Why?
This career rocks man, seriously.
- Thread starter c172captain
- Start date
Cptnchia
Dissatisfied Customer
I'm not saying it's easy. I'm saying that once you're there, it's the life
Winning the lottery isn't easy either, but once you do, that's the life!
c172captain
Well-Known Member
Actually I have heard and watched documentaries that for most people who win the lottery, life was better before they had won. A high percentage of lottery winners actually end up bankrupt and/or committing suicide.
Of course there are negatives. I never said that there wasn't. Come to think of it though, I want you to find me a job, any job on the planet, that is full of only positive, great things where everything is AWESOME. Now, if you cannot find sucha job, come back down to reality and join me in realizing that the career of an airline pilot is so much g*d damn better with all of it's negatives than half of the other jobs out there.
Alchemy
Well-Known Member
I think what's important is to take your uncle's situation in the context of what it took to get there. Granted he might be an '83 hire who didn't exactly take the difficult route (no offense), but odds are there was a lot of hard work, furloughs, bankruptcies, displacements, divorces, and paycuts to get where he is today.
With that said, if you can make it through the rough patches it's not a bad gig. I've spent the past week in Turkey and am typing this from Cairo; there's no way I'd be seeing these places were it not for this job.
With that said, if you can make it through the rough patches it's not a bad gig. I've spent the past week in Turkey and am typing this from Cairo; there's no way I'd be seeing these places were it not for this job.
c172captain
Well-Known Member
My uncle is 35, on his 10th year with the company, hired in 1998. Never had a furlough/bankruptcy/displacement/divorce/paycut. The last one I cannot guarantee lol. I do understand and know that his career progress is about one in a million; never been furloughed, and unless CAL goes under, probably won't be, and has had an utterly completely successful career.
Cptnchia
Dissatisfied Customer
And my point would be?
I think that some of the negative comments you are getting, or going to get on this thread might have to do with your perspective. Please don't take this the wrong way, but you are essentially an outsider, albeit with a closer view than the general public, who is telling the insiders how great our job is. No offense, but the phrase, "walk a mile in my shoes" comes to mind.
That said, you're right about this being a great job. Just don't try and gloss over the bad things about it, and trust me, there are some very bad things about it. If you pursue a career in any flying field, you need to be brutally honest with yourself about the good and bad. If you don't, you will end up like a lot of guys who are now being furloughed early in their careers. Bitter and upset. That's because they bought the lie that there was only one way to go but up, and furloughs only happened to crusty old guys who fly for third rate mom and pop operations.
c172captain
Well-Known Member
You make an excellent point. I am an outsider and I guess it could be viewed as this outsider telling the insiders how to do their jobs. My opinions come based on what my uncle reports to me. Currently he has had nothing but great and positive things to say about his career choice and had to convince me to continue persuing this field. He does tell me about some of the bad things that goes on, but he is one of the happiest working professionals that I have met, pilot or not.
Cptnchia
Dissatisfied Customer
Never being displaced, furloughed, or taking a paycut tend to do that to a person!
In all seriousness, please don't think that I'm trying to dissuade or negate your desires. Yes, this can be a great gig. All my neighbors think I'm filthy rich, because I hardly ever go to work, and several actually work for SJI too, at the GO. Little do they know!
I'm only saying, don't be blinded by the good things. Most of the guys complaining now, didn't really understand what can and will happen during an airline career.If you want to understand the airlines from a labor point of view, or how your career can be messed up by a bunch of nincomsuits, read:
"Flying the Line, Vol. I, II, III"
and
"Hard Landing"
Yup, it's actually a pretty rare occurrence to never have a displacement, furlough, paycut or have your airline just go TU....
Between Bill and I, we've been through 5 airlines, 2 furloughs, 2 paycuts, 1 displacement, and a partridge in a pear tree.... (4 airlines, 2 paycuts for him, 2 airlines, 2 furloughs & a displacement for me)
There's lots of positives, and there's lots of negatives.
Enjoy the positives, deal with the negatives and make them as positive as they can be.
Between Bill and I, we've been through 5 airlines, 2 furloughs, 2 paycuts, 1 displacement, and a partridge in a pear tree.... (4 airlines, 2 paycuts for him, 2 airlines, 2 furloughs & a displacement for me)
There's lots of positives, and there's lots of negatives.
Enjoy the positives, deal with the negatives and make them as positive as they can be.
In my opinion as a certified "old fart" that's been around the block (and in more than one career) being happy with one's work is almost entirely a function of the individual, not the job itself.
GAPILOT
Well-Known Member
I'm not real sure what that means. Two years ago or less we were all on here talking about all you need is a pulse to get a job with a regional. I wasn't big on going to the airlines either. I had always pictured myself doing the 135 side, but I saw the opportunity at the airlines and took it.
I have to say I really enjoy this job. I was lucky to get in at a good time and it only took me a year to hold a schedule that I like. It is one of the greatest careers in the worst industry.
