Airline pilot the goal of all pilots?

Thats just the way the public sees it. I was on an A319 once and I heard someone say "You know my brother flies these things, he makes a big deal out of it but they aren't really all that big once you get inside". Because you know, anyone willing to make a few runs to Costco for bottled water can fly an A319 right?

But I'd like to say within the pilot world, I've noticed an oppisite reaction. When I tell other pilots(freight dogs, CFI, charter, ect) that I've always wanted to fly for an airline and that is my goal, they usually start trying to talk me out of it. There is nothing wrong with wanting to go to the airlines anymore than there is wanting to go into the military or be a career CFI or anything of the like.

That being said, though my dream is in the airline industry, I would love to do as many kinds of flying as possible in my lifetime and not knock anything until I've tried it.
 
MikeD said:
My freight dog days were fun in their own way.....kind of the last of the "take the keys and go" flying. Started in small package/bank bags in the single's, and UPS/Airborne Express cargo in the twins. "So long as the boxes get there on time, I don't care what goes on in-between", was the boss's attitude. All types of flying, geograpical areas, WX, day/night. Cool stuff. Got called in one night at about 2200 at PHX for a on-call run on a Saturday. Get to the airport, and boss says to taxi the 'Chief over to the America West ramp, since they called over and needed some parts for a broken 737-200 taken over to KLAX and they didn't have a flight going that way that could take it. Cool stuff like that, takeoff with the cargo after filing a quick flt plan, land there and taxi over to the maintenance place where their plane was, offload, and come back. All in a nights work.
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I swear MikeD, you have more experience than both the Wright brothers combined!!!:D
 
subpilot said:
I swear MikeD, you have more experience than both the Wright brothers combined!!!:D
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I've just done everything I wanted to do in life. Started out as a firefighter, flew both military and civilian, am now a federal cop/pilot and AF reservist (part-time), and still a firefighter on my own time providing contract fire services to a race track here in Tucson. In fact, there are numerous youtube videos of my crew in action.

Now, though my job/career life has been successful, my relationship life has been an utter shambles from High School onward. Guess nobody's perfect.
 
The only perspective I've had in an airliner is as a passenger, and it looks boring as hell. But like others have mentioned, eventually it gets to a point where you're getting paid very well and working relatively little. That's my goal.

I kind of wish I didn't want to fly for the airlines. But it's something that I want to do even if just to say I did it and then go pursue another type of flying.
 
People have said a lot of things I agree with.
I started college with airline blinders on and I was shocked by the time four years came around, what was left of my class didn't want to go to the airlines. Out of those few that actually graduated with their ratings, they are actually interested in hanging local and making connections in the corporate world or have already joined/joining the military.

I do believe that an international captain for a legacy carrier will be the perceived pinnacle position of pilots by the public for decades to come.
 
Douglas said:
People have said a lot of things I agree with.
I started college with airline blinders on and I was shocked by the time four years came around, what was left of my class didn't want to go to the airlines. Out of those few that actually graduated with their ratings, they are actually interested in hanging local and making connections in the corporate world or have already joined/joining the military.

I do believe that an international captain for a legacy carrier will be the perceived pinnacle position of pilots by the public for decades to come.
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Nahhh. Legacy freight carriers in my book are the bees knees. I don't think I'd ever want to go the (passenger) airline route EVER. But if UPS or FedEx called, I'd be there!
 
Codyjp said:
Nahhh. Legacy freight carriers in my book are the bees knees. I don't think I'd ever want to go the (passenger) airline route EVER. But if UPS or FedEx called, I'd be there!
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How bout if the "regionals" of freight carriers called, such as Amerijet, Kalitta, etc....?

Cargo SJS (or maybe DJS, dull jet syndrome) :D
 
I want to be home often enough, I want to make a decent living, and I'd like to fly cool airplanes. You'll never get rich doing this (at least I don't know anyone whose made a mint in aviation) so your best bet is just to find something you enjoy, and that pays well enough to be comfortable. Use your remaining coin to buy land, or open your own business.

Cool is a relative term, but typically, place leads into the level of coolness.

Cool for me these are all relatively on the same level as far as I'm concerned:
Lear filled with boxes
DC-3 in the Bahamas
206 on wheels into lodges/gravel bars/wherever
Navajos up here
Floats
406s in some sort of bush environment
 
I guess I see myself gunning for the airlines because it would give my family some seriously nice travel perks that I don't know if any other type of flying would provide. Now that being said, I still hope that on my way to the airlines i get to fly a ton of different planes and do different kinds of flying so I don't ever get too bored.
 
Fedex is kind of a lost cause for me, as far as I can tell, since you have to have at least 5 squadron mates walk in your resume. But if UPS called tomorrow? Go ahead and base me in ANC, I'll eat it and grin. Pax, whilst I have a natural negative reaction...when Doug gets me that interview for a steamship uniform, I'll probably at least show up and ask a few questions. ;)

That said, I've pretty much resigned myself to the notion that I might fly "little" airplanes for the rest of my life. I might pass the state department test and join the diplomatic corps. I might get a front row seat for the disintegration of civil society and become a warlord. I might get hit by a bus tomorrow and die in a ditch. The only thing I'm counting out is become a lawyer (sorry, jtrain). The only thing I know for sure is that announcing your plans is a good way to hear God laugh.

They're all Just Jobs in the end. Try to find some meaning in your actual real life and relax.

PS. I will agree, though, with Mike insofar as the best job I've had so far was on-demand 135. Don't know why it gets such a bad rap. Packed bag by the door, driving at car-chase speed to the airport whilst filing a flightplan. Where am I going again? Blast off! Good times.
 
After being a member of this forum for 2 years now i would say it's a goal less and less. All the crashes in 2009 have kind of freaked out my wife. The one in Jamaica did not help! Also she has learned more about the crazy schedules for the newbies. We want to have kid's soon and i'm not sure if i want to be gone all the time. If a job comes my way then maybe i'll consider but for now i'm gonna finish my bachelor's degree and focus on my career as a flight instructor :-).

New long term goal,

Fly my own jet for business meetings. I'll have to own the whole thing cuz netjets does not let owners fly "their" planes.

Short Term goal,

Fly my cousin's Leer Jet.



Good luck in all your aviation endeavors!!!

-Matt
 
Boris Badenov said:
Yeah but then who would make us all apoplectic with rage by posting pictures of the various beers they're drinking in exotic ports of call? You have an obligation, Taylor, an OBLIGATION.
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Ok ok ok... Here's a Heineken from this evening here in The Hague:
IMG_2083.jpg
(really!)
 
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