What is wrong with pilots

brian434

brian434

Well-Known Member
So most of us spent very good money to become a pilot. Out of college we work our **** off to build flight time and get valuable experience. Even after getting some decent time in our log books we're still asked to work for <$30,000. On top of that there are training contracts, roommates during training, and a general lack of respect for who we are or what we do.


That's it. I'm done venting...
 
Simply put - supply and demand. The general aviation infrastructure and economy in the USA results in more pilots than the system really needs. Until that changes the conditions are bound to stay the same. Whether or not Congress disrupted the system remains to be seen.
 
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This just might be the catalyst that I need to make the move out of aviation.

My times are not great but I have time in the proposed aircraft. Here is the offer.

Two weeks unpaid indoc.
Shared hotel room during training.
One year initial contract.
Additional cost if placed into other aircraft (have time in higher performance aircraft)
Pay $28,000


I'm going to lose it! :mad:


I blame Bush and Obama :sarcasm: Thanks for the laugh.
 
brian434 said:
So most of us spent very good money to become a pilot. Out of college we work our **** off to build flight time and get valuable experience. Even after getting some decent time in our log books we're still asked to work for <$30,000. On top of that there are training contracts, roommates during training, and a general lack of respect for who we are or what we do.


That's it. I'm done venting...
Click to expand...

Glad to be the "few".
 
To post somewhat of a serious reply in here(I just thought that gif was hilarious), I understand. I haven't even made it to the jet a burning world and I feel you, I have had to turn down two jobs because I can't afford it. I'm a CFI, what in the world is wrong when I can't afford to take a job that is supposedly a "promotion"?
 
brian434 said:
This just might be the catalyst that I need to make the move out of aviation.

My times are not great but I have time in the proposed aircraft. Here is the offer.

Two weeks unpaid indoc.
Shared hotel room during training.
One year initial contract.
Additional cost if placed into other aircraft (have time in higher performance aircraft)
Pay $28,000
Click to expand...

Look at it this way, at least its only 1 year. I sit here 20 months into a 36 month training contract and generally hate my job and the lifestyle I'm in.
 
Pay for your own aircraft checkouts?? No. Maybe a new add-on license or something that would benefit you personally but not if it only benefits the company.
My advice? Find a job at a flight school that doesn't do that.
I'm sure you can find info about one around here somewhere...
;)
 
brian434 said:
How did you get around the spending good money part? Military? Lucky?
Click to expand...

Made real good money as a heavy equipment operator working construction right out of high school. Saved enough money to pay cash for my commercial, instrument and multi-engine. FBO that I flew out of was a multi-brand aircraft dealer and I got a gig ferrying aircraft around as soon as I got my commercial. That and the money I saved working construction got me to 1200 hrs fairly quickly. I ran into a guy I met flying checks when I was just a student pilot. He was now the ACP and recognized me and asked if I had 1200 hrs. I said "yes" and he asked If I wanted a job flying checks. I said "yes" again, and the rest is, how you say, "history".

So, no college, no CFI, hired right at 1200 hrs, ATP and Learjet type at 23 and hired at my first major at barely 26. Some would call it lucky. Some would call it being at the right place at the right time. Some would call it the result of positive networking.
 
brian434 said:
Pay $28,000


I'm going to lose it! :mad:


I blame Bush and Obama :sarcasm: Thanks for the laugh.
Click to expand...


The flying biz is no different than any other. Tell them thanks, but no thanks, the terms don't work for you. When they can't find anyone, things improve. It is hard to negotiate when you aren't willing to walk away.

Hell, I've done lots of interviews for gigs I was unlikely to take, because of pay. In hindsight, it is a smart thing to do. Someone gets used to making offers and having people walk, perhaps they rethink the compensation the next time around.
 
KSCessnaDriver said:
Look at it this way, at least its only 1 year. I sit here 20 months into a 36 month training contract and generally hate my job and the lifestyle I'm in.
Click to expand...

Ahh c'mon man, you know as well as I do that our company's contract is worth about as much as the paper it's printed on.

And to the original poster, I just turned down the class date I had scheduled for Great Lakes. Working there was supposed to be an ultimate backup plan for me, but I decided that I'm not going to be part of the problem; I can't even come close to living comfortably on that wage

. I'll go back to a non-flying job before I ever work at a place like Lakes or other similarly poor paying flying jobs.
 
drunkenbeagle said:
The flying biz is no different than any other. Tell them thanks, but no thanks, the terms don't work for you. When they can't find anyone, things improve. It is hard to negotiate when you aren't willing to walk away.

Hell, I've done lots of interviews for gigs I was unlikely to take, because of pay. In hindsight, it is a smart thing to do. Someone gets used to making offers and having people walk, perhaps they rethink the compensation the next time around.
Click to expand...
I did an interview once for mostly that reason. I knew there was a 99% chance I would not take the job if offered, was and turned it down.
 
z987k said:
I did an interview once for mostly that reason. I knew there was a 99% chance I would not take the job if offered, was and turned it down.
Click to expand...

That's one of the reasons I scheduled the Lakes interview. I wanted to get some interview experience because they were the first airline I've ever interviewed with. I wanted it to be a test run for the Piedmont interview I scheduled several days after Lakes. Well, as lcuk would have it, I nailed both interviews, but was only offered a job by Lakes.

No thanks, bro!
 
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