Thinking about if I really still want to be an airline pilot

Re: Thinking about if I really still want to be an airline p

captainphil said:
I am about 1 year and a half away from getting my degree and I am taking my instrument checkride soon. At this point in the game I should be thinking about how im going to prepare myself for the next step after I graduate, however, I can't help but think about all of these horror stories I hear of going on in the airline industry. For all of you airline pilots out there, is it really as horrid as I keep on hearing? I mean hearing the fact that pilots are getting 40% pay cuts when they should be getting 40% pay raises and also hearing that pilots are losing their pensions just makes me feel sick to my stomach. Is there any hope , or should I choose another career path? What even makes me more sick is the money im laying out to get to where I want to be, not knowing if it's worth it anymore. I feel like im in a pickle now :(.
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Every industry has horror stories.

I had kind of a wacky week. They took my Athens trip and put me on a Bogota, which I was pissed about and spent an inordinate amount of time complaining. However, in retrospect, I haven't been to South America that much, got to shoot an arrival in a terrain critical area and fly a heavy 757 into a 8000 MSL airport.

Had an awesome free breakfast, went to a microbrewery in Bogota and had a great layover.

Tomorrow, a four-day Venice trip.

Whatever you do, it's going to be what you make it. Probably the safest job career-wise is an insurance actuary. Good money, low risk and stable. But I'll bet you a dollar you're going to want to stab your eyes out after a few years and start thumbing through Flying magazine.

Where do you want to be 20 years from now? Monday through Friday, 9 to 5 behind some desk in a maze of cubicles, or getting bitched at by one of us because you screwed up the visual approach into Frankfurt? :)
 
Re: Thinking about if I really still want to be an airline p

Doug Taylor said:
I had kind of a wacky week. They took my Athens trip and put me on a Bogota, which I was pissed about and spent an inordinate amount of time complaining. However, in retrospect, I haven't been to South America that much, got to shoot an arrival in a terrain critical area and fly a heavy 757 into a 8000 MSL airport.

Had an awesome free breakfast, went to a microbrewery in Bogota and had a great layover.
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Get used to central/south America. May need you down there for some later work.
 
Re: Thinking about if I really still want to be an airline p

If it's an OV-10, I'm all over it.
 
Re: Thinking about if I really still want to be an airline p

Doug Taylor said:
Every industry has horror stories.

I had kind of a wacky week. They took my Athens trip and put me on a Bogota, which I was pissed about and spent an inordinate amount of time complaining. However, in retrospect, I haven't been to South America that much, got to shoot an arrival in a terrain critical area and fly a heavy 757 into a 8000 MSL airport.

Had an awesome free breakfast, went to a microbrewery in Bogota and had a great layover.

Tomorrow, a four-day Venice trip.

Whatever you do, it's going to be what you make it. Probably the safest job career-wise is an insurance actuary. Good money, low risk and stable. But I'll bet you a dollar you're going to want to stab your eyes out after a few years and start thumbing through Flying magazine.

Where do you want to be 20 years from now? Monday through Friday, 9 to 5 behind some desk in a maze of cubicles, or getting bitched at by one of us because you screwed up the visual approach into Frankfurt? :)
Click to expand...

:rawk:
 
Re: Thinking about if I really still want to be an airline p

Plus, do you knwo what the safest, most secure job that's highly paid?

Garbage collector.

$70G's a year in many cities, monday through friday, somewhat automated so you're not scooping up poop with your bare hands. And home every night! Woo hoo! :)
 
Re: Thinking about if I really still want to be an airline p

/preach

Life's all about choices all the time. If you really want something, kick some butt and get it. I like to think the same way for the opposite as well. If you're getting screwed on something, you better speak up and fix it. Otherwise you'll never get your way. I'd hate going through life getting the end-side of everything.

Couple things I've learned in college so far:
-Don't be afraid to speak your mind if you disagree with the way you're being treated. Letting people stomp all over you gets you nowhere, especially when you're paying them a LOT of money. Remember: You're the customer in certain cases.
-College changes people. Age changes people. People change.
-Don't go through life being cheap. It makes others not like you.
-Try to get out and discover the world.
-Be yourself, not a mirror image of others. If they don't accept you for who you are, it's probably them, not you.
-Life isn't always a walk in the park. It's like the biggest, most horrifying rollercoaster there. But it sure as heck can be fun!

/end preach
 
Re: Thinking about if I really still want to be an airline p

Yup, I must admit, that if the environment was as it is presently back in the spring of 2007 I would have continued my CTI education and perhaps be working in a TRACON or ARTCC right now. . .but instead. . .I'm pimping cell phones.

That said, if you're going to still do it. . .just map out what your plan is. Establish certain benchmarks that you need to meet. Be ready if you happen to not meet a benchmark to go and utilize your plan B.
 
Re: Thinking about if I really still want to be an airline p

Keep on trucking. The hiring spree will kick off again like never before when the Age 65 effect wears off. Its been a long 5 years for everyone but the light is starting to appear at the end of the tunnel.
 
Re: Thinking about if I really still want to be an airline p

Doug Taylor said:
Every industry has horror stories.

I had kind of a wacky week. They took my Athens trip and put me on a Bogota, which I was pissed about and spent an inordinate amount of time complaining. However, in retrospect, I haven't been to South America that much, got to shoot an arrival in a terrain critical area and fly a heavy 757 into a 8000 MSL airport.

