Having seconds thoughts about this career.....

GypsyPilot said:
That's how it should be.

I just finished a six week long interview process, with a total of seven interview stages. A very difficult interview to say the least. This was for a corporate pilot position (part 91 only), flying a large cabin jet.

During the final interview with the CEO, he drops the bombshell that BTW, you will also be responsible for coming into the office to work on projects when not performing aviation duties. Ugh. No thanks.
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Considering how many pilots would give the same answer as you, I am amazed they waited until so far into the process to tell you that. Then again it may have been some last minute idea the CEO came up with, and never told the flight department. Regardless, that outcome sucks! At least you got to fly a cool sim....lol
 
Groundpounder said:
Considering how many pilots would give the same answer as you, I am amazed they waited until so far into the process to tell you that. Then again it may have been some last minute idea the CEO came up with, and never told the flight department. Regardless, that outcome sucks! At least you got to fly a cool sim....lol
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Considering where I live, I'm sure there are plenty of suckers that would step all over each other to do this.
 
GypsyPilot said:
That's how it should be.

I just finished a six week long interview process, with a total of seven interview stages. A very difficult interview to say the least. This was for a corporate pilot position (part 91 only), flying a large cabin jet.

During the final interview with the CEO, he drops the bombshell that BTW, you will also be responsible for coming into the office to work on projects when not performing aviation duties. Ugh. No thanks.
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I'm out when they say training contract which means I'm probably out of aviation at least until I move away from Phoenix.
 
If your goal is the majors, then first off you're going to have to get 1500 hours and get some turbine time if not turbine PIC. The regional game changes so quick, no point worrying about who pays what now and is based where. Just worry about what commercial flying jobs you wouldn't hate until you get that 1500 hours, then worry about the next move. In the mean time, you're obviously concerned with the crappy pay. What else do you like to do other than fly? What are your hobbies? More importantly, what are your talents? Find a way to make money off something you're good at, like to do, and that you can have enough time to work on while flying. That's what I'm doing, and it's nice to just be concerned with the costs of flight training and not really care what I'll get paid when I get there. Also, be creative. Once you have your commercial certs, you have the legal ability to fly a freggin airplane and get paid to do it. There's a lot of people that would love to use an airplane for stuff other than hauling freight or people from point A to point B. Network.

I'll add, going back to how fast the regional game changes, I'll give you a quick example. I started working for Skywest as a gate agent in 2008. At the time, they flew for United, Delta, and Midwest with lots of out station crew bases on the West Coast(SMF, SBP, ect). By the time I left to be a ramp controller in very early 2013, most of the West Coast bases had closed, hubs became much larger domiciles, Midwest(and the MKE base) went bye bye, MKE flying restarted with AirTran flying(I'm sorry, I mean a "codeshare" with AirTran) for a hot minute, US Airways then American flying were added with new domiciles, and the UA/CO merger brought in an IAH base. Again, don't worry about the regional QOL, pay, and domiciles right now. It'll all change by the time you're ready to apply.
 
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captainphil said:
finishing commercial multi.
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You're awfully early on. This career has a weird ladder of progression.

What worked 18 years ago with first flying job (CFI), doesn't work today.

You are in the first group that have to solve the new riddle.

That being said, one adage always holds true: Total time and PIC gets you looks. The more options you can identify now, the sooner you can identify similarities in various paths. Throw in some networking and you'll be surprised where the career can take you if you're open to different paths.

I set out 100% to be a fortune 10 corporate pilot. 18 years later, I've never flown for a corporate outfit.

As pointed out, those who set out flying only on the idea that they will be a senior widebody captain are typically the disappointed, unless they got hired at the right store, at the right age, were on the right side of the merger, on the right side of the furlough. There is only 1 number 1, and that's the person. That individual could be the best pilot in the industry or the worst. The only thing they had to do correctly was timing.
 
Couldn't agree more with what everyone is saying here. I wanted nothing more than to work for SWA when I started, and wow I can't believe it has been this long but 12 years since I started flying for a living, I have only touched a 121 cockpit while jumpseating when I was 135 freight.

Now I work for a large corporate flight department.

Things have changed recently regarding how the new folks will come up the ranks. It could suck, or might be something that pays off huge. I honestly have no idea how it will play out, I have decided any time I think I know I have a plan, to forget it. This business is always changing and evolving, there are always sourpusses and cheerleaders, you have to figure out what makes you happy and feeling satisfied.

A side note here, my father retired from Southwest a few years ago, he has seven 121 uniforms hanging in his closet. There are three bankruptcies (and subsequent furloughs) and two mergers in there. What you think when you start out in this business will not be how it ends up.
 
T/O w/FSII said:
I completely agreed with you up until this part. Then I stopped reading.
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You know what I meant. I know what regional pay the first few years as an F/O is most likely going to be, and I'll be okay otherwise I won't be doing it in the first place. If you have another way to make good money on the side, you can let QOL be the deciding factor over pay. For example, Airbus drivers at the majors pay a lot better than Virgin America, but given the choice, I would go to Virgin since it would be easy to stay in SFO regardless of the pay I could get moving or commuting with another carrier. Not like I would work for free, I'm about my paper as much as anyone else.
 
ChasenSFO said:
You know what I meant. I know what regional pay the first few years as an F/O is most likely going to be, and I'll be okay otherwise I won't be doing it in the first place. If you have another way to make good money on the side, you can let QOL be the deciding factor over pay. For example, Airbus drivers at a lot of the majors pay a lot better than Virgin America, but given the choice, I would go to Virgin since it would be easy to stay in SFO regardless of the pay I could get moving or commuting with another carrier. Not like I would work for free, I'm about my paper as much as anyone else.
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Fair enough! I guess I am just bitter. I knew a guy that I thought was a "friend" whos side business brought in enough money he started working practically free. Put me out of a job.

Lots of good info in this thread. Just want to add that I went from dumping lavs, to dumping IN lavs. So I'm happy and wouldn't change a thing.
 
Alaska45 said:
Attitude is a key factor in enjoying this career.
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Spot on. People might drag you down, the work you're doing currently might seem pointless. You may feel stuck in a rut, but if you're truly determined no one will get in the way of what you want to do with your life. Determination, dedication, and a passion to do what you want to do will go a long way.

All the while, don't focus too much on the long game that you forgot to live in the moment and soak up all your current experiences. You say that you're working on commercial multi. You feel like you're never ever going to get to the big leagues, but don't forget to enjoy flying that multi and soak up your experiences in the little planes.

Make sure you're learning something new everyday, and find something everyday in what you do that gives you some satisfaction inside. Even if that satisfying feeling is just knowing you're one day closer to that CMEL checkride, or one day closer to your dream job and one day less pumping lavs and throwing bags. Just be glad for where you are, and be glad for where you're going. If you stick with it, you'll look back in 10 years and you'll realize it was all worth it.
 
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captainphil said:
I'm still pursuing the field, I just may decide to take an aviation path away from the airlines. .
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The airlines aren't the end all be all, I know plenty of guys who are happy in the corporate world, actually happier than they were at the airlines. You could always get your A&P, though I am not really sure if the compensation is that great for that field. Or you could even (dare I say it) work for the FAA or NTSB. I seriously looked into that when I got in a bad car crash and wasn't sure I could ever get my medical back, I figured at least it would be doing something with aviation. I also have a friend who flies for fun and is the manger at our local GA airport and he loves it. There are more options than just the airlines, just depends on what you really want to do.
 
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