[QUOTE=dojetdriver;76937]True, Mil trainig beats civ training anyday./QUOTE]

Especially when we the tax payers pay for the training.

Alaska Air
 

Mike 734,

I am sure that I will always lament over my missed opportunities at Alaska Airlines. Ever since I was a little boy I have dreamed of working for that company. Every breath I took had that hope invested in it and everyday was spent trying to get one more inch closer to it. My last attempt at Alaska was my last. I knew it at the time. I had no cards left to play. Once National Airlines went under it took with it my dream. Everything I had worked for flushed down the drain that day.

Some might suggest trying again but every year the minimums get taller and the competition more fierce. I could easily burn the rest of my life chasing it and if there is one thing I have learned about Alaska Airlines is that they are not interested in desperate civilian pilots over 40. My odds have already dimmed to ridiculous. While I am sure there is always a chance most likely I would loose everything else I have in life to get to a point where I would have just one more throw. A 20 year old can bounce back a few times but by the time you are past 40 we all need to become more conservative. I have sat next to many a pilot who held on too long and it is not pretty.

My entire point of this exercise is that I think younger pilots feel that they can rest upon their skills and education alone. In my opinion those things mean very little to a pilots success. During my 20 year quest I never failed a check ride, scored less than a 90 on any FAA test, graduated near the top of my class and never even so much as scratched the paint throughout my perilous career. All the while I know pilots who have crashed planes and killed people who are on the seniority list of some of our finest major airlines. I stood over the shoulder and watched as a co-worker purchased a fake degree and now works for Alaska Airlines. I had knowledge of a pilot who was being pursued by immigration on the day he interviewed for my favorite airline, lied about his time and education and by now I am sure is quite senior. I have a few dozen more stories like that but I am sure you get the picture. The diffrence, they were not above a lie and made friends with the right people.

Am I bitter sure, but life is not fair right? Things do really work out for the best they say. The ironic thing is that now that I have raised my position in life I currently live in a town that is crawling with AS pilots. I run into them everywhere it seems. The easy answer is to get over it but it isn't like flipping a switch. After 20 years it will take a while to fade. Till then I will have to punish you guys I guess. :)

SkyHigh

Geez.... Dude, I can't take this wallowing in sorrow any more. One of us must die! If I were stuck in a plane with you on a four day trip, on day three one of the pax would find me hanging in the lav!


That said, you are a fine example for future pilots..... a NEGATIVE example, that is!

KIDS, Don't Be like This guy!

I personally like his style...

Cut throat, to the point.

But i think he needs depression meds. :D

Negative example
 

Right on target. I am a sad and negative example. My story is average among most pilots. It is one of my strongest testaments here that I am the product of a long, painful and ultimately fruitless venture in aviation.

I might seem like the odd duck here on APC but I can assure you that I am among the majority of pilots. APC mostly has only two types of posters here, the newbie and the major airline hero here to seek a little grandstanding perhaps. The middle ground is mostly unrepresented or overlooked and that is where I fit in. I am the voice of the masses who burned up dropped out or is so depressed by his station in life the last thing they want to do is to spend more time lamenting over it on the Internet during the few precious hours that they have off between flights.

Therefore kids look before you leap. Put some time and research into your decision making. Use my stories and others like them to avoid pitfalls and mistakes. Don't reject the hard luck stories that you might read here but read them harvest its information and use it to your advantage.

SkyHigh

"KIDS, Don't Be like This guy"

Yeah kids, don't. But if the career deals you similar cards, don't say you weren't warned....

Cows swing a lot of weight
 

Same story here. The herd sent in a nice letter of recommendation, but it was a lot of bull. :p

Since you seem to be sympathetic to SH's posts, let's take the focus off of him and put it on to his message (assuming there is one).

What do you think that message is?

Based upon your profile, are you one of those guys who fits SH's formula for success...who was your rabbi?

I'll ask again...exactly what is it that you want the younger readers here to take away from these posts?

"I'll ask again...exactly what is it that you want the younger readers here to take away from these posts?"

That there is a significant chance that, no matter what you do, you might not make it to the top of the career. It's like a pyramid, the closer to the top you shoot for, the less likely you'll make it. If you'd be happy in the middle, then the more likely you'll make it. Not everyone who simply "wants it", is gonna get there. There is a certain amount of luck and timing involved that you can't control.

Ha Ha! It was the bull(sXXt) part that helped me! :D