"I'm not interested in the airlines"

ATN_Pilot said:
Polar, I would say even the typical 9-5er doesn't get those opportunities nowadays like they used to. I think I read somewhere that the average mid-level exec is now working over 60 hours per week. They expect you to be on your Blackberry and doing conference calls even during the weekends and vacations. Etc. The idea of a pure 9-5 job is a relic of the '50s.
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My "9-5'er" jobs have all expected me to work 60 hours/week, plus 20 hours travel, and be available at all times, including vacation.

They also ask for "voluntary pay cuts" to help make their numbers every so often.

It is not what it used to be, but long hours are the norm for a lot of professional jobs.
 
GypsyPilot said:
Everything you said is true, I've seen it myself at several different engineering jobs. I always get a kick out of the guy that's been a pilot his entire professional life, and thinks everybody else is making over six figures with a cake 9-5 job and ultra job stability. Talk about out of touch...
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TRUTH!

PREACH brotha Preach!:)
 
I enjoy being an airline pilot. I've been pretty fortunate to be where I am at this point in my career. The other day I was at the beach in St. Marteen. It's been a fun ride so far with some ups and downs.
 
I have personally gotten to the point where I want to get a potential career job as my next job. It could end up being anywhere in the industry.
 
I worked at an Industrial Engineering Company doing sales for the past 4 years and made $106k in 2010. I traded it all to make $18k as a Airline Pilot. I can tell you when comparing jobs the amount of money you make will definitely make a difference in how you feel about your job. I only wish that being an Airline Pilot had more balance in that regard. I did not hate my old job and the money made it enjoyable. Being a pilot as much as I enjoy the flying would be much better if I got paid a livable wage.
 
I never really wanted to be an airline pilot... I guess I just kind of fell into the fray while job hunting for a position in my field of study. It is a job and it pays the bills... it does allow me to go back to Puerto Rico more often than if I had a normal 9-5 so I guess I've got that going for me... island time is never deducted from ones life rather it only adds to it! It would be nice if this profession paid more... as a sim instructor and line pilot for my carrier I can honestly admit that I think the quality of people we have been hiring as of late leaves something to be desired but I guess we can only blame the lack of return on the investment for that. Enough of my nonsensical babble... good thread and a great topic.
 
KSCessnaDriver said:
I have days that I love what I do. Then I have days where we end up operating at or around an international airport and I realize that if I had a 121 job (any, I repeat, any), my QOL would be infinitely better. I mean the QOL at Gulfstream/Silver Airways and Great Lakes is probably better than what I have now. I'll do my time here, but if the right 121 opportunity presents itself (turboprop type job, is what I'd really like to start with), I will have to think long and hard about it
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I hear ya there man. It's why I maintain my airplane currency. Fortunately I had quite a bit of airplane experience before starting this job. I think one nice thing about this job is I'll be at ATP minimums in no time flat, which is just under 300 hours away for me now; I've got all the other times (X/C, night, instrument, etc) required for it already.

It's still fun and unique and it's not like I'm miserable, but I agree with a lot of what you said.
 
I'm hoping February is my last month flying for a living.. I guess that sums it up for me.
 
It was a dream of mine ever since I can remember that I wanted to fly airplanes. I thought being an airline pilot would be the ultimate goal. I thought that until I became one.

I really really really love flying airplanes. But I was miserable being an airline pilot . It seemed like the last thing I got to do was fly the airplane. The commuting, the lousy hotel rooms, the running between terminals, the wolfing down crappy airport food, the sitting around for hours between legs, the waking up not knowing what city I was in, reserve, being away from home for 6 or more days at a time, having to fly home on my first day off, and fly back to base on my second day off, it was all starting to get to me.

At first I accepted it as part of the job and I thought pay and QOL would improve with seniority. But after a year I started to realize it would be many many years before QOL really started to improve. So I left 121 flying. Now I fly for fun and do a little instructing. For me I find flight instructing to be more like "flying" and a hell of a lot more rewarding.

But I can scratch that dream off the bucket list.

Airline pilot.. CHECK
 
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