A little question for all you future airline drivers?
- Thread starter A320_DUDE
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Freight Guy
New Member
Well, since neither one of those poll options is a realistic answer in my case I'll just write one out.
I fly for a living because it allows me to make a decent living ( with the ever present chance of getting a new job making more money, or possibly becoming suddenly unemployed as well ), and I enjoy what I do.
Since I like the money part of it as well and not just the flying part does that mean I'm greedy?
I fly for a living because it allows me to make a decent living ( with the ever present chance of getting a new job making more money, or possibly becoming suddenly unemployed as well ), and I enjoy what I do.
Since I like the money part of it as well and not just the flying part does that mean I'm greedy?
ananoman
New Member
Those were pretty stupid choices. I do not think that being highly paid is unreasonable. I like being a pilot, but I would not have gone to 4 years of college and spent over 60k getting all my ratings to make dirt. Right now I am a CFI and the only reason I can afford to live is because my wife is supporting me. In the present state of the industry it will be several more years before I will be able to make anything close to a decent living.
Would very many people go to medical school for 8 years if they knew that they could just skip the whole college thing and make more money selling used cars? Pilots are well paid for a reason. They are just as intelligent as any other well respected professionals. They have alot more responsibility than almost anyone that I can think of.
It is one thing to love flying but as you get older other things become important as well. Things like owning a house and not worrying about how you are going to pay your bills. As others will tell you, the life of a pilot is not as glamorous as it seems from the outside. There are long hours and lots of time away from home.
How many people in the general public would be willing to make 40-50k (a reasonable wage according to some on this board) a year if it involved being on the road half the time and not seeing their families. Not very many. Tell your parents that you want to be a truck driver and see what they think of that idea. It is much cheaper to learn to drive a truck and you can avoid wasting 4 years of your life at a university. You can live it up in truck stops all over the country as you see the world through the windshield of your Kenworth. You will not even have to unlock the door of doom to go to the lav or get probed by the TSA wnen you arrive at work.
Would very many people go to medical school for 8 years if they knew that they could just skip the whole college thing and make more money selling used cars? Pilots are well paid for a reason. They are just as intelligent as any other well respected professionals. They have alot more responsibility than almost anyone that I can think of.
It is one thing to love flying but as you get older other things become important as well. Things like owning a house and not worrying about how you are going to pay your bills. As others will tell you, the life of a pilot is not as glamorous as it seems from the outside. There are long hours and lots of time away from home.
How many people in the general public would be willing to make 40-50k (a reasonable wage according to some on this board) a year if it involved being on the road half the time and not seeing their families. Not very many. Tell your parents that you want to be a truck driver and see what they think of that idea. It is much cheaper to learn to drive a truck and you can avoid wasting 4 years of your life at a university. You can live it up in truck stops all over the country as you see the world through the windshield of your Kenworth. You will not even have to unlock the door of doom to go to the lav or get probed by the TSA wnen you arrive at work.
E_Dawg
Moderator
Yes, I only want to fly to make tons of money because I'm very greedy. That's why I'm broke right now and looking forward to low wages and tough times for the forseeable future.
Something else, pilots should not have to take it up the you - know - what when it comes to payrates. For all the responsibility they have, they should hold one of the highest paying jobs around. That's not exactly the case though, nor is it realistic to expect that it will be, but the only reason pilots get what they do right now is because of all that 'whining'. Airlines will take advantage of the times to lower wages (and already are), and when times pick up it's not like the airlines will be eager to bump up the pay to the level it was previously at.
Something else, pilots should not have to take it up the you - know - what when it comes to payrates. For all the responsibility they have, they should hold one of the highest paying jobs around. That's not exactly the case though, nor is it realistic to expect that it will be, but the only reason pilots get what they do right now is because of all that 'whining'. Airlines will take advantage of the times to lower wages (and already are), and when times pick up it's not like the airlines will be eager to bump up the pay to the level it was previously at.
