Whatever, I am just replying in kind to you. You made some assumptions about me I was just returning the favor. The last time you had to look for a real flying job was most likely during the Reagan Administration. I would bet that you went strait from the USAF into a major. You probably never knew a day without pay. I on the other hand have enjoyed most of my adult life as a full time pilot trying to carry on a normal life below the poverty level. At some point it becomes plain stupid to carry on.

The fact is that there just isn't enough room for everyone. My guess is that one in ten or twenty will make it to someplace good. In the end we all have to make a living and to carve a life out for ourselves somehow. The odds of doing that as an airline pilot and having something left to show for it afterwards are slim at best. I am glad that you had a fairy tale career but please don't mistake that for superior skill or effort. In the end it is better to be lucky than good.

SkyHigh

 

You bet right. My TWA new hire class date was my USAF retirement date. Excellent timing.

And, as those of us in the majors know, timing is everything.

'Luck' is definitely a part of it...just ask any PanAm, TWA, Eastern, Braniff, etc vet. Past that, I'm not sure what your comment meant.

 

Hehehe!

And you were the guy talking about assumptions! I'm very aware that this personalizing of our careers has added to your sense of inadequacy. If it helps at all, I'll agree that luck does play a role.

With the caveat that some 'luck' is man-made. As the old saying goes...the Lord helps those who help themselves.

It also helps to be lucky AND good.

Sorry you didn't make that cut.

 

Sorry to disappoint ya there bud, but unlike our friend skyHigh, I don't live on this board. I log on on long overnights, etc instead of watching nakedgun33&1/3rd for the umpteenth time. I really, truly don't feel any need to respond to you and your other self, skyHigh. I post responses so that others who read this forum are afforded some balance to skyHigh's "airline pilots are no-skill bums" dribble. I have absolutely zero care to interact with such as you, but your posts allow me an entree to the subject.

Now, If I bashed you, you deserved it; you posted an obvious untruth. Obvious because you contradicted yourself.

Most likely, I'll get my chance to "respond" to you when right after you buy a job at GIA and then come to me begging for a jumpseat to get your sorry bss back home. My response will be nothing more than a "your welcome to the seat" and a self knowledge that I treat you with respect because you are an airline pilot. You see, I respect the profession. Apparently, you and SkyHigh do not.

PS sorry for the poor grammer, it's been a long five day trip sequence.

 

Perhaps you should spend some of that time answering some of our question, or can we all assume that our assumptions about you are correct?

SkyHigh

In case you forgot. My question for the third or fourth time is: Have you ever had a flying job outside of Lears and DC9's? Have you ever been employed to fly as a single pilot IFR multi pilot, flown a crop duster, grand canyon scenic flight or anything that required slightly more out of you than rote memorization skills?

 

So now you're answering for AK. Why not just dump the AK login and stick to SkyHigh?

You can assume anything you want. I'm not talking to you. I'm talking for those who get tired of your anti airline pilot bs.

As for your demand for my background,No skyHigh, I bought the left seat of a DC9 with absolutely Zero flight hours. Ya gotta love these PFT programs. I mean, who'd a thought that a mere boy like myself could just memorize a book and jump right into a shiny jet? Really, why bother being an instructor, or flying a beat up light twin, or playing autopilot in a no yawdamper turboprop, or loading boxes, or loading bags, or cleaning leading edges-nacelles-carpet, or any of those lesser jobs when one can just jump right into a narrow body airliner? Why bother. I pity the poor fools that wasted all their time on all that stuff when it wasn't necessary. Why didn't they just walk up and demand left seat in the jurassic jet? After all, it only takes a little memorization skills to succeed.

Sarcasm off! (spelling corrected by edit)

SkyHigh/AK, we get it. Your bitter because it didn't work out for you. Get over it. And for a quick tip, attempting to cast dispersions on the skills of a pilot who admits to flying old Lears, and old Douglas's goes a long way in showing that you have no idea what you're talking about. Unfortunately, the beginners on here may not know that. That is why I continue to counter your bs, so that the beginners see that some of us actually do respect each other.

 

Bolt, I'm not Sky High. I certainly don't agree with everything he says. I wish he had a little more respect for the airline profession as well, but I'm really glad that he shares his opinion and this forum isn't full of people patting each other on the back. I really can't see where I contradicted myself, but I guess we will have to agree to disagree on a few things. While their are plenty of great pilots working at the airlines, that doesn't dismiss the fact that an average person could do the job. IMHO, just take it for that I guess. I tried to demonstrate, even though I feel no obligation to, that I have as much insite into the industry as anyone can that hasn't worked as a pilot at a major. Anyway, this gets boring. I can shop for new shotguns or airplanes online in between flights instead of arguing semantics.

I respect every pilot out there, even the students pilots that have a desire. I'll talk avaition with anyone who even is thinking about taking flying lessons.

 

I'm at a loss to understand this statement about the 'average person' being able to do the job.

From what you have said, you have never done that job. All you can claim is that you know some who have.

Is this the extent of your credibility to speak to this question? If so, I find your credentials to be lacking.

Or maybe what that last sentence says is actually the truth. Given your lack of experience, you have no insight.

 

I am glad to learn that you have a background after all and am also very pleased that you are so proud of yourself. In addition we have also determined that I am a bitter washout. While you are busy respecting other airline pilots my suggestion is that you shouldn't forget to respect yourself as well. In the end my great failing was that I wouldn't take another flying job that would have me commuting across the country for 30K. Some call it being a quitter I would say that it means I have a Strong instinct for self preservation.

In closing I will concede to you that a Lear 35 and most likely a DC 9 takes a bit more than a pure button monkey. Perhaps when you have a turn in something with a more automation you will understand my point.

Thanks again, I never forget that I would be nothing without my fans.

SKyHigh

 

This is all about you isn't it skyHigh? I don't remember making comments about your history at all. Nor have I said anything negative about your reason for not continuing your career. I've commented on your current attitude and I'll be happy to do so again. You come across as bitter, snide, snippy, petty and hateful. For example, your little attempts at painting me as someone who " are so proud of yourself", and setting up straw men like this "my suggestion is that you shouldn't forget to respect yourself as well". You might hope that others will infer that SkyBolt the airline pilot is proud to a fault. You might hope that others will infer that SkyBolt suffers from a lack of self respect. Personally, I'll give our readers credit for seeing your weak attempts to spin your point. Anyone who has read this exchange hasn't seen me being either overly proud or wallowing is self pity/respect.

In the end, I don't give a rats rear end about why you're no longer in the industry. I've been around long enought to know that good pilots are unlucky. I'm where I am because of luck and good timing. You'll not hear me trash a pilot for being out of work. I've got friends who this career has treated much worse than it treated you. They are either furloughed or underemployed, and I certainly don't look down on them.

And there you have it friends, SkyHigh is nothing without his fans. In other words, his life is so meaningless that he derives his worth from the recognition he receives on an anonymous internet site dedicated to a career which he loaths.

Need I say more?