Anyone here that is "indifferent" or is it just me?

N8081G

New Member
First off i want to thank the guys who replied in my other thread about the single engine manuveurs in a multi-engine airplane. I appreciate it!!

So now i find myself acting weird lately. I am currently a Private Pilot, Instrument rated that is very close to gaining my CPL. A few months ago its all i ever wanted, to be called a "Commercial Pilot". It then hit me that it is nothing more than just a title and doesn't necessarily makes me a better pilot than anyone else. I already hold a pilot's licenses so i figured whats the rush? No one is going to offer me job anytime soon. I am being turned off from aviation at this moment with the current state it's in and really don't think i want to fly for a living anymore.

After reading many threads and listening to a lot of pilots in the real world, i came to the conclusion that aviation doesn't respect the time and money you spent into it, nor does it care about how passionate you are in the field. When push come to shove you'll be out of a job. I feel very bad for those that got laid off and wish them best of luck. Is there anyone else in here who is in my position? I bet there are many! I never thought i'd have seen this day when flying is not on the top of my priorities anymore but needless to say i will carry on and get my CPL. I started to understand that flying should just be for fun and you shouldn't expect it to be your main source of income. If thats the case look for a backup asap!!!!
Well i just felt like venting so join me if you wish!
 
It's good that you recognized those feeling early on rather than 10 years down the line. Flying for a living is not for everyone. If you don't have the desire to stick it out come hell or high water than its just not worth your time. Best of luck in which ever path you choose.
 
Yea man, good thing i don't have a wife or kids and a mortgage to pay. I'm still a 21 year old wonder who should probably run from this as a career and study something else while my brains are still sharp. I've been having mixed feelings about this all the time, i guess i need to relax really well over the weekend. We all can use a break!
 
I've been where you're at more than a few times. What you have to ask yourself is: do you love flying for the sake of flying? Or is it something else? Best thing you can do for yourself is just what you said: relax over the weekend, do some serious soul-searching.

Good luck with whatever you decide.
 
To be successful in flying for a career, you have to really want it more than anything else in this world. You have to be willing to go through the furloughs, the low pay, numerous relocations, job changes, and the fact that you will never have any job stability. If your love of flying is strong enough to handle all of that, go for it! If not, you will probably be happier in a different career field.
 
I am in the same position, I understand completely what you are going through. I love flying, it is all I can think about. I have wanted to be a pilot for as long as I can remember. I am a PPL workin on my IR with full intentions of being a commercial pilot. I think we share the same aprehension. Spending a large sum of money to build our knowledge and skill base to get hired with a company that will pay us a salary of an unskilled laborer.

I think outside of a large amount of luck, who you know and right place right time you need to get into it smartly. Aviation is a job just like any other and should be approached as such. You would not work for a terrible company with bad pay because they promised you a corner office would you? So why work for a terrible airline with terrible pay and terrible bases just because you will get to be an FO on a shiny jet?

Work a day job a little longer while flying on weekends/nights or instruct longer and get your MEI and build the multi time so you can get on with a company you want, not just any company looking for a comm rating with a pulse.

I think if more people getting into aviation would do this our profession would take a turn for the positive. Airlines might realize we are more than just giddy kids who just want to fly jets, we actually demand a good QOL starting as a regional FO, freight pilot, charter or fractionl pilot.
 
I am to agree! I am to shortly begin my training. I fear there is no fun to be had! People say economy is bad but is better than Russia or worse Uzbekistan! Dirty dogs!
 
I've come to the conclusion that flying is the greatest job in the world, but possibly not the greatest career in the world. I'll have 11 months in the industry when I get furloughed...then I'll have the next ~2 years before recall sitting in a cubicle to make up my mind on whether to come back.
 
First off i want to thank the guys who replied in my other thread about the single engine manuveurs in a multi-engine airplane. I appreciate it!!

So now i find myself acting weird lately. I am currently a Private Pilot, Instrument rated that is very close to gaining my CPL. A few months ago its all i ever wanted, to be called a "Commercial Pilot". It then hit me that it is nothing more than just a title and doesn't necessarily makes me a better pilot than anyone else. I already hold a pilot's licenses so i figured whats the rush? No one is going to offer me job anytime soon. I am being turned off from aviation at this moment with the current state it's in and really don't think i want to fly for a living anymore.

After reading many threads and listening to a lot of pilots in the real world, i came to the conclusion that aviation doesn't respect the time and money you spent into it, nor does it care about how passionate you are in the field. When push come to shove you'll be out of a job. I feel very bad for those that got laid off and wish them best of luck. Is there anyone else in here who is in my position? I bet there are many! I never thought i'd have seen this day when flying is not on the top of my priorities anymore but needless to say i will carry on and get my CPL. I started to understand that flying should just be for fun and you shouldn't expect it to be your main source of income. If thats the case look for a backup asap!!!!
Well i just felt like venting so join me if you wish!

I feel exactly the same way that you do. In fact, I am about to complete my instrument rating, and am not too sure I will go any further with ratings, except maybe a multi-engine. I am actually in the process of about to get back into school, and finish my degree in information technology/ computer information systems. I will see how things go, with the industry, but I feel, right now, like I would be just fine being a weekend warrior, and owning my own little plane, while having a more stable, better paying career. Just FYI, I made more my first year, as a ramper for a regional airline, than many pilots made. I've also been furloughed, twice, in two years, of working for the airlines, as a ramper, and that puts a sour taste in my mouth.
 
