency identification) and other areas of avaition. But you know what a consultant is....someone who borrows your watch and charges you to tell you the time.

SaltyDog

Bla Bla Bla
I hope you were not quoting me, but you are implying that it is.
I stated "If you don't like the industry, quit. I respect Sky for that, but he should respect others who desire to give it a shot."
Also, for every one of your buds outstanding success, I can point to dozens more who failed trying. Kind of like your school buds who fail and they say "I know a rich airline pilot" to justify the expense of starting a flying career. Irony abounds. Only the best for you, but unfortunately, our industry pays out at the longer end of the career, not in the beginning. Just like MD's, Lawyers, etc. Skywest is paying a seven year CR2 Capt $68 an hour, about $62,000 annually. It gets better from there. Ask your buds what they are making.

crjav8er

12 hours-yes. 24 hours-no. The catch is that you are prohibited from drinking on the same calendar day as duty. Get in to the hotel at 12:05 am with a 6 pm show that day-out of luck. Of course if you are careful......

SkyHigh

"I think Soctrates said the unexamined life is not worth living."

I like that.

Examine your life. Measure what has been gained against what has been lost. Direct your future by studying your past to project into the years to come. If you don't like what you see then change the path you are on.

SkyHigh

RedBaron007

SAAB, there are a lot of things about which I disagree with you - I don't often voice them, but I do think them. Thanks for this post, though. I hope in the coming months when I get on with a regional I can say these same things. Instructing is great, but I've always dreamed of wearing the uniform and flying something bigger and better. Posts like this make me feel a little better about the industry, despite its pitfalls.