Airline pilot said pick a different career!

[b_r]

This is a topic I'm pretty passionate about.

I've been flying for a little over a year, close to finishing my CFI-A, and I am constantly amazed how many people I run into that are flying with the ultimate goal of becoming an Airline Pilot, based on Money/Prestige/Quality of Life/Time Off.

I'd say the America West guy was right in the sense that the days of anyone showing up to a job and getting paid handsomely for average performances are over. (Unless you have an MBA)

Any career is going to have HARD times. To put it into perspective, when times are tough, imagine how will you feel about going into a job interview that 400-500 people applying for. Will you be excited about a new opportunity, or are you just doing it because you have to get a job, and it's the only thing you know how to do? Will you be able to convince someone that you will help their business with your enthusiasm and commitment to improving your skills? Will you be lying to them and yourself by saying so? Will you be able to put up with things that you find undesirable and even downright lousy to enjoy the small percentage of work that you do?

If you ever have the opportunity to talk to a now RETIRED airline pilot, milk that time for all you can. Ask them about the 80's. Ask them about the tough times, as they've all had some. They'll probably be able to tell you what it was like to be bought, shoved in the back of the seniority line, laid off-- and then what it was like to get re-hired, for a better employer.

When I was faced with the big choice of what career to pursue at 18, I chose something other than flying that I thought would bring me wealth and happiness, based on criteria apart from what I value. Now that industry is facing times just as tough as the airlines, but worse with the complete lack of skill certification with those wanting to get into it. I'm neither wealthy nor happy doing what I have to in order to get by. Others in my field are doing well, but they have the love for it, and it shows.

During late 80's (when I was in HS) people were saying the same thing about airline pilots as they are now. I didn't think I could make it going for a flying career. I wouldn't have wasted so much time if I'd have gone for it then. It might be discouraging now to see what is going on with the airlines, but NO ONE can really say what is on the horizon for all of us.

 

[AA]

I would have to agree with the comment made earlier about the airline being america west, eventhough it was just a joke. Those guys dont seem to have it as good as the rest!

 

[pilotjww]

Didn't someone already say "We fly for free. They pay us to wait"?

 

[MQAAord]

The thing to remember about the airline industry is that it is cyclical. It runs in about 7 year cycles of good times and bad. The good times always return, unfortunantly so do the bad. Sometimes the curves go a little higher or lower than usual, and obviously we're in one of the low points right now. Someone once told me to find something you love to do, and do it so well that someone will pay you to do it.
Make your decisions based on the information you have available to you at the time, and don't look back and say, well, if I'd done this and this, it would have turned out different. I spent 6 years with American Eagle, and in the fall of 2000 I'd had enough of Eagle's crap, and started the company transfer/interview process to go over to mainline American Airlines. I did get hired by AA, transferring meant I had to start all over as far as bidding and pay senority. Because of the timing of my transfer, I'm now furloughed. If I'd stayed at Eagle I'd be a senior lineholder. But in September of 2000, transfering was a great idea, and even now I wouldn't change my decision if I could.
Bottom line, do what you want to do, if that's fly airplanes, then fly airplanes!

 

[sigmanu499]

Even though airline flying is not what it was, thoughs days will come back when airlines start making money and unions get militant again. Dont let one unhappy America West pilot make you question your career, talk to many pilots. I was given the same story about how airline flying sucks by a B-747 Capt at UPS who hung-out at SZP, back in the late 90s, when things were good. So, just because a few people arent happy...I am sure lots are. Do you think Doug would be waisting his time with this future pilots web-page if he didnt like flying and didnt think people should do it.

 

[Mr_Creepy]

[ QUOTE ]
Didn't someone already say "We fly for free. They pay us to wait"?

[/ QUOTE ]

The actual quote is "We fly for fun, but we wait for a living."

It refers to pilot services and corporate flying where you get paid flight time and wait time. There is no such thing as paid wait time at airilnes unless you count pr diem, which is usually about $1.50 an hour LOL

 

[Mavmb]

Don't get me wrong; I love flying and I'm grateful to be a pilot right now. However, I also try to be a realist and my biggest concern is that the aviation industry has made a permanent change to the worse for pilots. So I'm going to stay mentally prepared to switch careers if that is the case. So whatever happens, happens. I'll keep flying for now but I'm also going to get a real estate license and continue to look at different careers as an option; and if it turns out as a pilot I'm away from home for weeks at a time, and only making enough money to live on ramen noodles and nothing else, then I'll switch careers.

 

[Mr_Creepy]

Real Estate license is an excellent idea.

 

[CRW]

I believe HP pilots are the lowest paid major pilots in the industry, and I think they might have just taken a pay cut. That may have had an impact on his outlook

 

[tonyw]

This is why Doug and everyone else who actually gets paid to fly says "get a college degree in a non-aviation field!"