If I had a nickel for everytime someone told me to do or not to do something and I didn't follow their advise I would be rich. At the same time if I had followed their advise I would probobly be poor.

Hindsight is 20/20. Skyhigh for you to say you would have done things different is easy for you to say now.

Here is a hypothical question.

How is it that two men who graduated from the same college with the same background, same monetary status, same ambition, same circumstances, following the same career path, lead one to a path of success and one to a path to failure?

Some call it luck, hard work, people you know, appearance, whatever. But I call it life.

Skyhigh, we hear what you are saying. But we are getting tired of the repetition.

 

I don't share your philosophy. To me one must choose a path that you have an interest in but also has a fair chance of working out. Especially since it takes such a huge investment it gain entry. If you were a 20 year old and had a well liked father at a stable major then I would say that you had a reasonable chance? In your case I would asses a grim outlook. Perhaps you can tap your ruby slippers together and things will work out. Either way I would love to be invited to your victory or pitty party.

You are not the only person I write to. Stop reading if you are getting tired of it. A few times a month I get a PM from people thanking me for my efforts.

SkyHigh

 

About Skyhigh.... you have to give him credit for giving up a career he's probably dreamed about since he was a kid- and going in a completely different direction. That takes some juevos. Sometimes we all need a slap in the face to get our heads out of the clouds of BS the flight academies have fed us through the years.

It's not all peachey in the airline industry, unlike RAA and DCA would have you believe.

 

lol. . . You're showing your best sides again.

No, I don't want you to do a personal evaluation because I think your evaluations are pointless. Keep up with the generalizations, those of us who enjoy the aviation industry are big boys enough to deal with what comes and goes, unlike some people.

 

SkyHigh, I am not going to PM you thanking you for your efforts. I am making it public, even at the risk of getting slammed by others. Your perspective is not one accepted and appreciated by all, but I think your posts have been consistent, productive, informative and thoughtful. What makes your comments more meaningful is your own personal journey through the aviation career path. You realized it did not work for you and you had the foresight to move on to another career.

I particularly appreciate the fact that your posts do not contain slurs, profanity or personal attacks on others. Your message may not be pleasant to some, but there is absolutely no need to get vindictive or petty. So many people here use this forum to vent personal frustrations or say highly provocative things just to sit back and watch the paroxysms.

 

I agree, and I think this forum is the better for his insight. The recurring point that's vitally important for someone looking to enter aviation is the delineation between chasing a dream, and earning a livable wage.

A student who has the ability and intellect to fly professionally has the skills to "make it" in many other vocations. So the question is; Why would a talented individual pursue aviation when the cost of entry is high, and the chances of success are low?

I don't want to dissuade anyone from chasing a lifelong dream, but if they wish to combine that with a livable wage they should have full disclosure on some of the risks and obstacles they could face.

 

vagabond, you are not entirely correct. If you search (as I did) the past posts of SkyHigh, you will find that he regularly and continually attacked/attacks airline pilots. The quote you see under my signature being only one of many writings in which skyhigh was somewhat less than evenhanded.

BTW, I don't have a real problem with Skyhighs attempts to educate wannabees, but I tend to doubt his motives. His past posts indicate a seriously bad attitude toward our profession and this makes it hard for me to believe that he is sincere in his attempts to save wannabees from themselves. You see, by keeping people out of the profession, he is HELPING me and my airline pilot compatriots. By scaring people away, he's limiting the supply which will eventually allow me to make more money during the next pilot shortage.

I love it when someone neglects to foresee the unintended consequences of their actions.

SkyBolt

 

A part of my mission is also to educate others about the realities of daily life as an airline pilot. Much of the allure is the idea that airline pilots are some sort of super pilot who possesses a higher knowledge and skill level. I don't "hate" pilots but feel it important to bust many of the myths.

SkyHigh

 

Sorry buddy, you're not bustin myths, you're just showing yourself to be petty and meanspirited. The airline pilot attitude you despise hasn't existed for over twenty years, so back off and give us a break.

SkyBolt

 

I have missed your point. I wouldn't call my opinions to be mean spirited or petty. In such an arena I feel it necessary to firmly make my point on certain topics and perhaps my enthusiasm is perceived as negative.

The myth that I am trying to bust is that the airlines are a difficult and a challenging occupation that requires a highly skilled brain trust.

I am willing to give you the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps you have been fortunate enough to have avoided crop dusting, low level forest service, mid-night air ambulance, single pilot piston twin cargo, bush flying or any of the other more difficult and challenging areas of aviation? Maybe you went from CFI direct to a regional? To you the airlines seem difficult since you have nothing else to compare it to? And that is OK.

SkyHigh