Imagine this scenario. You are an airline pilot who is a guest speaker to come speak to a group of high school students interested in aviation. But you already know that the steps to becoming an airline pilot is hard, the lifestyle isn't good, the pay is poor (in the regionals), and the pilots are usually prone to getting furloughed. But you know that those students want to become an airline pilot. What advice would you give to those students? Would you sugar coat your answers to those students so they won't be discouraged of becoming an airline pilot?
Hypothetical Scenario: airline pilot speaking to a group of high school students
- Thread starter ktsai91
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pǝʇɹǝʌuı
Just focus on the positives. You know: the hard partying, endless supply drugs and liquor, every night one or two new hot flight attendants in some exotic location.
SeanD
Well-Known Member
Regardless of the negatives, its still a good career path for those who really want to do it. Maybe emphasis that it might not be a career choice for everyone and it does have its challenges, but yeah, mostly focus on the positives and the long term benefits. Id also be sure to tell them to consider other majors aside from aviation.
drunkenbeagle
Gang Member
They have the rest of their lives to complain about how they hate their job, I'd skip that part 
Hypothetically, talk about how you got there (college, military, flight school, etc), what the job is like, where you get to go, why it is better than being in an office.
The pay, schedule, and job is still better than the average high school student is likely to end up in.
Hypothetically, talk about how you got there (college, military, flight school, etc), what the job is like, where you get to go, why it is better than being in an office.
The pay, schedule, and job is still better than the average high school student is likely to end up in.
rocketman5150
Well-Known Member
You owe them the dignity of the truth: the good and the bad. Let them make their own decisions
SeanD
Well-Known Member
Eh, I wouldnt say he owes them anything. He would be there representing the profession as a potential career choice, not to talk about the nasty side of it. I don't know many airline pilots who were suddenly surprised by the challenges of the job. Most knew what they were getting into well in advance.
It's a piece of cake. If you go behind the podium and start going "sucky sucky sucky" you're going to lose your audience plus they'll probably think "Why in the world is this guy still in the business if it's so bad?" and you may run into a credibility gap.
Talk about the pros, the cons, the challenges and, well, why you're still in it.
I interviewed a furloughed commuter pilot when I was in high school who was married to one of my teachers and he told me to run away from the idea of being an airline pilot as fast as I could. In retrospect, seeing what I've been, doing what I've done, that was crap advice because I wouldn't give up my experiences for anything.
Talk about the pros, the cons, the challenges and, well, why you're still in it.
I interviewed a furloughed commuter pilot when I was in high school who was married to one of my teachers and he told me to run away from the idea of being an airline pilot as fast as I could. In retrospect, seeing what I've been, doing what I've done, that was crap advice because I wouldn't give up my experiences for anything.
thevideographer
Well-Known Member
My school was smart enough to get an international captain to talk to us about being an airline pilot. "Well, I'm home most of the time, and twice a month I get to fly a 747 to Italy and get paid $100,000 a year. Here is a picture of me at the Vatican, and here is the view at 40,000 feet..."
Would be nice if 90% of the pilot population was doing just that as oppose to 10%. Sorry I can't pull it!
Mark815
Well-Known Member
Don't ever crush anyone's dream. Could you imagine if an astronaut talked to a group of kids who wanted to go to space and said "You're all kidding yourselves if you think you're all going to be astronauts!". Tell them the good, the bad, and if it's their dream, to never give up on it. I've been told countless times to get out of aviation FAST, and go work a desk. Well, I'm posting this from a hotel room, haven't been home in almost a week, but I still couldn't picture myself doing anything other than flying an airplane.
swisspilot
Well-Known Member
that`s it?
Rocketman99
Frozen Guppy Manipulator
Encourage them getting into flying because they love to fly and want to become pilots, NOT because they want to become airline pilots. People just wanting to be "airline pilots" take all the fun out of what still is and should be a fun job 99% of the time.
jynxyjoe
Queso King
I'd tell the High School class a few hard truths. It's tough to become a professional pilot, and it's tougher to make good money at it. If you do a good job long enough it'll pay off but when the economy turns it'll probably take you down too. The good news is you'll like you'll job, you'll just hate your industry sometimes. If you can learn to put that behind you and budget well (and stay the hell out of debt) you'll do fine.
Just make sure you marry the right person, and I'd wait until later on in life to get married and have kids. The first decade can be brutal on relationships.
Just make sure you marry the right person, and I'd wait until later on in life to get married and have kids. The first decade can be brutal on relationships.
Does the "`'" bug anyone else here? It drives me nuts!
