Save G.A.

I know being close to graduating and seeing my friends about to go off to start at 60-90k a year at various jobs, it's hard not to think, "I want to drop 30-50k for more school so that I can instruct for two years and then start at around 20k at my first year at a regional?" I'm sure a lot of aspiring pilots are thinking of the same thing which maybe is contributing to the problem. Pilots were treated like royalty in the 70's, which naturally makes sense to me that there were more pilots back then.
 
Sprint100 said:
She asked the student pilots attending the AOPA Pilot Town Meeting to stand, and said, “These are the most valuable people here tonight. They represent the future of general aviation, and there should be hundreds of them sitting in the audience.” There were six out of a crowd of 300.

http://www.aopa.org/training/articles/2008/080411ga.html
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Sounds like good news to me. A lower supply of pilots increases our leverage to improve our profession.
 
It's hard to find people who are willing to plunk down $50K on top of their college degree to get a job that will pay them $20K their first year.

I love flying. I enjoy it. But after being faced with the reality of the situation, I just can't make the numbers work.

I've got a buddy in ALPA's communications department. He and I had a talk about this problem, and it's just not something I can get around.

It sucks giving up a dream, but then, I learned how to deal with never being a professional athlete.
 
Yeah, guard a desk for over a decade and then talk to me. You can do a lot more with happiness than money.
 
sdfcvoh said:
Yeah, guard a desk for over a decade and then talk to me. You can do a lot more with happiness than money.
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Yeah that's what I was thinking. I had considered being a history teacher before committing to be a pilot because I was scared of the factors of being a pilot and the instability of the industry. When deciding to be a history teacher, I had already decided that money isn't always the answer to happiness as I looked at all the wealthy dysfunctional families. Loving your job seems to usually be the best thing to look for, and though teaching didn't look like the best job, I at least was able to stay out of a cubical. But then I asked myself, is being a teacher really what I want to do? NO. Besides in my case, I wouldn't be rich anyway, so why not go with what I really want to do. Hopefully I have made the right decision. But most importantly it feels right in the gut, not to mention I could always get out and still become a teacher. Or I could even go into law school. Contrary to common belief, you can do a lot with a history degree.:D
 
sdfcvoh said:
Yeah, guard a desk for over a decade and then talk to me. You can do a lot more with happiness than money.
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Been there, done that.

You tell me how to make those numbers work and then we can chat.

I can't make them work.

I've been in the workforce since 1990. That means I was working before a lot of this year's freshman class in college was born.

Sure, people can tell you all they want that loving your job is more important than money but you know what?

Love doesn't pay the bills. Love doesn't put a roof over your head. Love doesn't put food on the table.

I am not taking a job where I qualify for food stamps just because I enjoy it.

Especially since there are plenty of jobs that are enjoyable with bigger paychecks.

I am hopeful that PCL is right and that the pilot shortage everyone's talking about will require them to raise pay. I really hope so.

It's probably too late for me, but there might be other people who can make the jump if that happens!
 
tonyw said:
Been there, done that.

You tell me how to make those numbers work and then we can chat.

I can't make them work.

I've been in the workforce since 1990. That means I was working before a lot of this year's freshman class in college was born.

Sure, people can tell you all they want that loving your job is more important than money but you know what?

Love doesn't pay the bills. Love doesn't put a roof over your head. Love doesn't put food on the table.

I am not taking a job where I qualify for food stamps just because I enjoy it.

Especially since there are plenty of jobs that are enjoyable with bigger paychecks.

I am hopeful that PCL is right and that the pilot shortage everyone's talking about will require them to raise pay. I really hope so.
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Amen!

-mini
 
You know.... I've been on both sides. I flew a desk for 13 years. Really didn't mind it for about 5 years...but, I knew my heart wasn't in it.

Flash forward 8 years and I'm still doing the office job thing and pulling down a nice income...but, I'm very unhappy.

Flash forward another three years and I'm making $15K my first year (March to December) and absolutely loving it.

I'm in my third year at a regional now and there are times that I look on Monster.com or some career site to see what's available back in the prior part of my life.....but, I just couldn't do it again. Ever.

Money isn't everything. It helps.

But, what life comes down to is being happy in what you do, not "who you are."

At the end of the day, I'm not an "airline pilot." I'm a husband, a father, a brother and a son.

Everything else is secondary.

Keep chasing the $$ and you'll find yourself very very unhappy.
 
ready2fly said:
At the end of the day, I'm not an "airline pilot." I'm a husband, a father, a brother and a son.

Everything else is secondary.
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And there you have it, my friend.

Everything else is secondary.

I think you have the right attitude. You don't let your job define you and you see it as a means to an end.
 
ready2fly said:
At the end of the day, I'm not an "airline pilot." I'm a husband, a father, a brother and a son.

Everything else is secondary.

Keep chasing the $$ and you'll find yourself very very unhappy.
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:yeahthat:

If it pays enough, I'd fly rubber dog........


Ohhh, never mind...I guess I already do that.:rolleyes:
 
ready2fly said:
Money isn't everything. It helps.

But, what life comes down to is being happy in what you do, not "who you are."

At the end of the day, I'm not an "airline pilot." I'm a husband, a father, a brother and a son.

Everything else is secondary.

Keep chasing the $$ and you'll find yourself very very unhappy.
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Exactly my stance. I still hope to be an airline pilot or cargo pilot someday, but that and any other occupation is just secondary in regards to who I am. That is why I think that people getting into aviation really need to love both aspects of flying, G.A. and professional flying. Who knows what'll happen in the future between airlines, pilot supply and demand, the economy, etc.
 
minitour said:
And "user fees" are going to do...........what, exactly?

-mini
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I would think he is for them since he is for lower supply of pilots thus better leverage at the bargaining table:) If the airlines were to raise fares there wouldn't be a cry for user fees.
 
minitour said:
And "user fees" are going to do...........what, exactly?

-mini
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Reduce the tax burden on the airlines and shift some of it to the corporate and charter operators, for starters. Plus, it will reduce the number of people getting into aviation because the fees will raise the entry costs. Lower supply increases bargaining leverage.
 
aloft said:
Word. It wasn't easy, but I had to learn to deal with never being a stone-cold PIMP! :D
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There still is hope for that dream.....


Paying $50 per hour in gas alone for a two seat trainer is the problem.

The biggest problem for GA is fuel costs.

Fuel is expensive because this country has a jacked up energy policy.

Fix the energy policy and GA will be happy again.

Remind anyone of the term Regime Change?????;)
 
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