I suppose you've read Flying the Line? And Hard Landings? There's a lot of unpleasant history at the combined airline, and throughout our profession. It behooves us all to understand what shenanigans management has used in the past to eviscerate our contracts and negate previous gains. Adjusted for inflation, we probably earn half of our predecessors and most of us are without a pension. There are three bankruptcies between us remember? Its a multi billion dollar operation and yet, they still want more. Good luck expensing that roll and make sure you get that Doctors note for your sick call. That's all I want to emphasize. Oh, and be sure and monitor your PAY for inaccuracies.

Allow me to emphasize, in spite of the vitriol I have toward the Robber Barons, I never said you don't have to smile. I typically have a great time with my fellow pilots. It can still be a decent job. Perhaps with the help of you FNG's we can recoup some of the bounty stolen and make it an even better one.

Sorry to rain on the thread. Congrats to all, especially you long time commuter pukes! You've earned it.

NICE TMA PIC........you surprise me old Mako!

The cream of the crap!

130 Driver,

Ah the irony… you have to really step back and see the big picture.

You are correct in saying it is "all about perspective."

There are no shortage of extremely talented young men and women today competing for those few coveted military pilots slots. How could someone lucky enough to become a military flyer then just walk away? To have the thrill of some of the most challenging flying anywhere, and then to reduce the experience to years of deployments, living in tents, and getting nasty shots?

It is all about perspective.

That is what everyone said in the military when they finished the RTU/RAG.
Yet most later left the service voluntarily.

To state this place will never get bad enough to wipe a smile off, is to assume that things will continue on their present positive trend. That is a very big assumption.

It is rather naive and certainly in port taste to make this statement to a group of UAL pilots that endured bankruptcy, loss of ESOP shares, termination of pensions, back to back furloughs, being drug into fight the company in court, and then endure a very bitter ISL process. The pilots who have been here for all of this have a perspective that comes from personal experience.

Yes, it is all about perspective.

Welcome to UAL.
I truly hope your experience will remain a great one!

All the best!
SP

All good points.

I have always been able to find the positive side and roll with it, even with a smile, whether in the military while deployed or at my last 121 airline job where I was furloughed twice over a 5 year stint and worked extensively on ALPA/Mgt issues and relations.

Happy to be here!

Great points, and yes, read them both while working an ALPA Strike committee at my last airline. Do not mistake optimism for being naive.

Perfect.

Hey all. Thanks for the warm welcome. I like the half wing 15 year pin idea (I'll have to look into that one).

Attitude and perspective: At work and at home, I cannot choose what happens to me. However, I can choose how I respond to them.

My engine fails. I push rudder and call for the checklist. It doesn't do anyone any good to have a hissy fit and pout and fuss about the fact my engine SHOULD not have failed. I know it shouldn't. The facts remain, it did.

Tracking?

Career, home life, my investments or my schedule.... I am going to choose to make the best of whatever crud comes my way. What other choice do I have? Complain? Be miserable? I don't want to live like that, so I choose differently.

Here is the best part: we all have choices to make. Make yours, see how it is working, change direction if necessary. If it is working, leave it alone. If it isn't working, change it. We pilots do this every day in flight. Why not apply this decision cycle to our daily lives?

Did everyone around here swallow a Jack Handey pill?

Must be laying over in DEN or AMS. Nothing kills a buzz like a 12 hr duty day, a warm salad presented in a thimble, and being shorted $1000.