MMTO

ATN_Pilot said:
Yes, but Derg doesn't do that because he thinks the A330 is just peachy keen. He does it for MMMTO.
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I don't disagree, but I'm sure that someone, somewhere would say that "Only a total loser would pass up the chance to upgrade to Captain and continue to be a gear monkey."

Just like there are lifers at the regionals who have no intention of chasing a job at one of the Majors, or guys who are content to fly C-208s carrying boxes from Midland to Lubbock. If they are happy, more power to em. If a pilot's dream has been to fly the 747 and they are willing to trade off pay and QOL to do so then that's their choice.


For the record, I wouldn't in a million years sacrifice pay or QOL to fly a twin engine, carbon fiber, tube of self loading freight if I was already flying a twin engine, aluminum, tube of self loading freight.
 
I'm probably a poor example.

I have a stack of Airbus 319/320/321 manuals and will be about almost mid-seniority on the captain seat by the time I finish school.

I'll probably bid minimum flying and/or drop some trips when the wife's back to work -- an extra $35/hr from 12-year 330 FO pay is going to be nice.

Plus, it's just time. I had some ER burnout, went to Le Boos and love the aircraft, but I'm a little over AMS and CDG and good god, it might be nice to break 20 hrs of PIC turbine one of these days.

Looking forward to being king.
 
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ATN_Pilot said:
Do I really need to qualify a post with "in my opinion?" It's a web board. Of course it's my opinion!

And yes, my opinion is that you're a pathetic loser if you chase shiny airplanes instead of money and time off.
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being a pilot website - some bad news. everyone is chasing shiny airplanes. Much more money can be made not flying them at all.
 
@ATN_Pilot has a different disease. SMS Shiny Money Syndrome.

IMO there is more to life than money. Pay is a great thing, but I didn't get into flying for the money. Though I must admit when it comes to taking care of the family, money becomes a larger factor in the career decision making.

Maybe the guy already has enough money and he doesn't need anymore. Maybe to him a change of scenery while still being financially fit was what made him happiest. You only have one life. Don't let others tell you how to run it...
 
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swisspilot said:
In the South Pacific I saw many high seniority Qantas pilot leaving their captain seat on wide bodies to fly around in a 737 or even ATR in the Islands, for less money but better schedule and a ton of time off: some 737 capt I met (former 747 captains) use to have 3 months off a year. the ATR pilots had a super relaxed schedule and were home every night.
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Dream gig.
 
Frankly, all I want is the equivalent of $75k a year in AK anywhere in the country, with a salary that corrects for inflation with retirement, benefits, and decent equipment. That's it.
 
Money-buys-happiness.jpg
 
@ATN_Pilot Your replies in this thread come across as you being a very bitter person.

This may be hard to believe, but money is not the most important thing in the world to everybody. Maybe this pilot values life experiences over the almighty dollar. Even when those experiences are as simple as flying a new aircraft type, to new destinations.

Maybe he actually enjoys his job; I know, hard to believe some people might actually enjoy what they do for a living.

Calling others sad for doing something they enjoy and aspire to do is what is truly sad!
 
ATN_Pilot said:
Money-buys-happiness.jpg
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Seriously, is real happiness some cheesy bimbo (who doesn't actually give a crap about you) that you have to buy temporarily when you're old, with a pot belly and unattractive? Is that what inspires anyone with half a soul? Is that the future and pathetic reality that anyone really desires or would plan for and then laud it up to others as something wonderful and meaningful to attain, in truth? Wow. There is nothing in that silly poster to be respected or admired, nor in the statement it makes. It's just incredibly sad and pitiable.
 
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Weeeeeell, I agree with both sides. Shiny new airplane is fun, but it wears off and becomes very normal.

When I was in the middle of 330 school, I saw another guy who was hired roughly when I was that was going to mad dog captain school.

During my sim partner and my nightly "bitch session", it hit me. I'm in 5 weeks of school to fly the 330 and at the end of the day, I'm still an FO. My friend going thru captain school was off to an entirely new and challenging adventure. We'll pick up some completely new airframes at my employer one day, but the idea of down bidding to go fly, for example, an A350 or 787 isn't something I think I'd be interested in.

