Risk Aversions And Your Career

[esa17]

Well...I agree to an extent but I don't have a lick of turbine PIC. The turbine time I do have (all 600 hours of it) is SIC, but that combined with a couple years worth of 402 time worked out pretty well. Granted, I don't work for Southwest, but hey, it was a step up for sure.

You know this as well as everyone else, but networking is king. Always will be. :beer:

I don't think SIC time is worthless, just that SIC time with a lot of supplemental PIC time is more attractive. If I had to pick the weakest point of my resume it's the near total lack of crew experience. My 1000hrs of dual give count to some extent but that's not the "crew environment" most people are looking for.

You're totally right about networking. Try not to burn bridges, always be in interview mode, and most of all treat everyone you meet with respect because often times it's the guy you're not expecting who owns Walmart.

 

[falconvalley]

Doug's post (and others') has a lot of hard truth to it. My big hand has always been "comfort zone". When I was in HS, I really wanted to be a fighter pilot, but my grades weren't good enough, because I never wanted to go out of my comfort zone and study when I needed to.

I went outside of my comfort zone and joined the AF as an aircraft mechanic. That gave me skills that have allowed me to make money when my primary job was gone.

I went outside of my comfort zone and joined the ANG when I was unsure of whether I would want to endure more of the military lifestyle. I could go on and on about how that has led to 10+ years of opportunity.

I went outside of my comfort zone and cleaned airplanes in the middle of the night. That led to a part time right seat job in a King Air, which at the time just paid the bills. The experience I got in that King Air, while not useful time for currency, paid off in a big way later...

I went outside of my comfort zone and went to Ohio to be a freight dog when I was still hung up on passing my FC-I for the military. I was only there a year and ended up tanking a couple checkrides at the end and I was very uncomfortable about applying for another flying job so soon, but I did, and...

I went- ok, you get the picture. My previous experience in King Airs helped me get through sim training in the Beech 1900 with relative ease. I got over my head game about how crappy I was flying and landed a new job just a few short months after I was fired. I upgraded 6 months later. Dare I say I thought for second how uncomfortable it was to be facing an ATP-typeride-Upgrade PC only 10 months after failing out of transition training at a previous company? I was, but I buckled down and did it.

Sometimes, the best decision isn't always so obvious, especially when it is something you wouldn't think of doing without considering all alternatives and the pros and cons of them. Those of us who fly with multiple crewmembers a month hear a lot about what is comfortable and what isn't. In the coming years, there will be more opportunity, but that doesn't mean the easiest choice will be the "win". Pick a goal, point yourself at at and keep heading in that direction. Don't forget where you are going when you have a tough choice.

 

[MikeD]

Doug's post (and others') has a lot of hard truth to it. My big hand has always been "comfort zone". When I was in HS, I really wanted to be a fighter pilot, but my grades weren't good enough, because I never wanted to go out of my comfort zone and study when I needed to.

I only had a 2.55 college GPA and a 2.4 HS GPA, and I ended up flying the F-117. So anything is possible, no single thing will hold you back from something you want to do. It just falls under one of the 4 rules I posted above.

 

[Blackhawk]

I only had a 2.55 college GPA and a 2.4 HS GPA, and I ended up flying the F-117. So anything is possible, no single thing will hold you back from something you want to do. It just falls under one of the 4 rules I posted above.

Yeah, but you look like a fighter pilot. I mean your avatar is the spitting image of you.:rotfl:

 

[Blackhawk]

As I've said many a time:

1. There are no guarantees.
2. Life isn't fair.
3. Timing is everything
4. Seniority has its privileges

Remember that, live by it, and you'll never be surprised.

I would add that sometimes bad luck is good luck. In the words of Buckaroo Banzai no matter where you go, there you are. If a hurricane hits the coast sometimes the best thing to do is grab your surfboard and hit the surf.
I know at the age of 23 when you've been furloughed from your dream job this is difficult to imagine, but if you keep your head up, realistically evaluate your goals and drive on you may find years later that things worked out for the best.

