So.... I have been doing the regional FO gear slinger thing for coming up on one year now. I am in my 30's, so I have had a life before aviation. I have been persuing ”The Dream" for the last 6 years. I had a bumpy road getting to where I am now. I like my job for the most part. My problem is I feel like my life is all about waiting now. I am waiting to get off reserve, waiting for 2nd year pay, waiting for upgrade, waiting for the Legacy carriers to call ect. ect.
Prior to aviation I ran my own small business. Every day I thought of things I could do to advance my business. I was free to act on my ideas and suffer the consequences if I failed or reap the bennies is I succeeded. These days I can only wait for my seniority number to go up. I can study all I want and do everything I can to be the best pilot I can be, however I won't receive a penny for it til the next year of my service begins or til enough people move on ahead of me and I can upgrade.
I am not whining about my job. Again, I do enjoy what I do. I feel as though I am wasting away waiting for the next big thing to happen and feel I have nothing to say about it.
I want to start another business and take back control of my life again. I can't wait until I save up some money so I can get out of this business. It isn't what I thought it would be. I know I can't live like this for another 30 years.
Anybody else feel this way?

 

Some folks manage to do both.

But, no...you aren't alone. For some, when coming to the airline pilot profession from a different occupation, finding satisfaction is more difficult than imagined. The airline business isn't a meritocracy, and some miss that environment. I know I did when I retired from the military and was hired by a major as a flight engineer.

It wasn't a status thing...it was the understanding that how well one does has practically no impact on one's career.

You can improve things, however. If your company does its own instruction, you can consider being a ground or sim instructor and still fly the line. Or you might look into union work as a way of bringing a little extra to the job.

But ultimately, you will have to reconcile yourself to the fact that the only way you move up is if someone else moves out.

 

There are many downside factors in the airline profession today, but the seniority system is not one of them. Without it, hungrier or better-connected pilots might leapfrog you, making your gear-pulling days permanent. Please read "Flying the Line", by George Hopkins.

 

What did you think it wold be. This is what a seniority system is.

 

Guys I have a serious question I would like answered but this isn't a flame fest so please don't start with me.

My brother-in-law belongs to a union. If he for some reason loses his job, he can simply go to the union hall, and if there is a need, go to the next job site and retain his pay and seniority number.

So my question is why do the airline unions work differently?

If the answer is in Flying the Line Part 1 or 2 I apologize. I haven't had time to read them yet.

I'm just curious since I'm new to all of this.

The Chow

 

Because there is no national seniority list...nor will there likely ever be. Too many stand to get screwed for the benefit of too few, not to mention the number of non-ALPA carriers that would likely not conform.

I would suggest Flying the Line 1 & 2, as well as Hard Landing. It'll answer most of the questions you have about "how it works".

 

Thanks Boiler.

 

My pleasure!

 

AV8ER
I guess you don't have much feedback to offer. I didn't post this to start some sort of pi$$ing match. By the way, I have read Flying the Line. I presume most pilots have a type A personality. I was curious how many people in this profession no longer felt like sitting around and waiting for good things to happen. I personally feel the need to be proactive towards my goals. I have a feeling there are many of you that feel the same way.
My problem is bigger than just the seniority system which a couple of you have chosen to focus on. The overall decisions of where this industry is going as far as pay, quality of service (example Jet Airways service vs. Southwest) mergers government intervention (TSA & DHS) ect. We are pretty much at the mercy of management the government, and our fellow aviators when it comes to our future. To clarify the comment on fellow aviators I meant as far as what wages people will work for.
Again I enjoy my job but I can't bear the idea of being out of control of my own destiny any longer.

 

Yes and no.

I felt like I was waiting like you do but I never, ever, not in a million years considered getting out of the industry.

I can understand how you feel because I went through the waiting and now I am watching my fiancee "wait". For me, it has been worth it so far. I finally got to where I am going to stay at and I finally feel like I can enjoy my life without waiting for the next thing (of course I don't take things for granted, I know I can lose my job). I never really thought about being a pilot the way you do. What I mean by that is that your life is out of your control. I'll probably have a few panic attacks in the next few weeks pondering that one (I'm not being sarcastic either). Good luck in whatever you end up doing. It's not worth going through life not completely happy.