I'll probably do a couple years on the 320, then go fly ER captain which is only about 800 or so numbers away. Or maybe enough guys will beat it and maybe even the 330 when the deliveries perk up. I don't know.

You know what they say about the best laid plans in the airline business. But going back to FO to watch some yahoo do his job poorly, at times, isn't one of them.
 
Derg said:
Weeeeeell, I agree with both sides. Shiny new airplane is fun, but it wears off and becomes very normal.

When I was in the middle of 330 school, I saw another guy who was hired roughly when I was that was going to mad dog captain school.

During my sim partner and my nightly "bitch session", it hit me. I'm in 5 weeks of school to fly the 330 and at the end of the day, I'm still an FO. My friend going thru captain school was off to an entirely new and challenging adventure. We'll pick up some completely new airframes at my employer one day, but the idea of down bidding to go fly, for example, an A350 or 787 isn't something I think I'd be interested in.

I'll probably do a couple years on the 320, then go fly ER captain which is only about 800 or so numbers away. Or maybe enough guys will beat it and maybe even the 330 when the deliveries perk up. I don't know.

You know what they say about the best laid plans in the airline business. But going back to FO to watch some yahoo do his job poorly, at times, isn't one of them.
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Drop the mike, close the thread!
 
I don't get the 787 love. Any other airplane I'd get, but not the one that's always trying (and sometimes succeeding) to be on fire. I've heard too many stories from family members about the bowels of the 787 manufacturing process to ever want to set foot in one. One involves something about jobs being sold off as completed without any actual work taking place... (But look! It says "If and as required!" That means we can just sign that one off...)


For that reason, I'd call it a bad decision.
 
pete2800 said:
I don't get the 787 love. Any other airplane I'd get, but not the one that's always trying (and sometimes succeeding) to be on fire. I've heard too many stories from family members about the bowels of the 787 manufacturing process to ever want to set foot in one. One involves something about jobs being sold off as completed without any actual work taking place... (But look! It says "If and as required!" That means we can just sign that one off...)


For that reason, I'd call it a bad decision.
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Airlines and planes can be "tribal".

Here's an example, on the ER we were all about the layover. It was a fun aircraft, solid, reliable and flew to a lot of good places. Didn't overthink the system or the flight planning, just came to work to do the job and get to the layover. What time is happy hour, where we gonna go eat, etc.

On the 330, there are a few people that think Pope Benedict canonized them to fly the holy greatness that is the 330. And how dispatch does everything wrong, because the box says "X" and the previous method of was way better and I'm going to call and have this changed and that changed. You'll see groups of 330 pilots sitting around the hotel bar in AMS talking… shop and about the airplane. Why? I have no idea because I probably just listened to six hours of you talking about the "-10" or how it was preposterous that Republic pilots got to fly the wide bodies when everyone knows their career potential was the "-9". Some other man's war I don't involve myself with as it's over. Slight cultural shock because some guys started to believe their own hype because there was very little 'crossbreeding' on the 330 so I sometimes find myself whistling "let it go" from Frozen.

Change is the only constant in the airline business and you are owed nothing.

Like one check airmen I flew with literally has a hard on about harshing on the 777. A plane he's never flown, but he just took strange interest in declaring how superior the 330 is compared to that "rust bucket". Ok, it's an airplane, who cares. So it became comical because we'd start messing with him with things like "Oh, I saw a 777 guy at the bar, he was drunk on O'Douls, what a loser!" because he just… wouldn't… let… go…. It's an airplane. We're all numbered one through eleven thousand. We have various bases which are home to selected aircraft types and there are combinations and permutations of base versus operation versus aircraft type. #1 on the list gets to pick what he wants to do and #2 gets to choose, and so on and so on. There's no canonization, jealousies, competition. Ungh.
 
I find this thread interesting. Smart & early investing allows you to make decisions like this. Although it's not everything.. Money is always a deciding factor. This guy may have more than enough money to retire. Invest early and often, live within your means, keep the origional baby mama. You will find yourself with more money than the guy to your left and you have the freedom to thumb your nose at conventionality and do what you want. Good on him.
 
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