Oh Bolt
 

Oh bolt,


Such a tirade. Maybe you need a nap? What I meant about "self respect" was that if the industry is treating you or your friends like filth then perhaps the smarter path would be to quit? In my mind quitting is the ultimate strike. In regards to aviation perhaps it is the only way to stand up for yourself.

You are very secretive about your history and about what you are doing today. In addition you are overly sensitive about my personal opinions about the profession. I can only assume that you perhaps are less than proud of your situation and have had similar thoughts. This forum is just a fun pastime for me. You are taking these silly posts as more than a simple exchange of ideas. I am beginning to worry that you are going to have a coronary episode. You must be on the verge of cracking if you feel so strongly about attacking me. Without any other information to go by, my instincts tell me that you are a pilot for a low paying LCC who lives with 4 other room mates in a two bedroom apartment and the only thing you have left to defend is your battered pride.

You seem to be on a quest to validate the profession and to correct the ills of the industry by stalking me. I didn't do anything and I have a right to my opinions. Attacks and tantrums from you and those like you are what give my ideas validity. People like to get upset at me for bringing to light some "inconvenient Truths" however don't kill the messenger. I had nothing to do with the downward spiral of our industry. I only report the news, I don't make it.

I like you a lot bolt and highly value every post. Last week I was asked to name one of our new baby bunny rabbits and I choose "Bolt" in honor of you. Last night I gave Bolt some carrots that were left over from dinner.

SkyHigh

PS I do not have any aliases on this forum. What would be the point anyway?

As you have been when I asked you to provide details to back up your claims.

You keep baying at the moon with your idea that "the industry is treating you or your friends like filth...", but I see little substance to that statement from you.

When challenged here, the best you can come up with are insults.

So, Orville, now that we are talking about accomplishments, let's see yours.

Search
 

Do a search. My background has been well documented many times on this web site. In summary: Took first lesson at 14, graduated from college with a degree in business and flight tech in 1990, spent first 7 years flying in Alaska first as a CFI then as a part 135 bush pilot, contract Forest Service pilot. Moved on to Med-evac, corporate and charter jet FO, Broke into the airlines as a FO at Horizon Air, took advancement position at National Airlines of Las Vegas in 2000 as a 757-200 FO. National Airlines shut down in December of 2002. At 36 with a wife two young sons and expecting a third child moved back to home town into a two bedroom apartment on unemployment again. 6300 hours, over 20 years invested. Throughout my entire career I never earned as much as a postman.

You most likely will enjoy cutting me to pieces but I maintain that I was there everyday. I took the opportunities that came and my expectations were not that unreasonable. I never failed a check ride, was never violated for anything, never put so much as a scratch on any of the aircraft that I was entrusted with. In my file I have letters of recommendation from every employer and supervisor that I asked for one. Fate threw me a few curve balls.

In the end at my last big lay off there were few decent employers hiring. All my peers had either quit long ago, were laid off as well or were killed with a yoke in hand. All my career momentum had dissipated. With a young family in tow and few resources left I had no choice. I would not feel so obligated to pass my experiences along however they are not all that uncommon. In my estimation I had a fairly average trip through aviation. Out of my college graduating class I was one of the more successful ones. Most never even got their first job instructing.

To this day I have a few friends who are flying still and they call often in hopes of getting out of aviation as I did.

Enjoy

SKyHigh

I use to be able to say that I was one of the few from my graduating class that was still flying. The rest were all happy and successful.

You're all dorks. I'll bet money everyone's stopped reading this exchange quite a few posts back.

Yup
 

You are most likely correct.

SkyHigh

Nope. No point to it. You've been pretty caustic to others over their background, so I was just curious to see yours.

You should have stayed at Horizon. You would be pulling down a good $90/hr now and have some decent seniority.

Your situation is not an indictment of an industry...it's simply a litany of feckless and ultimately bad choices.

High, does anyone else live in your world? You continuosly invent arguments then attribute them to others. I don't remember saying that the industy is treating my friends like filth. YOU are the one say that the industry is treating your friends like filth. I'm not on here whining about the industry, YOU are. I stand up for myself just fine thank you, and I don't need to quit in order to prove my manhood.

