What is this job to you?

[🦈💜]

Sidebar: I had a Make A Wish girl on my flight the other day who just wanted to see the flight deck. I would have disassembled the airplane to give her the thrust levers if she'd asked.

After she left, the FO said "Hey, maybe she'll be a pilot when she grows up" and I had to excuse myself.

 

[killbilly]

Sidebar: I had a Make A Wish girl on my flight the other day who just wanted to see the flight deck. I would have disassembled the airplane to give her the thrust levers if she'd asked.

After she left, the FO said "Hey, maybe she'll be a pilot when she grows up" and I had to excuse myself.

I’m glad you feel that way about kids on the deck. I do too.

I hope you slapped the FO.

Edit: gah. I’m not right.

Part of me hopes you slapped him. The *better* part of me hopes you….educated…that FO.

 

[🦈💜]

I’m glad you feel that way about kids on the deck. I do too.

I hope you slapped the FO.

Edit: gah. I’m not right.

Part of me hopes you slapped him. The *better* part of me hopes you….educated…that FO.

I just suggested he research Make A Wish, and he self-educated.

 

[AA34]

Make A Wish can be for survivors and kids that don’t have terminal illness. Really awesome of you to spend time with her.

 

[🦈💜]

Make A Wish can be for survivors and kids that don’t have terminal illness.

True.

 

[Skåning]

Just because I feel it’s appropriate here. 1992 UAL commercial featuring JC’s very own ALifeAloft / Gerry, as the UAL 747-400 Capt he was.

@Bob Ridpath. @derg


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TcIFN9Jk5s

The $19/hr version


View: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DDGM50lsQ2q/?igsh=MTR4M3RpemV6M2R1aQ==

 

[ppragman]

I get this when hand flying or driving a twisty mountain road in my Alfa. I tell people it’s the only time I can mute all my thoughts and just be in the moment.

Which is why when people say, "don't hand fly" I'm immediately suspicious of them.

"oh, you don't like this?"

It's like a person who claims they like their commute.

 

[knot4u]

I'll be quite honest regarding this subject. There was a time that I was so enthusiastic about aviation that I had zero days off for months, I was either at school figuring out the fixing sticks, working as a line guy and describing myself as a petroleum distillate engineer to the ladies, working on news helicopters, cleaning airplanes after hours or volunteering to work for free on a legendary air racer. All of that experience served me well and I've seen, done and experienced things that I'd not trade for anything. But after over 30 years the luster has worn off, it looks amazing to someone just starting out and I try to foster that enthusiasm but it seems as if the "newbies" become disenchanted more and more quickly. Maybe that's my fault, I won't paint a picture of riches and vacation homes because I'm not a silver tongued devil. I'll tell them about my experience and how some things absolutely helped and others hindered progression in my particular corner. I'm fairly certain the majority of them expect to have my job two years after getting their A/P and when that doesn't happen they have a tendency to get grumpy. I'm fully aware that the world has changed and the opportunities I was afforded are nonexistent and I can't blame them for not having a passion for aviation like I once did. I hate to say that I hate airplanes, or any other flying contraption, but I haven't found joy in aviation for a long time. It just pays the bills. I will still look up if I hear an airplane fly over.

 

[derg]

Yup, pandemic displacement in 2020 so I went from A320 CA to B737 CA in LAX.

ME ME ME!!! Let’s talked about ME!

 

[Cherokee_Cruiser]

ME ME ME!!! Let’s talked about ME!

Huh? He asked the question. So I answered. Sometimes you’re a weird enigma. I thought the original purpose of this site was to ask and have aviation questions answered. I didn’t see him complain about my post so why are you?

 

[Kingairer]

Growing up just south of you in Cape Girardeau, MO during my late teen years, I use to drive up to Lambert just to watch the big jets all day. Yep, I was an airliner nerd and the only way to watch airliners back then was to actually go to the airport. No YouTube or Internet.

I agree about GA being just a means to an end. I never really *loved* GA but since the military didn’t want me I had to choose an alternative route. I did try to go back to my GA roots after making Capt at UPS and got involved with a partnership in a Cessna 310. I figured I had “made it”, had a little extra money in my pocket and maybe would have a different perspective on flying “puddle jumpers” again since it was a want and not a need anymore. Yup…that was a mistake! Between the constant never ending bills and worrying about the weather when planning family vacation trips, the shine wore off real quick. I could’ve bought first class tickets for my family each time with the money spent and I could’ve sat back while drinking an alcoholic beverage and let someone else worry about the weather.

