Our trade tops the list..

JDean3204

Well-Known Member
According to a few websites and a table on google, being a pilot is the worlds number one dream job, even beat out YouTuber which I find hard to believe.





A good dose of gratitude, we are all doing a job that does have purpose and excitement, not everyone can say that about their jobs. Grateful to be here and to have this job for now.
 
I think being a pilot is maybe the #1 career that people thought/dreamed about, but just never pursued. It is kind of one of those childhood fantasy jobs you say you want to do when you grow up, and then you become an adult and do other things instead. Present company excluded.


I still have the vivid memory of my Dad trying to tell me after graduating high school with a 2.3gpa…”Being a pilot takes a little more than you know, it’s not like driving a car James”.

Him telling me that lit a fire under me to figure out how to get into the career, he says to this day he doesn’t remember saying that but I do. Pretty sure I’d be a 9-5’er in Salem Oregon right now if I never acted on it, with a sweet a$$ flight sim setup though.
 
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I still have the vivid memory of my Dad trying to tell me after graduating high school with a 2.3gpa…”Being a pilot takes a little more than you know, it’s not like driving a car James”.

Him telling me that lit a fire under me to figure out how to get into the career, he says to this day he doesn’t remember saying that but I do. Pretty sure I’d be a 9-5’er in Salem Oregon right now if I never acted on it, with a sweet a$$ flight sim setup though.

…still has a sweet a$$ flight sim setup …
“But honey, I dont get to shoot missiles at work…”
 
There was quite a struggle to get where I am (though not as hard as others) but I have few complaints.

My FO and I were remarking on this very thing on the way down to ORD this morning. Things could be a lot better relative to other airlines, but it still blows my mind that they’ve put me in charge of a 747 and it just seems to be the one thing in life that I seem to excel at without needing to try that hard.

Landing with 120,000 kg of freight in a gusty crosswind was a pretty satisfying way to end the trip before heading home for 15 days of the things that ACTUALLY make me happy.
 
Today I was having a conversation with a Porsche driving instructor at a racing school thing, and even he (who has one of my all time dream jobs) is super interested in making a career change to become a pilot. Definitely made me realize how lucky I am.
my college roommate is selling his portion of his software company (not quite retirement money but a lot) and is getting his ratings...its exciting to watch the process and help instruct since I haven't instructed primary students in over a decade.
 
Today I was having a conversation with a Porsche driving instructor at a racing school thing, and even he (who has one of my all time dream jobs) is super interested in making a career change to become a pilot. Definitely made me realize how lucky I am.


Since this shortage has made news in the last year or so, I’ve had a few from my past make contact to inquire about the career. I try to be positive about it, but I know they aren’t doing it for the passion, they just heard industry wide massive pay raises and 400-500k top out pay and their ears perked up. I tell them if they can’t picture themselves doing it for close to free, don’t make the jump.
 
Things could be a lot better relative to other airlines, but it still blows my mind that they’ve put me in charge of a 747 and it just seems to be the one thing in life that I seem to excel at without needing to try that hard.

I *distinctly* remember being 18, working on the ramp, and looking up at the cockpit window of an old beat-to-hell Kalitta 74 Classic and thinking "I wonder whether I'll ever manage to get up there. What I wouldn't do..."

Now I dodge work at every opportunity and bitch and moan about the catering. Ah, the grand circle of Life!
 
I *distinctly* remember being 18, working on the ramp, and looking up at the cockpit window of an old beat-to-hell Kalitta 74 Classic and thinking "I wonder whether I'll ever manage to get up there. What I wouldn't do..."

Now I dodge work at every opportunity and bitch and moan about the catering. Ah, the grand circle of Life!


And I’m sure there is someone on that ramp staring at you wondering if they’ll ever make it haha
 
You kept on it and persevered through the mud at times, that tends to make the best captains from my observation.

I’ve certainly learned how not to be over the years. I try my best to be the absolute best leader that I would have wanted to fly with as an FO.


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You kept on it and persevered through the mud at times, that tends to make the best captains from my observation.
That’s what scares me about the next batch that dropped what they were doing and became pilots quickly and moved up really quickly. But I guess there is no way around it.
 
I think being a pilot is maybe the #1 career that people thought/dreamed about, but just never pursued. It is kind of one of those childhood fantasy jobs you say you want to do when you grow up, and then you become an adult and do other things instead. Present company excluded.

I'm not even sure how much I like flying after 23 years - I've never depended on it to pay the mortgage. The worst day in an airplane has still been better than the best day of conference calls and TPS reports though.
 
I feel like Im in the minority with regards to my ambitions growing up...

I never wanted to do this as a career, it just sort of meandered that way after pecking away at rating before college, then being burned out in academia after my undergrad BA...

I enjoy it, it comes naturally, and we make dang good money for the amount of time we put in now. But we sacrifice a lot to be in this position.
 
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