Unions aren't perfect but I shudder to think what my job would be like without one. Or this career, for that matter.
One more quote, and then I'll jump in...
I'll make this simple. Do you fly a line? Do you work for an airline in any capacity?
If the answer is no, then you are taking out of the same place your digested food departs your body. You can throw theroetical BS around all day and all it's gonna do is get the walls brown.
Talk to me after you've done your 6th leg at the end of your SCHEDULED 15 hour duty day and have a 4am show the next morning.
If I have no children, does that forbid me from ever discussing about parents and parenting?
If I have no family, does that forbid me from ever discussing about family issues?
If I was never faced with a death threat,does that forbid from ever discussing about death threats?
If I never been in France/Germany/Russia does that forbid me from me from ever discussing about these places?
You get my point. The answer is NO. It is asinine to hear some say "You never experienced XYZ, therefore you can't possibly give an opinion on XYZ!!!" This whole thread is based how some management seems to screw up a lot. And how they are evil greedy bastards who make lots of mistakes. So tell me this? If I can't comment on a pilots job because I never flew professionaly, why wont the same standard apply to any of you guys? Why can't I forbid you from talking about management and how they operate? Your argument holds no water man.
Not only does it hold no credibility but you are missing one *KEY* factor. Everyone, go re-read the two quoted texts above. And you will notice something. Something very subtle is hidin in the message. Can you guess what it is? Come on? Take a stab at it? Yeah, thats right.. Yep, it's CHOICE. It is your choice. It is your free-unrestricted-path in life. You choose to make that choice. No one else. You have to deal with the problems that follow your choice. My father has always said to me that life is hard, and never evenly devided. You will face very tough decisions and tough times in life. You make the choice, and you will have to deal with the choice you make.
One person, might decide to become an artist. And starve or become the next picasso. Another person might pursue a life in marine biology. Another might want to become a teacher, and be faced with a career of making 37k yearly with more work you take home. My answer? It is your choice. You know the risks, if you don't you should to the research. Most if not all of you knew, that the job would be tough, especially the first couple of years. Most of you knew that it would cost you an arm and a leg to get through your training. And your soul just so you can get the position in a regional airline. But it was the choice you made. Deal with the results.
If you love flying soo much, that you are willing to sacrifice soo much, than expect to deal with these things. Expect to be hungery at times, or out of work. Expect to have long trips and being gone from home. Don't tell me how "I have kids to feed, and bills to pay." God, I have those things too. Yet, I take responsiblity for the choices I make in life along with my career.
You probably did expect a paycheck in the area of 100k a year or more after several years. But now, the business is failing. And you are barely making ends meet. Who's fault is that? Noones but your own. If you expect to be in the same career or job for the rest of your life, you are only kidding yourself. Things come and go, brace yourself. Things are in constant change. Remember the quote "Nothing is constant except change?" It doesn't take a idiot to know that sooner or later, your line of work will die, or evolve into something else. Pilots might be replaced by teleportation devices. Or underground subway systems that travel at 2-3-or even 400 miles an hour... at a cheaper rate, and possibly carrying 2 or 3 times more passengers. Everything is a possibility.
You have to stick with the choices you make. You can't blame others for it. Look at Doug, I can bet that he already has an idea for a home business. I bet that not only does he have idea, but he has put in the time and effort into research AND possible development of his business. I can also bet that Doug has an emergency fund incase something happens at his air line. He isn't sitting around moping and bitching about the state of the airline business. He might be, but he is also preparing for the worst scenerio.
) which airframes?