When I first got into airline aviation, around 12, I got all the airline timetables and merged them together and picked the best time to go to the airport. Id get in the back of the truck (redneck avgeek combo) and video with one of those giant cameras. All kinds of cringe narration I am sure!

 

[ZapBrannigan]

I'm flying with another guy who doesn't really like flying. Just doing this for the money. And I just can't. You never would've stuck it out in the 90s buddy.

I like pilots who like airplanes. Call me crazy.

 

[Richman]

I'm flying with another guy who doesn't really like flying. Just doing this for the money. And I just can't. You never would've stuck it out in the 90s buddy.

I like pilots who like airplanes. Call me crazy.

They’re out there. Most are solid tradesmen, but can have a fairly large DGAS factor as they get older. Makes for a high workload in the other seat.

 

[DE727UPS]

I'm flying with another guy who doesn't really like flying. Just doing this for the money. And I just can't. You never would've stuck it out in the 90s buddy.

I like pilots who like airplanes. Call me crazy.

Hard to believe. Some SWA pilot interviewer did a youtube of his day at work and talked about the hiring process and what they were looking for. I don't think I could have got through all that.

 

[MikeD]

I'm flying with another guy who doesn't really like flying. Just doing this for the money. And I just can't. You never would've stuck it out in the 90s buddy.

I like pilots who like airplanes. Call me crazy.

To some people, it’s just a job. There’s no passion to it. It’s a gig that took some training to do and get to, in order to make some money. Beyond that, it’s no different to them than driving a big rig in the sky or a greyhound bus in the sky.

Weird as heck to relate to for you and me, but it’s just how these people are. Have run into a few in my time, and there’s just no passion of any kind present.

 

[ppragman]

Hard to believe. Some SWA pilot interviewer did a youtube of his day at work and talked about the hiring process and what they were looking for. I don't think I could have got through all that.

Rewind the clock to the year 2011 when I took a 50% pay cut to get turbine time...

 

[ppragman]

To some people, it’s just a job. There’s no passion to it. It’s a gig that took some training to do and get to, in order to make some money. Beyond that, it’s no different to them than driving a big rig in the sky or a greyhound bus in the sky.

Weird as heck to relate to for you and me, but it’s just how these people are. Have run into a few in my time, and there’s just no passion of any kind present.

I have flown with some of these guys over the years too - they're typically bad at the job in my experience. Well, that's not fair, they're "adequate" but they're not "good" - they are right in the middle of the bell curve.

I have yet to meet someone who didn't like flying who was really good at it lol

 

[SteveC]

Rewind the clock to the year 2011 when I took a 50% pay cut to get turbine time...

When I switched from my former “real job” to flying aircraft full time (2004’ish) it was more like a 75-80% pay cut. Seriously.

 

[MikeD]

I have flown with some of these guys over the years too - they're typically bad at the job in my experience. Well, that's not fair, they're "adequate" but they're not "good" - they are right in the middle of the bell curve.

I have yet to meet someone who didn't like flying who was really good at it lol

Agree. What I’ve observed is that they are generally safe and all, but there’s no drive in them or deep desire to become a master at their craft. Good enough, is good enough. If the mins weren’t good enough, they wouldn’t be the mins to pass. They’re only going to do what’s absolutely required of them to do.

Is it wrong or breaking SOP or policy? No. Is it seemingly extremely odd, if only for how much effort it took, all encompassing, to get to where they are, to just have a “meh, it’s just some cash” kind of thought process? To me, yes.

Now, I’m “meh” about my 121 flying job. But that’s only because I’m a part time contract pilot with it. It’s not my full time job. But….i still strive my best to do my best at it, and to continually seek to improve at this particular craft, just as I do for all my other crafts I do. Useless personal pride? Perhaps. Perhaps not.

 

[phill1174]

I'm flying with another guy who doesn't really like flying. Just doing this for the money. And I just can't. You never would've stuck it out in the 90s buddy.

I like pilots who like airplanes. Call me crazy.

You wouldn’t believe how many are out there like that. A lot of it is the dad was a (insert legacy pilot) and it got pushed onto the child. Sucks because if you talk to them they’ll eventually get to what they’re passionate about. Helluva bill to foot for someone that doesn’t want to fly though.