 

[Speed Pilot]

This is a great thread for me right now. I've got a job offer several states away. I'm working on another job offer only one state away. I own my house and the market is so bad I won't be able to sell it. I'll be renting it out and letting a property management company take care of it. It's a better opportunity all the way around it just involves more risk than I wanted to accept.

 

[Tld]

Make the best decisions you can, based on the information you have available to you at the time, but know that NOTHING is certain. The only constant in anything is change, and the better you are at being able to adapt to anything life throws at you the better off you'll be in every facet of your life.

:yeahthat:

Threads like this, and people like those of you who have contributed to this thread, are the reason I love JC so much. For my own journey, this thread couldn't have come at a better time (How did you know Doug?) Anyways, risk and reward are usually directly proportional, and I'm about to take a big risk....thanks for reminding me of the bigger picture and potential reward involved. I've given up a lot to pursue this career, and I know it's just the beginning. Thank you Doug and all my JC friends for paying it forward and helping to keep it in perspective.

 

[Pilotforhire587]

Dougie,


You are so smart. :rawk: Seriously though, its good to have some one yell the truth about the industry once in a while.

Thanks for that and all you do for us here on JC

 

[derg]

Comfort is a false illusion and a lot of us haven't realized that.

Another example. Two years ago the JFK 767 ER category was super junior, flew the best European and Middle East trips and it was a category where I "knew" I could camp out until time to hold 767 ER captain, which was (at the time) almost "right there, man!"

Very comfortable, easy bidding, need some extra time? Just say "Gimme a three day trip!" and you'll probably get Nice, Paris, Lyon, Rome, etc. Dozing/dining for dollars, layover on the French Riviera, sit around the pool all day drinking wine from the Monoprix and munching on fresh French bread.

Then the A330 came to NYC and a lot of the longer-haul, highly sought-after flying went away.

Then the 767-400 came to NYC and took even more of the "premium" flying.

The 747-400 took away the cush Tel Aviv 30 hour layovers on the beach.

Now the comfortable, super-junior JFK 767 ER category where you don't check in until 5pm-ish, get back before 4pm-ish all out of JFK is almost half domestic, lots of 0700 departures out of LGA headed to a four-leg day through domestic hub cities and now unless you've got some good seniority (which luckily I do), you're going to have a wacky schedule.

My PBS bid went from 15 to 20 "prefers" to almost 60 "avoids" before I even start the "prefers".

Comfort is an illusion.

But instead of ranting and raving on the DALPA forum about how the category changed, I've already accepted that the career satisfaction is largely a "moving target". The comfortable day trips a CRJ-900 pilot based in CLT with good seniority today has a better chance than not of becoming a five-day ball-buster.

Ask any senior Comair pilot, house in Covington, 10 minute drive to the employee parking lot, etc about where he was, where he thought he was going and where he is today.

 

[Pilotforhire587]

Comfort is a false illusion and a lot of us haven't realized that.

Another example. Two years ago the JFK 767 ER category was super junior, flew the best European and Middle East trips and it was a category where I "knew" I could camp out until time to hold 767 ER captain, which was (at the time) almost "right there, man!"

Very comfortable, easy bidding, need some extra time? Just say "Gimme a three day trip!" and you'll probably get Nice, Paris, Lyon, Rome, etc. Dozing/dining for dollars, layover on the French Riviera, sit around the pool all day drinking wine from the Monoprix and munching on fresh French bread.

Then the A330 came to NYC and a lot of the longer-haul, highly sought-after flying went away.

Then the 767-400 came to NYC and took even more of the "premium" flying.

The 747-400 took away the cush Tel Aviv 30 hour layovers on the beach.

Now the comfortable, super-junior JFK 767 ER category where you don't check in until 5pm-ish, get back before 4pm-ish all out of JFK is almost half domestic, lots of 0700 departures out of LGA headed to a four-leg day through domestic hub cities and now unless you've got some good seniority (which luckily I do), you're going to have a wacky schedule.

