You might be a regional pilot if...
01-27-2016 | 03:53 AM
#21
Banned
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 519
Likes: 0
Our industry can be so many hours/days/weeks/years on end of boredom and sameness, punctuated by moments of sheer terror. It is the moments of terror that help separate the truly great pilots from the so-so pilots. (For everyone, my wish is that they never have to find out which they are) But in order to find some peace with the life/career we have chosen, we must also be able to find a way to laugh and enjoy it, and make light of the misery that does exist as we fight and swim our way to the top.
As I read some of the bitter, whiny posts here on APC, I can't help but feel that some truly got screwed, and deserve to *****, but some just have no idea what a hard life really is. Life is full of choices. There's almost ALWAYS multiple doors to open and walk thru. Along with that comes the option of being satisfied with our choice, or just walking thru one door, hating it, and doing nothing to make it better. Or perhaps to just be content for a while, but to smile thru the misery.
Some days, I find my glass half full. Other days, it's half empty. But at the end of the day, it's up to me how I look at it, how I move forward with my life, and how I impress those around me. But I love to make people laugh, for laughter is, after all, The Best Medicine (c).
Of course, there are also days when the damn glass is empty, perhaps even cracked. I can sit and complain about that, or I can keep refilling the glass, or I can fix the glass so it holds water... Or I can get a brand new one, and fill it full again. It's all up to me. Someone else may be able to empty the glass for me, but I also have the ability to fill it up again.
Or not.
If your glass is not as full as you'd like it, ask yourself why not, and decide whether you'd rather fight to keep it full, or just go get a pretty new one.
01-27-2016 | 04:41 AM
#23
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 4,047
Likes: 20
From: 7ER B...whatever that means.
Is this an APC thread or a group therapy session!? Sheesh. I thought this was going to be one of those "if your nose gear tire is smaller than a spare for a Hyundai, you might be a regional pilot" things but then it started getting real...
01-27-2016 | 05:46 AM
#25
Line Holder
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 70
Likes: 0
From: CRJ-900 CA
Originally Posted by
For me, having lived through the airline industry for twenty five years now, I can't dispute anything he wrote. Basically a been there, done that experience.
Through all that, I - and many others - have a wanderlust. We want to keep moving. We want to NOT be stuck in the same city or town day in and day out for most of our lives (stuck in a cubicle 5 to 6 days a week for added enjoyment). We LIKE the overall daily challenges of the job (frustrating as they may often be), and look forward to just...getting away. Again, simply due to wanderlust.
I, for one, don't mind spending maybe 2 to 3 nights per week in a hotel room in some city somewhere. During the say, I'll typically get out and explore the area. I oftentimes will find a big gym somewhere and enjoy a few hours working out. Heck, many successful Businessmen/women spend at least as many nights away from home as we do, so I don't consider it all that unusual these days in this world that we live in. Yes, I've had MANY a middle-of-the-night or early morning in which I've woken up completely confused as to exactly where the heck I was, but (again) it basically goes with the territory. Not only that, it gives me a chance to spread out in bed, to NOT be crowded by my dogs (who are my kids), and to just have some alone-time, which is nice.
Personally (and I have many friends in similar circumstances), I've been happily married for 29 years. Therefore, my awesome wife has experienced and lived through the entire 25 year airline career and another couple of years prior as a flight instructor. She has never questioned my career choice. Rather, she has simply embraced it (and the lifestyle) as what I do. It is what it is. We enjoy the ability to have a flexible schedule. We are not tied to the Monday through Friday rat race, with the attendant joy of getting to experience our time off on weekends with the vast majority of people in this country - read CROWDS. We can, and do enjoy weekdays off (no crowds) and typically work weekends - because we can.
Do we spend [I
For me, having lived through the airline industry for twenty five years now, I can't dispute anything he wrote. Basically a been there, done that experience.
