Dating as an airline pilot
05-09-2006 | 09:01 PM
#11
Prime Minister/Moderator
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Engines Turn or People Swim
Originally Posted by EagleDriver
That's the first time I've heard RJ pilots equated with Navy Seals! Dream on rickair777, you'll NEVER be close to a Seal in the coolness factor. I'm sure you meant that as a joke. On the other hand, if you can find a girl stupid enough to believe it.....
Plus if you think pilots are gone a lot...team guys are NEVER home.
05-09-2006 | 09:02 PM
#12
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Joined: Apr 2006
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Originally Posted by dojetdriver
Conversly, there are alot of women who can't deal with the fact that airline pilots are gone alot. Even the women who are the "strong, independent, career type who just want companionship". Although 50 hours a week is alot, many airline pilots can be gone for 75-80 hrs a week, sometimes more. Now toss in the high possibility that alot of us cannot get weekends off.
On average I'll spend atleast 3000 hours a year away from home. That would be equal to a 12 hour day, 5 days a week for somebody with a "normal" m-f job. If someone works 50 hrs a week at a m-f job that comes out to about 2600 hrs. That's on the high side for the m-f job and not subtracting out vacations or holidays off.
Also, our job is not as flexible as many think. I have yet to hear of an airline that has "flex" time, or whatever you wish to call it. If my 10 hour day turned into a 16 hour day, I can't just take 6 hours off next week or whenever I choose. This one is my favorite, you are dating someone and they ask, "can't you just take the day off?" Sure, in the middle of a 4 day trip, no problem. Or, "can't you get somebody else to work for you?". Again, sure. Let me get some guy who has just been away from his home and family for 4 or 5 days and ask him to spend even more time away. He'll jump at the chance.
On average I'll spend atleast 3000 hours a year away from home. That would be equal to a 12 hour day, 5 days a week for somebody with a "normal" m-f job. If someone works 50 hrs a week at a m-f job that comes out to about 2600 hrs. That's on the high side for the m-f job and not subtracting out vacations or holidays off.
Also, our job is not as flexible as many think. I have yet to hear of an airline that has "flex" time, or whatever you wish to call it. If my 10 hour day turned into a 16 hour day, I can't just take 6 hours off next week or whenever I choose. This one is my favorite, you are dating someone and they ask, "can't you just take the day off?" Sure, in the middle of a 4 day trip, no problem. Or, "can't you get somebody else to work for you?". Again, sure. Let me get some guy who has just been away from his home and family for 4 or 5 days and ask him to spend even more time away. He'll jump at the chance.
I agree, you guys work hard and are gone alot, and people who don't travel often, usually discount the toll that it can take on a person and their family. They think you all just roll into town, hit the bars, and party. They don't know the reality. I'm not trying to have a debate here over who works harder. I'm just saying that I work a lot, and many women do, not necessarily by choice. Just take a look at the cost of living in the Bay Area!
I don't have "flex-time" either. Basically, if I want to make or need money, then I work. I just had this conversation with my orthopedic surgeon, who told me that I went back to work too soon after my recent knee surgery. He nodded his head in agreement because he knows what it takes to live here, even if it goes against his best medical judgement to allow me to go back to work.
Truth is, many people work too hard and work too much to survive economically. I don't need to go into that here. I know that you all are intelligent enough to grasp that. Heck, all I was trying to say here was that there are probably more than a few professional women (here in the Bay Area) who work many hours that would appreciate a nice pilot guy that might understand working hard...
Jeeze, ya just try to be nice and it gets all mixed up....
05-09-2006 | 09:14 PM
#13
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Joined: Apr 2006
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Originally Posted by rickair7777
I agree that my old navy bros are far cooler than most of the RJ pilots I work with but the girls don't seem to know the difference. They think jets are cool...any jet, as long as it doesn't have props.
Plus if you think pilots are gone a lot...team guys are NEVER home.
Plus if you think pilots are gone a lot...team guys are NEVER home.
Rickair7777, I do admit to a soft spot for Navy men. My dad was a Navy man, and although he's gone now, I still fancy myself as "Daddy's girl"...and maybe that's why you also enjoy Bay Area women, many of them had a dad in the Navy...
05-09-2006 | 09:32 PM
#14
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Joined: Feb 2006
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From: DD->DH->RU/XE soon to be EV
Originally Posted by Skygirl
I agree, you guys work hard and are gone alot, and people who don't travel often, usually discount the toll that it can take on a person and their family. They think you all just roll into town, hit the bars, and party. They don't know the reality. I'm not trying to have a debate here over who works harder. I'm just saying that I work a lot, and many women do, not necessarily by choice. Just take a look at the cost of living in the Bay Area!
I don't have "flex-time" either. Basically, if I want to make or need money, then I work. I just had this conversation with my orthopedic surgeon, who told me that I went back to work too soon after my recent knee surgery. He nodded his head in agreement because he knows what it takes to live here, even if it goes against his best medical judgement to allow me to go back to work.
Truth is, many people work too hard and work too much to survive economically. I don't need to go into that here. I know that you all are intelligent enough to grasp that. Heck, all I was trying to say here was that there are probably more than a few professional women (here in the Bay Area) who work many hours that would appreciate a nice pilot guy that might understand working hard...
Jeeze, ya just try to be nice and it gets all mixed up....