My PBS bid went from 15 to 20 "prefers" to almost 60 "avoids" before I even start the "prefers".

Comfort is an illusion.

But instead of ranting and raving on the DALPA forum about how the category changed, I've already accepted that the career satisfaction is largely a "moving target". The comfortable day trips a CRJ-900 pilot based in CLT with good seniority today has a better chance than not of becoming a five-day ball-buster.

Ask any senior Comair pilot, house in Covington, 10 minute drive to the employee parking lot, etc about where he was, where he thought he was going and where he is today.

Speaking of Comair, I just walked two of there capt. resumes in to Commutair. One 1999 and a 2000 DOH. Both were captains with crap tons of time!

 

[FL900]

Flying is only fun when it is a hobby. When it's a job, it becomes a chore.

A lot of pilots eventually get to the point where they feel that way. I always try to avoid spending time with them.

 

[queeno]

That is why I am switching over to ATC and be a flight instructor at my leisure by teaching who I want and not who I need to in order to get the experience needed to fly a regional and be kicked in the ass. Yes, ATC also have risks but flying far outweighs that. I have potential to make a six figure salary in my 20s... i can't really complain to that. Flying is only fun when it is a hobby. When it's a job, it becomes a chore.

what makes you think youll retire with the FFA, even ATC isnt safe and your one administration away from being contracted out, dont belive me just asked the FSS folk about the screwing that they got.

all i can say is that iam glad i got away with a few marbles left and a pretty good pension ( that i paid 20% of my own money a year to get, nothing is free in the FED).

 

[Houston]

In our youth, we often thing that aviation begins and ends in the cockpit. After far too many nights away from home, missed school plays, and not being there when a loved one needed to be taken to the doctor, that view starts to change.

I would encourage people to not just look "up" the food chain, but also look laterally. Having experience as an aviator is an excellent basis for a lot of jobs that have a much better quality of life and often have greater financial rewards too. Never stop improving your capabilities and your resume. Whether that be working on an MBA or taking on a part time job in airport management to learn more about a different aspect of aviation, just keep widening the options available in the future. Then when something happens (for example, the carrier goes out of business), or you decide your quality of life needs a change, you are prepared to make that move.

 

[mrivc211]

The real answer I want to know is whether you can teach me how to dougie?

Comfort is a false illusion and a lot of us haven't realized that.

Another example. Two years ago the JFK 767 ER category was super junior, flew the best European and Middle East trips and it was a category where I "knew" I could camp out until time to hold 767 ER captain, which was (at the time) almost "right there, man!"

Very comfortable, easy bidding, need some extra time? Just say "Gimme a three day trip!" and you'll probably get Nice, Paris, Lyon, Rome, etc. Dozing/dining for dollars, layover on the French Riviera, sit around the pool all day drinking wine from the Monoprix and munching on fresh French bread.

Then the A330 came to NYC and a lot of the longer-haul, highly sought-after flying went away.

Then the 767-400 came to NYC and took even more of the "premium" flying.

The 747-400 took away the cush Tel Aviv 30 hour layovers on the beach.

Now the comfortable, super-junior JFK 767 ER category where you don't check in until 5pm-ish, get back before 4pm-ish all out of JFK is almost half domestic, lots of 0700 departures out of LGA headed to a four-leg day through domestic hub cities and now unless you've got some good seniority (which luckily I do), you're going to have a wacky schedule.

My PBS bid went from 15 to 20 "prefers" to almost 60 "avoids" before I even start the "prefers".

Comfort is an illusion.

But instead of ranting and raving on the DALPA forum about how the category changed, I've already accepted that the career satisfaction is largely a "moving target". The comfortable day trips a CRJ-900 pilot based in CLT with good seniority today has a better chance than not of becoming a five-day ball-buster.

Ask any senior Comair pilot, house in Covington, 10 minute drive to the employee parking lot, etc about where he was, where he thought he was going and where he is today.