Through all that, I - and many others - have a wanderlust. We want to keep moving. We want to NOT be stuck in the same city or town day in and day out for most of our lives (stuck in a cubicle 5 to 6 days a week for added enjoyment). We LIKE the overall daily challenges of the job (frustrating as they may often be), and look forward to just...getting away. Again, simply due to wanderlust.
I, for one, don't mind spending maybe 2 to 3 nights per week in a hotel room in some city somewhere. During the say, I'll typically get out and explore the area. I oftentimes will find a big gym somewhere and enjoy a few hours working out. Heck, many successful Businessmen/women spend at least as many nights away from home as we do, so I don't consider it all that unusual these days in this world that we live in. Yes, I've had MANY a middle-of-the-night or early morning in which I've woken up completely confused as to exactly where the heck I was, but (again) it basically goes with the territory. Not only that, it gives me a chance to spread out in bed, to NOT be crowded by my dogs (who are my kids), and to just have some alone-time, which is nice.
Personally (and I have many friends in similar circumstances), I've been happily married for 29 years. Therefore, my awesome wife has experienced and lived through the entire 25 year airline career and another couple of years prior as a flight instructor. She has never questioned my career choice. Rather, she has simply embraced it (and the lifestyle) as what I do. It is what it is. We enjoy the ability to have a flexible schedule. We are not tied to the Monday through Friday rat race, with the attendant joy of getting to experience our time off on weekends with the vast majority of people in this country - read CROWDS. We can, and do enjoy weekdays off (no crowds) and typically work weekends - because we can.
Do we spend [I
every[/I] night together in bed? No. Most nights? Yes. however, I would say that we possibly appreciate each other's company maybe a little bit more than we might otherwise - simply BECAUSE we aren't together every single night.
Over the years, I typically flew 4 on 3 off trips when I was relatively junior in a bid status, which eventually turned into 3 on 4 off trips, and then "day" trips 3 days per week - home ever single night.
These days, I'm sitting reserve in base, hardly ever flying, home almost all of the time, and occasionally flying a 2 day trip to Hawaii to satisfy my ever-present wanderlust (and my wife comes along sometimes - bonus!).
Besides all that, I still get an overall high satisfaction with flying itself. I flew turboprops down low for years and loved it. Later on, I spent many years flying RJ's all over the country and loved that just as much. Probably more, in fact. These days I fly the larger jets for a Legacy and STILL enjoy the job immensely. 18,000+ hours, and I still enjoy it.
However, like I said, I realize that some (maybe many) don't enjoy the job the way I and many others do. Those people simply don't get it, and never will. It's not in their blood, I guess.
Over the years, I typically flew 4 on 3 off trips when I was relatively junior in a bid status, which eventually turned into 3 on 4 off trips, and then "day" trips 3 days per week - home ever single night.
These days, I'm sitting reserve in base, hardly ever flying, home almost all of the time, and occasionally flying a 2 day trip to Hawaii to satisfy my ever-present wanderlust (and my wife comes along sometimes - bonus!).
Besides all that, I still get an overall high satisfaction with flying itself. I flew turboprops down low for years and loved it. Later on, I spent many years flying RJ's all over the country and loved that just as much. Probably more, in fact. These days I fly the larger jets for a Legacy and STILL enjoy the job immensely. 18,000+ hours, and I still enjoy it.
However, like I said, I realize that some (maybe many) don't enjoy the job the way I and many others do. Those people simply don't get it, and never will. It's not in their blood, I guess.
I hope I look at the job the way you do 20 years from now.
01-27-2016 | 06:05 AM
#26
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 4,047
Likes: 20
From: 7ER B...whatever that means.
Don't worry, despite the whining, most of us do enjoy the job and can't imagine doing anything else. The ones who are the absolute worst are the guys who complain endlessly but lack the skills, drive, intelligence or cajones to do anything about it. But make no mistake: This career does have its high points as well as some very, VERY low points. That said, I'll take flying a plane over toiling at the cubicle farm any day of the week. And twice on weekends and major holidays.
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