IrishSheepdog
Sitting in the median
I'm not really in it for the money at all. I DO however want to someday reach a level in my career where I am making a good bit of cash to enjoy some of the great things live has to offer. I'd like to own a plane someday, and a boat. Basically two things to throw my money away into.
I'd also like a comfortable house in the Chicago suburbs, and the ability to NOT worry about bills.
But to do all those things I really can't rely on JUST flying. That's why I'm getting involved in other things. I'm trying to get part-time employment with two different aviation companies (non-flying positions), and also want to start writing for aviation magazines for some extra income. We diversify our portfolios, why not diversify the income that those portfolios are fed from?
I think you shouldn't just limit yourself to flying. Find other things you love, and do those on the side. That way if there is a downturn, like there is now, you still have something to sustain you. Something other than being a waiter at TGIFridays or pumping gas with William Robert down the street.
But to do all those things I really can't rely on JUST flying. That's why I'm getting involved in other things. I'm trying to get part-time employment with two different aviation companies (non-flying positions), and also want to start writing for aviation magazines for some extra income. We diversify our portfolios, why not diversify the income that those portfolios are fed from?
I think you shouldn't just limit yourself to flying. Find other things you love, and do those on the side. That way if there is a downturn, like there is now, you still have something to sustain you. Something other than being a waiter at TGIFridays or pumping gas with William Robert down the street.
To me it is not about the money. I spent 24 years making from less than 12K a year to finally 38K a year. I stayed on the road for well over 70% of the time. I moved from place to place, spent a few years in places that I hated, all for one reason, I loved my job. Right now I making great money, but I don't love it; my job is ok, but I don't love it. In about 3 years when my son graduates high school, I'm going to quit my job, move some place warm, live on a sailboat, and hopefully fly for some money. I've done the wild oats thing, I've done the family thing, I've done the owning a house thing, now I'm ready for another rewarding job, and sunsets on a sailboat thing.
Freight Guy
New Member
Sunsets on the sailboat, a perfect example of how to properly spend some of that money made in avation! Stay away from horses though, the clumsy little monsters will put you in the poor house.
MissedApproach
Well-Known Member
Yeah, horses don't make very good pets! I know a pilot with three of em and not one is well trained. I suggested a visit to the glue factory might straighten them out.
tonyw
Well-Known Member
What if your answer is a little of both, like it is with me. Yes, I love flying and would love to make a living doing it. But you can also be damn sure that if someone wants to pay me a million bucks to do it versus $10K to do it, I'm going with the people who pay me a million bucks.
The higher the payrate is for pilots, the better.
The higher the payrate is for pilots, the better.
I used to be in the "I'd fly for FREE!" crowd right up until my first month as a Beech 1900 FO.
Then I thought it would be a lot easier when I upgraded to captain...
Or easier when I got hired by a major!
Maybe it would be easier once I got off the panel and into the FO seat!
Well, maybe when I go to an EFIS/FMS aircraft!
Almost ten years later, I still enjoy my job, but I surely wouldn't do it for extraodinarily less money.
It's hard, challenging work and don't let anyone tell you any different: Sometimes the challenges come from inclement weather, other times it comes from horrendous passenger problems, mechanical glitches, personality conflicts with other crewmembers or mega irregular operations.
Look for my book which I'll probably try and publish in 2030 when I'm safe during retirement!
Then I thought it would be a lot easier when I upgraded to captain...
Or easier when I got hired by a major!
Maybe it would be easier once I got off the panel and into the FO seat!
Well, maybe when I go to an EFIS/FMS aircraft!
Almost ten years later, I still enjoy my job, but I surely wouldn't do it for extraodinarily less money.
It's hard, challenging work and don't let anyone tell you any different: Sometimes the challenges come from inclement weather, other times it comes from horrendous passenger problems, mechanical glitches, personality conflicts with other crewmembers or mega irregular operations.
