House committee votes to raise pilot retirement age to 67

I haven’t done Eagle rides but I have mentored pilots early in their journey.

To each their own. But I really don’t want to hear complaints about not being able to do recreational drugs or have a beard as reasons not to be a pilot.
Those are maybe some of the issues young people have with the profession… not THE issue.
 
lol, mr had a rainbows and sunshine career so far is calling the new hires at the majors entitled. For every tiktoker who’s a captain at delta before 30 there’s at least 10 new hires who finished flight school right into the 08 recession, worked flying utter •boxes for scumbags, probably saw at least a couple of their buddies die flying said •boxes, ground it out at the regionals BEFORE 6 figure hiring bonuses were a thing, and either had their shot at a major delayed a couple years by COVID or got hired right before COVID and got the utter terror of having “made it” only to look down the barrel of another black swan event. As per usual, he can shut the • up.
 
Those are maybe some of the issues young people have with the profession… not THE issue.

Then frankly, I’d rather not fly with this kinda individual. Sad flying with a guy who has no passion for the job and doesn’t even wanna be there. Sadly, I’ve flown with a couple “checked out” guys.
 
lol, mr had a rainbows and sunshine career so far is calling the new hires at the majors entitled. For every tiktoker who’s a captain at delta before 30 there’s at least 10 new hires who finished flight school right into the 08 recession, worked flying utter •boxes for scumbags, probably saw at least a couple of their buddies die flying said •boxes, ground it out at the regionals BEFORE 6 figure hiring bonuses were a thing, and either had their shot at a major delayed a couple years by COVID or got hired right before COVID and got the utter terror of having “made it” only to look down the barrel of another black swan event. As per usual, he can shut the • up.

Now breathe deep, in, and then out. Rinse/repeat until you’re below 120/80.
 
lol, mr had a rainbows and sunshine career so far is calling the new hires at the majors entitled. For every tiktoker who’s a captain at delta before 30 there’s at least 10 new hires who finished flight school right into the 08 recession, worked flying utter •boxes for scumbags, probably saw at least a couple of their buddies die flying said •boxes, ground it out at the regionals BEFORE 6 figure hiring bonuses were a thing, and either had their shot at a major delayed a couple years by COVID or got hired right before COVID and got the utter terror of having “made it” only to look down the barrel of another black swan event. As per usual, he can shut the • up.

The last few years, maybe decade has been pretty good to the pilots that are just getting into the industry, and those of us that have been around the block a few times know this is abnormal. Currently the stories are plentiful of people that started flight training less than five years ago at at a major Air Line. Crazy times, especially when I talk to my mentors that had a furlough or three, became flight engineers and stayed 'current' if they were lucky, became ex-pats, or took jobs outside aviation because they had a family to feed. A stark contrast to today's: "I have a CJO from SW and AA, I live in Dallas and unsure which I should accept." Through various avenues I'm still involved in mentoring, talking to youth and trying to recruit into the field. Not only potential meat servos, but also future mechanics and other positions that the industry is in dire need of. Through those encounters I learn all sorts of reasons why people don't enter the field, and it is no surprise that the job isn't as glamorous as it once was. Despite all that, the industry is still awesome.
 
Oh please. That was NOT the point.


The spoiled comment was in regards to:


* wanting only a job that is emotionally and socially pleasing to them.

* wanting not to work weekends

* wanting not to shave

* wanting to do recreational drugs.


NONE of those have to do with parents and their money. This is a fundamental mindset difference between someone like me, and the new generation.

Those things were written as a reason Gen Z doesn’t want to pilot. And I rebutted those things as entirely pathetic for the new generation.

So I’ve got 2 questions, a statement and then I’ll STFU.

1) Had you not had the option of your family paying for a school that would guarantee you an interview, would you have pursued an airline career? What would you have done to build the additional 1200hrs?

2) Have you actually heard someone who otherwise would have been interested in aviation say “nah, I don’t want to because I can’t smoke weed or get weekends off”?

I’ll be really clear here: I’m not “jealous” of your career path. You took what was available to you (not available to everyone, don’t even say that mess) and combined it with some good luck to become a comparatively senior captain at a legacy without ever having to interview at one. Because you never had the time or experience to do so.

And I don’t have an issue with anyone who took the options you did to the airlines. I do have a big issue with those who did and then criticize large sections of the professional aviation community as being incompetent, or who call an entire generation “lazy” and “entitled”.
 
... I do have a big issue with those who did and then criticize large sections of the professional aviation community as being incompetent, or who call an entire generation “lazy” and “entitled”.
Off topic, but have you heard what they say about us boomers?
 
So I’ve got 2 questions, a statement and then I’ll STFU.

1) Had you not had the option of your family paying for a school that would guarantee you an interview, would you have pursued an airline career? What would you have done to build the additional 1200hrs?

Of course I would have pursued an airline pilot career. I was adamant about it and one way or another, would have done it. That’s why I think the parents finally came around. They may not have been happy, but they saw the drive was strong and you can’t stop someone that determined at that age. I could have gotten a loan from jet U if needed be.

2007 was a wild year. You didn’t need 1200 hrs. As an example, off the street hire (regular guys) at Mesaba required 600 TT and 50 ME.

In 2004, my Cherokee Cruiser (roll credits!) rented for $55/hr wet and instructor was $20/hr. I could have flown that around to build a lot of hours if needed be. To get to 600 TT, they would have been about 22k in rental fees - cheaper than jet U actually.






