Lost the love?

Snow

'Not a new member'
I hear some of you pilots complaining about this and that, but are you really wishing you were doing somthing else or just idly complaining? My dreams are to fly for one of the big 3 or 4 but if working there is that bad I might consider applying for Southwest if only for the better work enviroment/ satisfaction.

Sure any job has it's perks and down sides, but I would think for most of us avation loving people the perks would outweigh the downers, does anyone disagree?
 
hard to say since I'm just a student. I like to believe that I will be happy flying for a living, but some of the arguments against it have been somewhat compelling. Can't say it really makes me reconsider my decisions though, can't even imagine doing anything else with my life. Hell, if I made a million a year behind a desk I honestly believe I would stare out the window wishing I could be up there instead. To me the money wouldn't be worth it, I'm like a crack addict in withdrawls when I don't get to fly.
 
I think we complain because we have nothing better to do and the industry is a pretty easy target right now. The sad thing most of us aren't even working (or at the very early levels) yet.

The upside, however, is I really think the site gives those who post here a much more realistic view of things. Granted, we'll never truly know what it's like to work a flight line until we get there but at least we've got some idea of what to expect when we do.

And regardless of the political views and the bickering, I think if anyone on this board needed help anyone on here would help in a second. Now if you're an airliners.net poster, well you're SOL!
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As for the flying I don't think anyone would stay if they truly hated it - it's just too damn much work and money to comit to if you're not in it for the long term (whatever that long term may be).
 
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I hear some of you pilots complaining about this and that, but are you really wishing you were doing somthing else or just idly complaining?

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I have said all along, until they pay me to sit on the beach, and have topless 18 year old babes bring me cocktails, I will continue to work.

So If work I must, I want to be in an Odd Job. that is to say, I do not want to work shift work at the factory, I do not want to sit at a desk for 8-12 hours a day, I want to be outside from time to time, and I want to work with as few people as I can.

So that leaves me with very very few professions to pick from.

Flying is ok, but is just a job, keeps me on odd hours, outside and visiting some interesting places. Keokuck Iowa here I come.
 
Just a job? I guess that's fair enough coming from some night frieght people or whatever but surely if you thought it was 'just a job' you wouldn't have the determination to make it to a major and then put up with the stuff you do, there has to be some job satisfaction otherwise you might as well become a security guard and eat donuts watching b&w tv screens.
 
I had one buddy that just signed on with Jetblue (before that he was a test pilot with Boeing), another buddy signed on with Alaska as an instructor (before that he was an instructor with FlightSafetyBoeing). In the past 3 months I have known 4 pilots sign on with Alaska, and another pilot I know signed on with Emirates on the 777.

Everybody has a chance of making it, sometimes it is look, right place/right time, and don't forget good ole fashioned "a** kissing.

My point is if you really love flying, never give up!!!
 
My aviation career is still in it's infancy, but I've thought of quitting many times already. Very nearly did quit in January. The low pay, long hours and and the feeling that your replacable at any given moment gets to you. Fortunetly, a group of our flight instructors got the call last month and were hired. Another one was hired yesterday (Out of a group of 15 instructors, to take 3 in a 1 month period is great!). All going off to fly RJs. That helps keep me motivated. Sometimes it can be easy to lose sight of my goal and just ponder on the negative aspects of my current job.

The way I see it though is if you want to fly for a living you have to be in a position where you can't even imagine yourself working another job. Thats one thing that kept me motivated- I may be a starving CFI, but at least I'm not working some boring desk job, known as "Chris in sales" (or something similar) and driving home in rush hour traffic everyday! Hell, I'd continue starving as a pro. pilot rather then fight rush hour traffic everyday of the week!
 
Well, I have to say that I, for one, have NO desire to quit. I'm still on full throttle (pun intended - however sappy).

For one, I'm nowhere near ready to enter the market right now - in any facet. I'm in my instrument training -then comes the comm. builiding time. So, it's going to be at LEAST a year until I'm done with the CFI ratings and in the market for a job instructing.

Will the industry be better by then? Probably not.

BUT - I am a realist and I know that the airline industry is (say it with me) cylical - or as Doug says "tidal".

It will rebound. Maybe not for the next three to five years - or maybe more. During some of that time, I hope to be instructing somewhere.

It probably won't resemble what it is (was) now. UAL may be gone. AA may look completely different. Regionals may rule the roost, but there will be jobs.

Slowly at first, then picking up.

I want to be ready when that happens.

You youngers guys (in your 20's and early 30's) will have long careers. Me? I'm 37 now - so mine will be relatively short by comparison.

Makes me glad I did not attend an accelerated program (NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT - mind you!) and be out on the street right now looking for someone to hire me. I truly feel for the guys who are out there and I wish you the BEST of luck!! It's got to be hard.

But, my goal (not a dream) of flying professionally in the future has not been shaken. Not stirred. It's alive and well and living in the suburbs (okay - enough cliche's).

I'll fly at whatever capacity I can for however long I can.

Just stick to it folks. Can't stay this way forever.
 
I don't think that it's that bad. Airline flying is different. You do look forward to days off and vacations, but is fun and interesting in a different way than GA flying is fun and interesting.

For instance, the weather is a lot more challenging because you will be required to fly in weather that keeps GA grounded. There are high traffic areas that make ATC challenging. There are small airports that provide a challenge for landing an airliner (Binghamton NY in the winter is a definite white knuckle trip). Even using an autopilot doesn't make it boring (as a lot of people speculate).
 
I second that - landing in BGM in the winter sucks(based there for a year and a half).

And for the record - I never said I didn't like my job or that I wanted a different job - just that it is a job - not some kind of superhuman glamorous life endeavor that some people think it is.

Jason
 
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