Skyhigh was an airline F/O a long time ago but walked away from the career when the going got tough. He made the choice to pursue other things and is no longer in the biz. Most of his comments here leave me shaking my head in disbelief that he was ever even a professional pilot.

Senior Skipper, I couldn't agree with you more with your comments and couldn't have said it better myself.

All pilots should have a solid foundation of experiences, early on, that force you to make decisions on your own and challenge you to set, then expand, your limits.

I did not walk away.

I was laid off after 9-11 with a pregnant wife and young family in tow. I had no choice.

SkyHigh

I believe that SkyHigh and SeniorSkipper both have valid points. It's just at what Part you are flying under. If I'm going to go the 135 route, then absolutely I need to have a firm foundation in terms of being able to make a decision quickly and independently of others b/c some aspects of 135 flying is a single pilot operation. On the other hand, if I'm flying 91 or 121, then I need to be able to conform to the company. I believe it's termed as....being a team player. Each pilot has his/her respective duties in the cockpit which contributes to the overall successful trip/flight.

Personally speaking, I have considered the PFT program at Gulfstream and not for the "usual suspect" reasons. There are some people out there who are an exception to the rule and are good low time pilots. I would venture to guess less than 2% of all low time pilots (those who actually meet the mins for some regionals) are capable and competent enough to fly an RJ. JMO. However, for me it's different.

I would remain in the South Florida area. My fiance/wife wants to remain here for now. With me flying and her working in the school system as an administrator would allow us to be able to live comfortablly. In addition, I have a 3 yr old son. We want at least 2 more children. It is important to me to be home every night during his formative years. I don't know how many times I have heard some of you talk about the importance of family, QOL and the like. My love for flying DOES NOT SUPERCEDE THE LOVE & SECURITY OF MY FAMILY. My plan would be to stay at GIA for at least 2-3 years, then apply to the Majors...whether pax or cargo. If that scenario didn't play out, seeing my wife & children happy and still able to enjoy a flying career at that level would be ok with me. I guess I can sum it up by saying, "No greater love that a man has than to lay down his life for his friends."


atp

If being home every night is your priority, and there's nothing wrong with that, you're looking at the wrong career field. Keep your self-respect and that of your future peers and stay away from operations like GIA.

"Personally speaking, I have considered the PFT program at Gulfstream and not for the "usual suspect" reasons"

You finally answer my question....

Gulfstream is PFJ. It's the worst of the worst. You are paying for a job that should be an entry level position at any other airline. PFJ is the epotime of mangement taking advantage of pilots willing to do ANYTHING to get ahead at any price.

There is no excuse for Gulfstream style PFJ. None. Zero career respect for anyone who takes that route.

Then why do you state in many of your past posts that you "walked away?" How come you constantly demean the profession when you proclaimed in one post that you think you were "born to be a pilot?" If there's one thing that pervades your posts, it's your inconsistency.

"If there's one thing that pervades your posts, it's your inconsistency"

Ahhh....Yeah....

I'll drink to that! However, i will say that those programs do have their place. For example, a late career changer may need to do it if he's got a family to feed and there are extenuating circumstances. But the 20-something who has left college in the past few years and just REALLY wants to flt big jets has no business there. The jets are there today, and they will be there tomorrow, and next week, and next year. What's the rush?

Yes you've always wanted to fly. Ever since you can remember. Guess what? Me too. If you've gone all these years and the desire to be in a jet hasn't mortally wounded you, believe me that a few more months (building time so that you can go to a real job) won't kill you either.

"However, i will say that those programs do have their place"

Disagree. There is never a reason to pay for a job.

"may need to do it if he's got a family to feed and there are extenuating circumstances"

That's what scabs say.

I've never come across anyone I think could benefit from that sort of program, and I hope I never do. But i'm certain of 2 things:

Somewhere out there, there is somebody who is in a unique enough situation to warrant that kind of program.

There aren't enough of those unique situations to keep those programs running. Hence they must be full of people who are willing to shoot themselves in the leg and screw themselves and the rest of us in the long run.

For THOSE poeple, I have no respect whatsoever. It's a bad thought, but I kinda hope they get stuck in those crappy "jobs" and see how foolish they've been.