2) Have you actually heard someone who otherwise would have been interested in aviation say “nah, I don’t want to because I can’t smoke weed or get weekends off”?

No. I was responding to Richman who had written that.


I’ll be really clear here: I’m not “jealous” of your career path. You took what was available to you (not available to everyone, don’t even say that mess)


That’s not a fair take. My path was available to anyone. To take advantage, you had to proceed in a certain order: private, instrument, build a little some time, and then initial Commercial IN a multi engine. That’s 3 checkrides. Then off to jet U (or other RJ programs that got you into airlines), and then direct to regional airline.

27k for jet U. Or, pay for Commmercial single. Then CFI. And CFI-I. And MEI-I. Between plane rental, instructor, ground school, DPE costs, materials, that would have been a certain cost too. Maybe not as big as 27k, but still a sizeable cost.

Once I knew what route I was gonna pursue, I did my training specific to that route. Private, instrument, Comm-ME was 3 checkrides to a RJ course which led to a regional airline.

Anyone could have done it. It’s just that according to JC, it was PFT (really wasn’t, because Gulfstream was the real PFT and this program didn’t invoke any flight time in a right seat). People chose not to do this program. 2009 came, the flight school shut down, the rest is history.



and combined it with some good luck to become a comparatively senior captain at a legacy without ever having to interview at one. Because you never had the time or experience to do so.

Also not a fair take. My regional interview - although at the Florida flight school - was actually a pretty hard interview. Took an entire day and was very thorough. VX was just as tough. At VX, only 5 of 11 were hired. That’s less than half.

I don’t consider myself a senior CA. I’ll be back on reserve come Oct 1 now that they nuked the Airbus in one bid.

The legacy job without having to interview is a weak/lame attack. You’d wear a “hired - not acquired” sticker on your flight kit? No one cares. I didn’t ask to be bought. My regional had a merger with a JCBA and a binding arbitration SLI. Then my Major/LCC had a merger with a JCBA and binding arbitration SLI. Neither airline I worked for kept their paint, the airline I signed up for on the dotted line both times is not the airline it is today.

It is what it is. Don’t hate the playa, hate the game. At times, I do too. The job itself - flying - is great. It’s the other BS that I have no control over that are negative drawbacks. Eg, base closures and moving.



And I don’t have an issue with anyone who took the options you did to the airlines. I do have a big issue with those who did and then criticize large sections of the professional aviation community as being incompetent, or who call an entire generation “lazy” and “entitled”.

Again, I responded to Richman’s list of reasons that Gen Z may not enter this career.
 
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I like having multiple professions that I can do and am qualified in, where the flying part of it is secondary. Definitely nice to have a number of fallbacks.

As a fellow triple career person (2x flying, one not), I find it to be a pretty good balance. Maybe not as much free time as some would like, but I’m in my 40’s, healthy, and it’s time to put in the work to have an early retirement. It is definitely a great mix of jobs I’m passionate about, and I don’t have the time to be bored with any. The money is nice, but like I’ve probably said before, the reason i do it primarily is to have plan B and plan C ready to execute if any one sector of business falls on hard times. That is all to say, I highly recommend diversifying beyond the airlines. It’s probably one of the most flexible careers out there, as far as giving you time to do other things (either fun, or money making, or both).
 
Sadly, it really is. Which is why despite baby #3 coming, I’m in no desire to move fast. Lost 3 bids so far.


First one was 1.298m list, I bid 1.380m, lost to a high 1.550m.

Now my agent calls me and says hey remember that first house? You can get it, it’s coming on the market for rent at $6,800/mo.



My first thought was, Eff that guy for being an investor with no skin in living in that house. My second thought was, who the hell blows 1,550,000 only to get 6800/mo in rent?! And about 1500/month is property tax, so really 5300/month.

Someone help me out. It cost 1,545,000 and he’s actually renting it out for 6,300/month.

Property tax is 1500/month.

So really gaining 4800/month.


Who does this? 4.5% savings rate on 1,545,000 would be an interest gain of 5,800/month alone. Sounds like someone is just hiding cash. Either that or he must think this is going to appreciate tremendously.




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When was the last time you gave a Young Eagle ride or spent time mentoring someone that is just starting out?

Those are all very real concerns and reasons why young adults do not pursue this profession. Not only that, there are members of this board that left the profession for reasons similar, or medical issues. One friend of mine grew up in an aviation family, but chose not to pursue a professional career for the same reasons. They’re doing alright in their field, making good wide body FO / ULCC CA income and don’t have to wait for the hotel van 30x a month.
CC mentors daily on this forum…of what not to be :)
 
lol, mr had a rainbows and sunshine career so far is calling the new hires at the majors entitled. For every tiktoker who’s a captain at delta before 30 there’s at least 10 new hires who finished flight school right into the 08 recession, worked flying utter •boxes for scumbags, probably saw at least a couple of their buddies die flying said •boxes, ground it out at the regionals BEFORE 6 figure hiring bonuses were a thing, and either had their shot at a major delayed a couple years by COVID or got hired right before COVID and got the utter terror of having “made it” only to look down the barrel of another black swan event. As per usual, he can shut the • up.

I was flying at AMF 2006-2014 just to put things into context. It took me that long to finally get a break in corporate aviation...and that was just to get an opportunity to fly a beechjet at a decent operator...not a great one.
 
By the way, it didn’t make it to the house bill that was passed. The senate is working on its own bill and they will have to be reconciled. It could be offered as an amendment, but there’s not much appetite to address controversial issues; rather there is an appetite to pass legislation avoid operational disruption at the FAA.
 
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