Decided to make aviation a career.. Now what do I do?

Socal321 said:
hahahah I nearly fell out of my chair. Get used to not being paid what you're worth. Especially for your generation.
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It's not just the aviation industry, folks. Most entry-level jobs will pay you far less that you're worth, and the higher level jobs are also slashing benefits and pay. It doesn't matter which industry you're in, you'll find this. You can thank NAFTA, "free trade," and deregulation for this.

If you really want to make money, come up with a creative idea and start your own business.
 
jtrain609 said:
I will ask you to consider one thing, and one thing only.

All the people that have negative attitudes towards this career at one point LOVED airplanes. They loved to fly airplanes enough that they gave up a whole heck of a lot in order to fly airplanes for a living.

Don't write those people off as simply sissies that couldn't make the sacrifices, haters who started hating for no reason, hacks who couldn't hack it, or worst of all; as people that you'll never become.

Most people will discount what they have to say because they don't want to hear it. Instead, try to figure out how those people got from where you are today (because they were in the same place at some point), and wound up where they are now.

Anybody that tells you that any job is all roses or all crap is lying to you.
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This career pretty much is all roses for a single dude. You don't really work that much, you get some pretty cool benes in terms of flying pases, or general fun, you meet great people, and its way better than doing the other things you're qualified for (i.e. changing oil, bussing tables, tending bar, working in an office). The thing you have to remember is that this is a blue collar job. Flying is a trade. Expect to be treated like a blue collar worker, expect to be paid like a blue collar worker. It doesn't make it right, and we will try to do better, but see it for what it is.

This isn't "Catch Me If You Can," or "Top Gun." This is real life. Treat it as such.
 
twotwowoo said:
It's not just the aviation industry, folks. Most entry-level jobs will pay you far less that you're worth, and the higher level jobs are also slashing benefits and pay. It doesn't matter which industry you're in, you'll find this. You can thank NAFTA, "free trade," and deregulation for this.

If you really want to make money, come up with a creative idea and start your own business.
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Very true, most of my friends have taken substantial pay cuts this year, including me. These are all people making well into the six figures. The main reason for the pay cuts is that employers feel they can get away with them right now.

Then again, we are all better off than the average airline pilot.
 
drunkenbeagle said:
Very true, most of my friends have taken substantial pay cuts this year, including me. These are all people making well into the six figures. The main reason for the pay cuts is that employers feel they can get away with them right now.

Then again, we are all better off than the average airline pilot.
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Ahh the old "for the financial well being of our company" or "so we dont have to lay anyone off". Funny how when they are going well they dont just give across the board raises and tell us they are for our finanical well being for keeping the company going, instead we will all have to fight tooth and nail to get back to where we were 3 years ago, and they will expect us all to smile and be content with it.
 
Matt13C said:
Ahh the old "for the financial well being of our company" or "so we dont have to lay anyone off". Funny how when they are going well they dont just give across the board raises and tell us they are for our finanical well being for keeping the company going, instead we will all have to fight tooth and nail to get back to where we were 3 years ago, and they will expect us all to smile and be content with it.
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Actually, the justification for our pay cuts was to provide funds to increase bonuses for management.
 
drunkenbeagle said:
It was in the footnotes of the presentation. HR did a conference call at 6 AM thinking no one would listen to it.
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Ouch! That is just wrong. Ours didnt take a pay cut and one had the nerve to say, "It shouldnt be the pay that motivates, but the work", as he sits on piles of cash, but to actually take money from people to give them a bonus. Wow, thats just low.
 
This job is not unique in that it's a long shot to get the brass ring. Perhaps most get that. However, many chasing the dream are in denial they will end up broke, divorced, kids messed up, living a life far short of what they set their sights on when they started out. It has happened many times. It's happening right now. It will continue to happen because there will always be a steady stream of fresh meat thinking: "It won't happen to me; I will beat the odds and win".

There is a natural progression of attitudes that generally goes like this,

(1) I will do anything to fly, I will pay to fly...

(2) Flying is the only thing I can see myself doing, I will fly for free...