To be successful in flying for a career, you have to really want it more than anything else in this world. You have to be willing to go through the furloughs, the low pay, numerous relocations, job changes, and the fact that you will never have any job stability. If your love of flying is strong enough to handle all of that, go for it! If not, you will probably be happier in a different career field.

I love my fiance like that, but I will never love any job like that. I mean how am I supposed to love something that doesn't give a #### about me, and will abuse me and ditch me at a moments notice.

That's normally called an abusive relationship, but around here we call it an airline career.
 
This is a tough subject, especially in these times. As recent as a couple months ago, you could get on with a "reasonable" regional with under 500 hours...but of course a lot of those folks will be furloughed. I am not in the commercial side of it, but I can tell you that flying for a living does take some of the "fun" out of it. If you aren't having fun now while training, then you are going to dislike the job in a pretty short order, because after all, it IS a JOB.

Of course, sitting in a cube all day sucks out loud, but it's all about QOL. If you can hook a good paying STABLE job that could afford the opportunity to just fly "for fun" then maybe that would be a good deal for you. After 15 years in the AF enduring some tough times, life is real good for me. One of the dreams I have had for a LONG time is owning an airplane...and I have finally realized that dream. As a matter of fact, today was the 1st day I went out in it on my own...simply awesome!!! I can say that had I not stayed in the AF and tried to do the regional or 135 thing instead a few years back, I would not be able to buy a plane...hell, perhaps not even pay a mortgage!

One other thing...when you do find "that someone special"...things can change, and in a hurry. When I was married (not anymore...woohoo!) I came to resent my wife because she didn't have the "flying bug" and always thought she was second fiddle to aviation. To her credit, she was right...but she wasn't very pleasant to be around either. My current SO understands that this is MUCH more than just a hobby and she supports me...even through my "flip-flopping" career aspirations.

OK, I have rambled way too much, but I would say finish up the CSEL and just think about where you may want to be in 5 years...that can help you figure out what you might need to do to get there.
 
I am being turned off from aviation at this moment with the current state it's in and really don't think i want to fly for a living anymore.

After reading many threads and listening to a lot of pilots in the real world, i came to the conclusion that aviation doesn't respect the time and money you spent into it, nor does it care about how passionate you are in the field. When push come to shove you'll be out of a job. I feel very bad for those that got laid off and wish them best of luck. Is there anyone else in here who is in my position?

Yes, there are others who feel the same way. Me, for example.

A few years ago I was so gung ho to ditch the office job and go flying for a living. I was thinking of taking out a loan or going to the bank of the parents for money so that I could get my tickets.

Then I discovered this site and noticed that a lot of the people who got there said take your time and don't take on debt.

So I did.

And the more I learned about the industry -- and I got to see it about as close as someone who wasn't in it could since I was working for a magazine that covered it -- the more I thought, maybe this isn't for me.

I still love flying. I still love to get up there and just tool around on a VFR day with absolutely nothing to do, although I don't do that as much with fuel prices as high as they are.

But do it for a living?

Forget it.
 
Instead, Tony networked his way to a kick-ass non-aviation job!

(Networking, it WORKS! That's why it's called networking!)
 
Yeah, that is part of the reason why I don't want into the industry. If I was still stuck at the job I had before, I'd probably still be looking to make the jump.

Now?

I work for an employer that treats me well -- my health insurance pays more OUT of network (80/20) than my old employer paid IN network (70/30). I leave my job behind when I go home at night. I get paid as much as a five year captain at American Eagle.

Why would I toss all that away for a chance to have a business card that says airline pilot?

And I owe it all to networking and a very dear, dear, dear friend!

To those of you who do want to make the jump, I wish you well. And for those of you who are there now and facing tough times, I feel for you.

But always remember that no matter what happens as far as your aviation career goes, you can still fly for fun!
 
But always remember that no matter what happens as far as your aviation career goes, you can still fly for fun!

Only if you don't get grounded!
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( :eek: )
 
Yeah, that is part of the reason why I don't want into the industry. If I was still stuck at the job I had before, I'd probably still be looking to make the jump.

Now?

I work for an employer that treats me well -- my health insurance pays more OUT of network (80/20) than my old employer paid IN network (70/30). I leave my job behind when I go home at night. I get paid as much as a five year captain at American Eagle.

Why would I toss all that away for a chance to have a business card that says airline pilot?

And I owe it all to networking and a very dear, dear, dear friend!

To those of you who do want to make the jump, I wish you well. And for those of you who are there now and facing tough times, I feel for you.

But always remember that no matter what happens as far as your aviation career goes, you can still fly for fun!
omg we can get business cards that say airline pilot? :rawk::rawk::rawk:
 
Or, instead of listening to all the doom and gloomers you could fly freight, make more than people haulers and love your job and life. Like I do. With all the bad stuff going on I was just recently hired by a company that is GROWING. High gas prices or not the boxes always have to go. Think about it.
 
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