Actually, no they don't get paid for dealing with it. I am telling you, even $56 an hour was not worth it. Please stop now because you really don't know. I wouldn't exactly call flying an airplane "working like a dog". You cannot even compare the two so stop trying. I've done both so I know. You don't. My hardest day flying airplanes was easier than my easiest day working at the hospital.

By the way, $56 an hour was for working weekend 12 hour shifts and no benefits. You do not make that much working otherwise. There is no 401k or anything. The only thing you get is your pay and health insurance.

 

Pay varies by location for nurses and what KIND of nurse they are. Sky the things you state that you loathe about aviation can be found in every business in every state across this country. Even in good economic times large companies layoff employees by the thousands.....employees of all economic levels I might add. The promise of a job and a pension from the same employer for 30 or 40 years is not hardly a reality for ANY profession anymore. My wife is a "career" IT person, and DAMN good at what she does but after 23 years in her profession etc... she makes about the same money that a RJ captain at a regional for 15 years would make...well maybe a bit more.. just under 100k a year but my point is.... she bitchs about the same things we do... management sucks... flex time sucks... weekend work to fix the servers SUCKS... Sky..dude...EVERY profession out there has pitfalls. Hell OBGYN's are becoming scarce because the Liability insurance is driving them out by the droves... doctor pay is actually decreased over the past years when you factor all the cost associated with running a practice these days.
AND you spouted off about teachers salaries... those vary greatly depending on where you live. Although I do think teachers have a pretty good gig with the summers off... maybe if they worked 12 months a year they would get paid more as well.

Finally...most of your argument seems to settle around money... money and possessions will NOT make you happy...money will make you comfortable, but it wont make you like the job more if they pay you more.

 

Yeah Sky, I hate to break it to you but from what I can tell FP is correct, nursing is a "dirty job" as Mike Rowe would say on the Discovery Channel. Better use other examples... firefighter and teacher seem to fit the bill.

My father was a lifelong college teacher, he made what equates to $87k in 2007 dollars, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. He had evenings and nights off plus weekends and summers; he spent an enormous amount of time entertaining guests and fooling around with photography. His workday was comprised of maybe 3 lectures a day interspersed with a meeting or two; he seemed to have coeds attempting to trade sexual favors for a C-plus every time I happened by. And I sincerely believe he never took any of them up on it... but he complained about how stupid the Dean was constantly.

You have a point but you need to refine it a little so FP doesn't go off on you...

 

That's why you went to a LCC start up right? Great pay, bennies and respect.

 

He went there cause the Horizon upgrade was looking like it was taking too long and the right seat of a 757 was a big step up.

Didn't work out for him.

Now, the whole prospect of being a pilot when you grow up is a bad idea because things didn't work out for Skyhigh.

If he had stayed at QX and got on at AS, I'd bet he'd have better things to do besides post here about how rotten a career choice aviation is.

 

I would much rather be stuck in a holding pattern in a thunderstorm at night at minimum fuel than get paid a lot of money to have my finger up someones butt.

 

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Good point. Many (perhaps most) of us have to admit that we've had no other real career except flying. (I'm not talking about summer jobs or other temporary employment, but full-time occupations which we expected to be permanent.) I think that such experience makes a big difference in how one views the pilot profession. Anecdotal reports from friends, even if accurate, just don't reflect what working life would be like for us on the "outside". There's no substitute for "been there, done that".

 

I am glad that so many of you have so much wonderful things to say. I wish I had the time to properly address each one however it is time for bed. I shall attempt to sum it up.

Nursing and flying for a regional airline are both difficult jobs that require lots of college and training. Some like to fly others like to wipe bottoms (I guess). One pays much more, has a growing demand and a national market. The other does not. I would not recommend either. The point is that a nurse has a real job that pays a real wage from day one.

I went to an LCC because I am not a military superstar. I did not upgrade in a RJ at 26 and my father worked as an aerospace engineer and not as a check airman for Alaska Airlines. I watched as others left Horizon Air and within a year were able to make the jump to Alaska Airlines. I was 33 year old nobody at the time with a new wife and son. My Horizon Air take home pay check was $492 every two weeks. Upgrade was slowing down and I recognised a pattern that Alaska Airlines didn't prefer Horizon pilots and especially didn't care for 40 year olds and older.

By taking a job at National Airlines I not only more than doubled my pay but was on the fast track to upgrade in a 757. 9-11 was the roll of the dice I didn't count on. All of my friends and peers (except for one) are still there holding lines at Horizon Air. I am certain that had I stayed I too would be bouncing from PDX and SEA for postman wages. As it was I did come very close to getting hired at AS. It was a hail mary that fell short. However I could tell that my career hopes were fading with every passing year and I was ready to take one last big swing at the fence.

Anything is better than a career as a regional pilot.


Skyhigh

 

People who preform such tasks are worth a mint. No one likes to do such things bit they do anyway and live in nice houses and have well funded retirements.

Most pilots have strong case of Peter Pan syndrome. They don't want a real job. They don't want a real life. They just want to remain as self absorbed as if they were 15 years old. Management has caught on and is working to help by paying the wages of a 15 year old to match.

We reap what we sow.


SkyHigh