(3) I don't care how little I get paid, I'm getting paid to fly not sit in a cube...

(4) I like to fly but I resent not getting paid what I'm worth...

(5) I would prefer to not to fly, the sacrifices are greater that the rewards...

(6) I quit; I have given my money, time, life and soul to the career; It has given so little in return I withdraw my training, skills, and experience. Good riddance...


As you can see from the responses on this thread, there are pilots responding from every level. It's all a matter of time and expectations.




http://forums.jetcareers.com/general-topics/53768-expectations-how-save-5-airline-ticket.html






.
 
seaav8tor said:
This job is not unique in that it's a long shot to get the brass ring. Perhaps most get that. However, many chasing the dream are in denial they will end up broke, divorced, kids messed up, living a life far short of what they set their sights on when they started out. It has happened many times. It's happening right now. It will continue to happen because there will always be a steady stream of fresh meat thinking: "It won't happen to me; I will beat the odds and win".

There is a natural progression of attitudes that generally goes like this,

(1) I will do anything to fly, I will pay to fly...

(2) Flying is the only thing I can see myself doing, I will fly for free...

(3) I don't care how little I get paid, I'm getting paid to fly not sit in a cube...

(4) I like to fly but I resent not getting paid what I'm worth...

(5) I would prefer to not to fly, the sacrifices are greater that the rewards...

(6) I quit; I have given my money, time, life and soul to the career; It has given so little in return I withdraw my training, skills, and experience. Good riddance...

As you can see from the responses on this thread, there are pilots responding from every level. It's all a matter of time and expectations.

http://forums.jetcareers.com/general-topics/53768-expectations-how-save-5-airline-ticket.html
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Thanks to JC, I think most members who hang around here long enough skip steps 1, 2 and most of 3.
 
Erik1010 said:
You should major in something other than aviation and work on your flying on the side. That is probably the most secure way to go about it.

If i could only go back in time...:rolleyes:
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Good advice. This is exactly what I did, and I'm glad I did it this way!
 
Hello

Thank you everyone for the tremendous response.. It was my goal to fly corporate but now I'm rethinking my career options.

Take care
 
These days, it seems a lot of people are focused on going "corporate" or "freight dog" to avoid the current bloodbath at the airlines...

There's an old saying from the Ivory Coast - it translates roughly to "Their mosquito won't bite me." The intent, I think, is to point out the fallacy in thinking that suffering can be isolated based on arbitrary distinctions. In reality, we are all in the aviation industry together. The saying comes to my mind just about every time I hear pilots talk in self-satisfied circles about how much things suck for people in other parts of the aviation industry, unaware that their misery is almost certain to spread. And there's plenty of misery to go around these days.

You've got a lot of good advice here on Jetcareers, and there are arguments for and against pursuing this as a career. Good luck, whatever you choose.
 
chuckles1225 said:
I didn't mean the term bitter to be derogatory. Its just that some people have been kicked around harder by the industry than others and eventually those people just reached a point where they lost that passion that got them into aviation in the first place. I understand how a few furloughs and years flying as a junior FO can make a guy pretty cynical but that doesn't mean they should go around discouraging others who have the passion they once had.

Providing facts about the lifestyle to potential pilots is important, but it seems like a lot of the facts being provided are being negatively tainted by personal bias from a string of misfortunes in the industry. Let's keep in mind that there are also pilots who have better fortune and enjoy a long and rewarding aviation career (I even know a few).
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uh huh. . .

jtrain609 said:
I will ask you to consider one thing, and one thing only.

All the people that have negative attitudes towards this career at one point LOVED airplanes. They loved to fly airplanes enough that they gave up a whole heck of a lot in order to fly airplanes for a living.

Don't write those people off as simply sissies that couldn't make the sacrifices, haters who started hating for no reason, hacks who couldn't hack it, or worst of all; as people that you'll never become.

Most people will discount what they have to say because they don't want to hear it. Instead, try to figure out how those people got from where you are today (because they were in the same place at some point), and wound up where they are now.

Anybody that tells you that any job is all roses or all crap is lying to you.
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Thanks John.
 
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