I don't have "flex-time" either. Basically, if I want to make or need money, then I work. I just had this conversation with my orthopedic surgeon, who told me that I went back to work too soon after my recent knee surgery. He nodded his head in agreement because he knows what it takes to live here, even if it goes against his best medical judgement to allow me to go back to work.
Truth is, many people work too hard and work too much to survive economically. I don't need to go into that here. I know that you all are intelligent enough to grasp that. Heck, all I was trying to say here was that there are probably more than a few professional women (here in the Bay Area) who work many hours that would appreciate a nice pilot guy that might understand working hard...
Jeeze, ya just try to be nice and it gets all mixed up....
As far as how hard we work, that's a bit of a joke. Overall, I actually work that much, on average it's a max of about 23 hours a week, of paid labor that is. By that, I mean not getting paid for showing up an hour prior to flight time (like 5:30am) and not getting paid, waiting outside the airport 45 minutes after we arrived for a van to the hotel where I'm only going to get 6 hours of sleep (maybe) before starting a 12 hour day.
The fact is, it takes 75-80 hours a week away from home to get paid for that 23 hours.
Like I said, not getting into a contest. Just laying out the facts. Facts that alot of people outside this industry can't seem to comprehend. So, for the guy that started this thread, this is the kind of crap you have to look foward to.
When you meet a girl and she asks what you do, just say this: "I work in aluminum tubing, it's kinda boring, what do YOOOUUUU do?"
BTW, how does a workaholic from the bay area find out about an aviation message board?
05-09-2006 | 09:55 PM
#15
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Joined: Apr 2006
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Originally Posted by dojetdriver
I wasn't getting into a contest with you at all, just explaining what this job can be like sometimes. Sorry if it came off like that. Don't be the sensitive type (lol). I've tried to explain this stuff till I'm blue in the face to some of the women I've dated (even the smart ones) and they STILL don't get how in-flexible or abnormal the schedule can be.
As far as how hard we work, that's a bit of a joke. Overall, I actually work that much, on average it's a max of about 23 hours a week, of paid labor that is. By that, I mean not getting paid for showing up an hour prior to flight time (like 5:30am) and not getting paid, waiting outside the airport 45 minutes after we arrived for a van to the hotel where I'm only going to get 6 hours of sleep (maybe) before starting a 12 hour day.
The fact is, it takes 75-80 hours a week away from home to get paid for that 23 hours.
Like I said, not getting into a contest. Just laying out the facts. Facts that alot of people outside this industry can't seem to comprehend. So, for the guy that started this thread, this is the kind of crap you have to look foward to.
When you meet a girl and she asks what you do, just say this: "I work in aluminum tubing, it's kinda boring, what do YOOOUUUU do?"
BTW, how does a workaholic from the bay area find out about an aviation message board?
As far as how hard we work, that's a bit of a joke. Overall, I actually work that much, on average it's a max of about 23 hours a week, of paid labor that is. By that, I mean not getting paid for showing up an hour prior to flight time (like 5:30am) and not getting paid, waiting outside the airport 45 minutes after we arrived for a van to the hotel where I'm only going to get 6 hours of sleep (maybe) before starting a 12 hour day.
The fact is, it takes 75-80 hours a week away from home to get paid for that 23 hours.
Like I said, not getting into a contest. Just laying out the facts. Facts that alot of people outside this industry can't seem to comprehend. So, for the guy that started this thread, this is the kind of crap you have to look foward to.
When you meet a girl and she asks what you do, just say this: "I work in aluminum tubing, it's kinda boring, what do YOOOUUUU do?"
BTW, how does a workaholic from the bay area find out about an aviation message board?
Hey there Dojetdriver,
I was just messin' with ya....
. Sorry if I sounded too sensitive, didn't mean it to come off that way.How does a workaholic from the Bay Area find her way to this board? Well, she rips out her knee at the gym and has to have emergency surgery right in the middle of the upcoming busy travel season. She works in the travel industry and is home recovering from surgery, when a possible Delta pilot strike looms ahead. Clients are freaking out, and Miss Workaholic is home with her knee in the air and her laptop, trying to decide whether she should advise clients to change flights. So she googles "Delta airline pilots" or something like that, and somehow discovers this board...
(by the way, she advised clients to stay the course)Strike is averted, clients simmer down, and Miss Workaholic is still stuck at home with her bum knee, but she hangs around this site anyway, she can't do much of anything else at this point. Maybe she hangs around because she travels a fair amount, understands that life, and honestly admits that with all the time she spends in airports, she checks out the handsome pilots. Men have been checking out the F/A's since flight began, and now that women are traveling a lot more for business, can we not check out the cute pilots?
I know you all work alot and believe me, I am on your side.
05-15-2006 | 08:23 AM
#17
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 2,285
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From: Student Pilot
relationships/dating
Relationships depend upon the maturity of the persons involved. I see it as no different than being a surgeon, attorney or truck driver. If man and a woman love, trust and deeply care for each other, no matter what type of storm comes...they'll make it through the storm." JMO.
atp
atp
05-15-2006 | 12:05 PM
#19
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,652
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From: Spartan
Originally Posted by loudgarrettdriver
Skygirl,
You must really like pilots if your hanging out in a commercial pilot forum and have that many posts since april.
Keep the faith.
You must really like pilots if your hanging out in a commercial pilot forum and have that many posts since april.
Keep the faith.
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