Am I nuts?

[Skåning]

I don’t mean to make light of your life experiences, but at least you broke into 5 digits.

You’re not wrong, but it was 2011 for Pete’s sake, not the Reagan era

 

[Richman]

You’re not wrong, but it was 2011 for Pete’s sake, not the Reagan era

Fair enough. I should point out that $16k was a livable wage in SoDak.

 

[Autothrust Blue]

I see your crappy pay and raise you my first year (8 months) at ExpressJet in 2011.

View attachment 75434

A short 12 years later I make that amount in 11 days. I feel incredibly lucky.

$7,300, 6 months of EMB-120ER life. Yup.

 

[Skåning]

$7,300, 6 months of EMB-120ER life. Yup.

WAIT. You flew the Brasilia?

 

[Autothrust Blue]

WAIT. You flew the Brasilia?

Yes, I can even make self-deprecating memes about it.

 

[Richman]

Meh. Brasília this Brasilia that. Talk to me if you have Bandit time.

 

[ZapBrannigan]

Meh. Brasília this Brasilia that. Talk to me if you have Bandit time.

Right?! I never flew the Brsillia but it was a gentleman’s airplane. It had an APU and an autopilot, a cockpit door, an FA and a lav.

The rest of us grinded it out in Metros and J31s and Beech 1900s. The lucky ones in Saabs, Shorts, and the elite in the Dash and the Brasillia.

Kids today are spoiled.

 

[mikecweb]

Right?! I never flew the Brsillia but it was a gentleman’s airplane. It had an APU and an autopilot, a cockpit door, an FA and a lav.

The rest of us grinded it out in Metros and J31s and Beech 1900s. The lucky ones in Saabs, Shorts, and the elite in the Dash and the Brasillia.

Kids today are spoiled.

But were you single pilot
I only flew the metro for 6 months but nothing makes you say tuck fhis like winding up the rubber bands post flight in a thunderstorm.

 

[scooter2525]

But were you single pilot
I only flew the metro for 6 months but nothing makes you say tuck fhis like winding up the rubber bands post flight in a thunderstorm.

Such a crappy time for us back then.

 

[Autothrust Blue]

Meh. Brasília this Brasilia that. Talk to me if you have Bandit time.

Born a little late for that.

 

[Autothrust Blue]

But were you single pilot
I only flew the metro for 6 months but nothing makes you say tuck fhis like winding up the rubber bands post flight in a thunderstorm.

That’ll put hair on your chest.

 

[SteveC]

I did a few years of single pilot 135 in a C310 and a C401. Can I be in the club?

 

[mikecweb]

I did a few years of single pilot 135 in a C310 and a C401. Can I be in the club?

 

[CFIT99]

Are you me? I was living in Chicago when I got hired at SJI. Very similar situation, no kids planned and loved living in the city. My wife’s fam lives in the NW burbs. About 6 months in we went to NYC to visit some friends and impulsively signed a lease. Been here ever since and love it. Housing is more expensive that Chicago for sure but on a legacy paycheck, especially if you upgrade, you can really enjoy this place.

I’ve been helping some friends decide on legacies right now and I think giving up 2 years of seniority can be kind of a hard sell with how much hiring has already happened. I would suggest seriously looking at the base options and if commuting does get to unbearable move to base. Maybe do a sublet in SEA or NYC for a month or two and see if you enjoy either. Chicago is awesome but there are some really cool other cities out there as well. The seniority boost of coastal bases can really take the sting out of the higher cost of living as well.

I grew up in Naperville...looking back it was awesome... I'm sure though as a teen I was like F this place.

Before I moved to Dallas, I lived in Wrigleyville...living in Chicago in the summer is insanely fun!

 

[Cherokee_Cruiser]

Meh. Brasília this Brasilia that. Talk to me if you have Bandit time.

Major airline pilots below 30 don’t know what a Bandit is.


“A plane that stole something?”





True story. Had a newhire at my shop, 26 yrs old. We were talking about Virgin and I mentioned how some guys came from defunct places like ATA and were L1011 Captains before.



FO: “What’s that?” (re: L1011)



***le sigh***

 

[zVo]

Thinking of switching majors after 2 years at SJI, am I nuts?

I've had a good time at SJI, but live in a UAL base (ORD). After 2 years the commute has lost its luster, and now that I've "made it" I've realized at the end of the day this is just a job, and being close to home and making my life less complicated is probably more important than a seniority number. In a perfect world I would've made the switch already, I'll turn 30 by the time I'd be hired, so I have time to make it back and just consider the two years a sunk cost.

I've been extremely fortunate with my timing, even though its only been two years at SJI, I'm already sitting at 75% in the company. With that, I don't worry about furloughs. For the last few years I feel like we've been on thin ice waiting for the next downturn. I have no interest in moving in base at SJI, long term career goals is WB flying, which I also just finally reached at my current shop. Am I nuts for thinking of leaving?

Hate to make another "what should I do" thread, hoping to get insight from those that have made the switch, and not so much a DAL vs UAL thread.

I'm with UAL in base (ORD) and not commuting is the single biggest impact on QOL -- so much so that I even bid reserve intentionally sometimes. That said, giving up 25% seniority at Delta is huge ... almost too much to give up. United has done a ton of hiring, and unless the wild expansion plan goes off without a hitch, you'll never recoup the lost seniority.

Chicago is home for me, too, so I get it. Things change though - you're plenty young, and there's any number of circumstances which may have you considering relocating 5, 10, 20 years from now. Only you can weigh the risks against the benefits in starting over, but if I were in your shoes, I'd stay put.

 

[AA34]

FO: “What’s that?” (re: L1011)



***le sigh***

 

[Maurus]

I don’t have the same time at my legacy (3.5 months), but I have a Jan 16th class date at Delta and I have zero doubts about the decision. Delta was always my priority but Family time is also everything to me, and I’ll get more of that living in base.

I live 45 mins from the ATL airport, a base that I think I can safely say will always be there.

But were you single pilot
I only flew the metro for 6 months but nothing makes you say tuck fhis like winding up the rubber bands post flight in a thunderstorm.

I would argue it was worse in the cold. Nothing hurt more than winding the props up only to hit your cold hand on a blade. That hurt like crazy.

My favorite experience was of course when no one filled out the customs paperwork for my flight to Canada and literally everyone went home for the US holiday weekend. It was also my first time going to Canada alone and literally no one was answering their phone. Took 3 hours to finally get someone from management in HQ to call me back. Those rubber bands never got touched.

 

[Soul Brotha']

Told a very younger FO that I flew for Comair and left in 2011.

A)”Never heard of them.”
B) “I was like 12 in 2011.”

 

[Cherokee_Cruiser]

Sad.


A new generation of pilots, many of whom have done zero research on the airline industry’s fights and plights.