I'm no more secretive about my indentity than ninety percent of all other anonymous internet bulletin board users. I don't post my entire life because it doesn't matter. If anyone doubts my credibility, they can ask a question to ascertain my knowledge. I could tell you that I am anything from an AA Captain to an AirTran Captain. I could tell you that I was Avbug. I could tell you that I fly 747's for Kalitta. It doesn't matter what I tell you unless I tell you my name rank a serial number. Without that I'm just another internet blowhard, but you're not getting them numbers so you might as well give up.


Your reading comprehension problem seems to have returned. I am overly sensitive about your personal opinions about the professionALS. Not the profession. You can trash the profession all you want; I'm not arguing that point.

You should probably stop assuming. I don't work for my first choice from two decades ago, but I do work and I'm pretty happy with life.

Your instincts are wrong

Again, you should seek help with your reading comprehension problem.

You are a very confused young man.

Guys, please! Even though this is an anonymous cyber board, I have come to like many of you and it pains me to see what's happening here. We're just going around and around in circles. I admit that I enjoyed Browntail's silliness, but since he got banned, I was hoping for some better quality entertainment. There is no need for mordant attacks. We are each entitled to our opinions, so if someone does not like it, just don't read it. Do not feel compelled to respond to every single thing.

I agree - you should have stayed at horizon. Skyhigh and I have PMd, emailed, and spoken on the phone. Had I known him years ago and he called to ask me what he should do I would have said the same thing. He knows what my father gave up to give his family a middle-class American dream. I can say without hesitation had I been in your shoes I would have stayed at Horizon and made it work for my kids sake. I'm making similar sacrifices to give my family the dream as well.

Did I make the right choices? I don't know. I made the most of the cards I was dealt and didn't look back. I don't plan on...

There is a hard reality my years in the AF have taught me. Not everyone is suited for leadership. Not everyone is suited for every job. You try to groom your people and give them the tools to make it. If they dont you let them pick themselves up and show them an alternate without saying ' I told you so' or 'putting them down...' We have to know our limitations. We have to be honest with ourselves and those we serve.

Guys
 

Gentilemen,

I am very glad this topic came up. It is at the heart of much of my message.

Pilots enjoy examining the scene of the accident in order to learn where the mishap occurred and in hopes of avoiding the same fate. My career is the accident in this case but it also brings up an important point.

Why did I leave Horizon Air? Sure had I stayed I would be employed as a pilot still but you have to try and put yourselves in my shoes at the time. I was 32 married one son and expecting. At Horizon I was earning 20K. I was almost two years away from upgrade and then my pay would have increased to 36K. A couple more years as Captain and perhaps I could apply for a chance at the majors, by then I would be perhaps 36 or 37. However I knew that my chances were slim. It is difficult to gain any attention as yet another regional captain.

When I started out as a pilot it was because I loved flying but also because I felt I was working towards a better life. I dreamed of being able to provide more for my children and I hoped my wife could stay home and raise them. Had I stayed at Horizon Air it is true I would still be employed as a pilot but what kind of life could that provide?

At the time I hired on National Airlines was upgrading new hires in 9 months and had every indication that it would continue to do so. Not only did I have a chance to earn a better living but had I been able to upgrade I felt time as a 757 captain would have given me the boost to stand out above the ocean of struggling regional captains. It was a worthy risk that failed to pay off.

If we are not here to earn a better living then why do it? It takes a small fortune to get through college, training and all the lost years as a CFI. Why go through all that to someday earn as much as a school teacher? The price of homes in the urban areas has almost doubled in the last few years. Gasoline and other costs have gone up as well. By 40 I would have earned 54K to support a family of 6 on is ludicrous. New college grads are getting almost that much. In the end I took an all or nothing Hail Mary shot and lost. I am glad I did because though I am out of the industry I am a lot closer to living the life I had hoped for as a major airline pilot. I miss flying but I don't miss what it did to my life.


SkyHigh

Why do it unless there will be a fairly substantial financial return? We aren't artists, monks or martyrs for aviation. These days some feel that it is sac religious to suggest otherwise.