Andy
splash
your social justice comic center
Yeah, two years ago is when I was going back to school for something else. I've gone around in circles trying to get ahead.
splash
your social justice comic center
I'd have something good to say about it if I had chances that would stick around. What is the secret to "make opportunities" for yourself? Send me the magic. I get this vision of going to a company and holding it up at gun point. No, not robbing them but just demanding a chance to work there for a livable 30K wage :crazy:. Many careers start out or make much more at this wage after a degree in it.
Airdale
Well-Known Member
This career sucks. But you know what? So does working at Home Depot. So does laying hardwood floor. What sucks worse is sanding and refinishing a hardwood floor. What sucks even more than that, is cleaning and buffing a floor in an autoshop. What sucks worse than that and worse than that, is being on furlough and having to bury your head in the ground to find money.
Every job SUCKS. Thats why its called a JOB. You're going to die in your life, so stop worrying about WHAT you do in your JOB and start giving more attention to WHAT you do WITH your LIFE.
Every job SUCKS. Thats why its called a JOB. You're going to die in your life, so stop worrying about WHAT you do in your JOB and start giving more attention to WHAT you do WITH your LIFE.
Those right there be words to live by....
Cptnchia
Dissatisfied Customer
I've always liked the quote, "Contrary to popular opinion, life is not a dress rehearsal."
Firebird2XC
Well-Known Member
>>applause<<
Glad to know you're still hangin' on man. Look on the upside. When recall comes you'll go straight to 2nd year pay. You won't know what to do with yourself.
Trip7
Well-Known Member
I don't think this job sucks...in fact, I believe it ranks up there with one of the best in world even with all the negatives.
The pay is excellent for the amount of work we do. Doctors and lawyers work almost 3x as many hours as pilots. I got paid 20k this past year for playing video games and touring ATL.
I've probably used at least $30,000 worth of tickets non-reving. I don't know if I could ever stomach paying for a ticket with all this free travel.
I'll probably get called a koolaide drinker as usual. I don't care. I'm just glad I've been blessed to think positively and look at everything with the glass half full rather than half empty. I don't know how some people on here sleep at night...
The pay is excellent for the amount of work we do. Doctors and lawyers work almost 3x as many hours as pilots. I got paid 20k this past year for playing video games and touring ATL.
I've probably used at least $30,000 worth of tickets non-reving. I don't know if I could ever stomach paying for a ticket with all this free travel.
I'll probably get called a koolaide drinker as usual. I don't care. I'm just glad I've been blessed to think positively and look at everything with the glass half full rather than half empty. I don't know how some people on here sleep at night...
Firebird2XC
Well-Known Member
I'm going to chime in and say this job rules. Still.
It doesn't rule for all the reasons I thought it would. Some of them, but not all.
I was a little bummed with it halfway through this year. Then I kinda.. let go.. a little and took a new look at it.
I have highly flexible schedules, which allow me to do a good deal with a little planning. I've got great benefits, and as I've said before... it definitely beats getting shot at out in the desert.
Furthermore... the scenery changes, I get to meet new people... and I get to fly planes.. for money. Sure, some days it IS a job, and it even sucks sometimes. For the most part, however, I cannot imagine spending my time stuck in a cube farm somewhere. I've never done it. Even the days when I worked out of a hangar all day, I still had an amazing view everytime I walked outside those giant doors.
This life is the road less traveled. So few of us get to see what's on the "other side of the locked door"- and not just in the airplane, but in LIFE.
Forget the clones in the business suits and burned out drones doing the daily commute. That's never been for me, and it never will be.
There's one place I've ever been where I wanted to just lock into the routine and let the days all run together so I couldn't tell the difference anymore. It was Iraq. It made the time pass faster.
Give me this life, with its ups and downs... ANY day.
It doesn't rule for all the reasons I thought it would. Some of them, but not all.
I was a little bummed with it halfway through this year. Then I kinda.. let go.. a little and took a new look at it.
I have highly flexible schedules, which allow me to do a good deal with a little planning. I've got great benefits, and as I've said before... it definitely beats getting shot at out in the desert.
Furthermore... the scenery changes, I get to meet new people... and I get to fly planes.. for money. Sure, some days it IS a job, and it even sucks sometimes. For the most part, however, I cannot imagine spending my time stuck in a cube farm somewhere. I've never done it. Even the days when I worked out of a hangar all day, I still had an amazing view everytime I walked outside those giant doors.
This life is the road less traveled. So few of us get to see what's on the "other side of the locked door"- and not just in the airplane, but in LIFE.
Forget the clones in the business suits and burned out drones doing the daily commute. That's never been for me, and it never will be.
There's one place I've ever been where I wanted to just lock into the routine and let the days all run together so I couldn't tell the difference anymore. It was Iraq. It made the time pass faster.
Give me this life, with its ups and downs... ANY day.