Look for my book which I'll probably try and publish in 2030 when I'm safe during retirement!
[ QUOTE ]
It's hard, challenging work and don't let anyone tell you any different: Sometimes the challenges come from inclement weather, other times it comes from horrendous passenger problems, mechanical glitches, personality conflicts with other crewmembers or mega irregular operations.
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Can you tell us about a few of the mechanical glitches that you have had? You havesparked my interest
It's hard, challenging work and don't let anyone tell you any different: Sometimes the challenges come from inclement weather, other times it comes from horrendous passenger problems, mechanical glitches, personality conflicts with other crewmembers or mega irregular operations.
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Can you tell us about a few of the mechanical glitches that you have had? You havesparked my interest
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awww.....if you share some of the things you have had to deal with in the 737/md90, i'll tell ya some of the things I had to deal with in the 210/310...hehehe
pretty please?
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Nah, my current employer most likely monitors this website looking for something salacious to slap my wrist about!
I'll tell you all about it in the book!
awww.....if you share some of the things you have had to deal with in the 737/md90, i'll tell ya some of the things I had to deal with in the 210/310...hehehe
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Nah, my current employer most likely monitors this website looking for something salacious to slap my wrist about!
I'll tell you all about it in the book!
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Nah, my current employer most likely monitors this website looking for something salacious to slap my wrist about!
I'll tell you all about it in the book!
[/ QUOTE ]
any discount for current jetcareers forum posters? lol....
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Of course! Gotta lookout for my dawgs!
[ QUOTE ]
Nah, my current employer most likely monitors this website looking for something salacious to slap my wrist about!
I'll tell you all about it in the book!
[/ QUOTE ]
any discount for current jetcareers forum posters? lol....
[/ QUOTE ]
Of course! Gotta lookout for my dawgs!
A320_DUDE
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
It's hard, challenging work and don't let anyone tell you any different: Sometimes the challenges come from inclement weather, other times it comes from horrendous passenger problems, mechanical glitches, personality conflicts with other crewmembers or mega irregular operations.
[/ QUOTE ]
Wait a minute....you mean it's not just me, I'm not some kind of freak that can piss off passnegers and crewmemebers,make turbines throw blades,make thunderstomrs appear from nowhere,or cause computer outages at NY/DC centers.!
Truthfully guys, I just wantd to know who here was going into this profession just for the money. I'm not saying fly for free,but you gotta admit...the ones that are in it for the money screw it up for the rest of us!
It's hard, challenging work and don't let anyone tell you any different: Sometimes the challenges come from inclement weather, other times it comes from horrendous passenger problems, mechanical glitches, personality conflicts with other crewmembers or mega irregular operations.
[/ QUOTE ]
Wait a minute....you mean it's not just me, I'm not some kind of freak that can piss off passnegers and crewmemebers,make turbines throw blades,make thunderstomrs appear from nowhere,or cause computer outages at NY/DC centers.!
Truthfully guys, I just wantd to know who here was going into this profession just for the money. I'm not saying fly for free,but you gotta admit...the ones that are in it for the money screw it up for the rest of us!
[ QUOTE ]
Truthfully guys, I just wantd to know who here was going into this profession just for the money. I'm not saying fly for free,but you gotta admit...the ones that are in it for the money screw it us for the rest of us!
[/ QUOTE ]
actually, i'm not in it for the money.....or the joy of flying....i just got hooked on flying bigger aircraft.....I dunno what it is, the bigger the airplane I fly, the more I wanna fly a bigger one....its like heroin...but more addictive i think
Truthfully guys, I just wantd to know who here was going into this profession just for the money. I'm not saying fly for free,but you gotta admit...the ones that are in it for the money screw it us for the rest of us!
[/ QUOTE ]
actually, i'm not in it for the money.....or the joy of flying....i just got hooked on flying bigger aircraft.....I dunno what it is, the bigger the airplane I fly, the more I wanna fly a bigger one....its like heroin...but more addictive i think