Had an awesome free breakfast, went to a microbrewery in Bogota and had a great layover.

Tomorrow, a four-day Venice trip.

Whatever you do, it's going to be what you make it. Probably the safest job career-wise is an insurance actuary. Good money, low risk and stable. But I'll bet you a dollar you're going to want to stab your eyes out after a few years and start thumbing through Flying magazine.

Where do you want to be 20 years from now? Monday through Friday, 9 to 5 behind some desk in a maze of cubicles, or getting bitched at by one of us because you screwed up the visual approach into Frankfurt? :)
Click to expand...
I'd say the normal things like you suck and can I be you and all that, but regarding the latter I think Kristie would notice if you were no longer short and black.
 
Re: Thinking about if I really still want to be an airline p

That would be awkward, wouldn't it? :)

Don't get me wrong, I spend an inordinate amount of time bitching here and there, but I've always had the philosophy that there's no place I'd rather be, than right here, right now.

Now, with that being said, if my career projection didn't go any higher than flying around a CRJ between Baton Rouge and Kansas City, I'd probably want to cut myself, which is why I always say to get your damned degree so you'll have more options, at least on the part 121 side.
 
Re: Thinking about if I really still want to be an airline p

I would remind you that the corollary of "every industry has its horror stories" is that "every industry has its success stories". The question you might want to look at is "what is the ratio?" Or maybe even more usefully, "what will the ratio be?"
 
Re: Thinking about if I really still want to be an airline p

surreal1221 said:
Yup, I must admit, that if the environment was as it is presently back in the spring of 2007 I would have continued my CTI education and perhaps be working in a TRACON or ARTCC right now. . .but instead. . .I'm pimping cell phones.

That said, if you're going to still do it. . .just map out what your plan is. Establish certain benchmarks that you need to meet. Be ready if you happen to not meet a benchmark to go and utilize your plan B.
Click to expand...

Hey, speaking of that....I want an iPhone, but AT&T wants something like $500 for one since my contract isn't up. Too bad, as it would appear, staying with the same cel phone carrier for 10+ years nets you zilch in the good will department. Any programs someone with a year left on their contract can go with to get a halfway decent break?

</hijack>
 
Re: Thinking about if I really still want to be an airline p

Crism said:
/preach

Life's all about choices all the time. If you really want something, kick some butt and get it. I like to think the same way for the opposite as well. If you're getting screwed on something, you better speak up and fix it. Otherwise you'll never get your way. I'd hate going through life getting the end-side of everything.

Couple things I've learned in college so far:
-Don't be afraid to speak your mind if you disagree with the way you're being treated. Letting people stomp all over you gets you nowhere, especially when you're paying them a LOT of money. Remember: You're the customer in certain cases.
-College changes people. Age changes people. People change.
-Don't go through life being cheap. It makes others not like you.
-Try to get out and discover the world.
-Be yourself, not a mirror image of others. If they don't accept you for who you are, it's probably them, not you.
-Life isn't always a walk in the park. It's like the biggest, most horrifying rollercoaster there. But it sure as heck can be fun!

/end preach
Click to expand...

Too bad there's no college classes that will straight up tell you that. Things would get be so much better if people knew that getting into the whole game.
 
Re: Thinking about if I really still want to be an airline p

Do what makes you happy. Period. What we say can't change that, you read the threads on JC, you get the idea that some make it big flying 121 and some get totally screwed over. Hell, some don't make it period. But every dream should be a goal, not a fantasy. And keep your eyes and ears open, Airline flying isn't the ideal job for everyone. A bush pilot, Naval Aviator, 747 captain, and career CFI may have different paychecks, but I'm sure they'll all tell you they're loving life most of the time. They do what makes them happy.
 
Re: Thinking about if I really still want to be an airline p

You know the first thing I thought when I read "Thinking about if I really still want to be an airline pilot"?

"Hey, me too!"

;)
 
Re: Thinking about if I really still want to be an airline p

Aviation isn't the only industry that's not doing so well right now...


Boris Badenov said:
This thread is why we're all going to die poor and alone in a hotel room outside of Des Moines.
Click to expand...

Hey now, nothing wrong with DSM, I love it here.
 
Re: Thinking about if I really still want to be an airline p

kellwolf said:
Hey, speaking of that....I want an iPhone, but AT&T wants something like $500 for one since my contract isn't up. Too bad, as it would appear, staying with the same cel phone carrier for 10+ years nets you zilch in the good will department. Any programs someone with a year left on their contract can go with to get a halfway decent break?

</hijack>
Click to expand...

Do you have a family plan? Just add a line to get the iphone discount and don't use the extra line. Or if you want to make some coin, add two lines, get two iphones, keep one, sell the other on ebay for $700+ and don't use either line.
 
Re: Thinking about if I really still want to be an airline p

Trip7 said:
Do you have a family plan? Just add a line to get the iphone discount and don't use the extra line. Or if you want to make some coin, add two lines, get two iphones, keep one, sell the other on ebay for $700+ and don't use either line.
Click to expand...

Lemme re-phrase that. Is there anyway I can get an iPhone without having to pay extra $$$ a month for something I won't be using? I'm on the family talk plan. Adding a line for two years would be about the same amount of money in the long run as paying the extra cash for the iPhone. I'd just be paying in monthly installments.
 
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