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Addendum...

After using it, here you go.

1. Load gun.
2. Remove Shoe.
3. Shoot foot.
 
Finally someone illustrates why people in aviation bitch so much. I'm so sick of hearing pilots brag about how little they work. I have 19 days off this month and I'm still away from home almost 150% more than a m-f 9-5'er.
 
nonstop said:
Finally someone illustrates why people in aviation bitch so much. I'm so sick of hearing pilots brag about how little they work. I have 19 days off this month and I'm still away from home almost 150% more than a m-f 9-5'er.
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I hate to be an optimist, especially on flight info, but I just found that I get paid $18 an hour to takeoff, read, snooze, land, go to the hotel, sleep on the overnight... repeat cycle.

This job rocks!
 
FishandFly said:
I hate to be an optimist, especially on flight info, but I just found that I get paid $18 an hour to takeoff, read, snooze, land, go to the hotel, sleep on the overnight... repeat cycle.

This job rocks!
Click to expand...

If you don't like to be around your family. It sounds like you're 22. You probably are, don't take offense but you're naive. I was too when I was your age. Someday soon things like "retirement" "compound interest" "quality of life" "TAFB" will take on a whole new meaning.
 
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nonstop said:
If you don't like to be around your family. It sounds like you're 22. You probably are, don't take offense but you're naive. I was too when I was your age. Someday soon things like "retirement" "compound interest" "quality of life" "TAFB" will take on a whole new meaning.
Click to expand...

you sound so wise until I realize you are so far more experienced than I, yet you are still an airline pilot who doesn't like his job because of things like "retirement" "compound interest" "quality of life" "TAFB"
 
nonstop said:
If you don't like to be around your family. It sounds like you're 22. You probably are, don't take offense but you're naive. I was too when I was your age. Someday soon things like "retirement" "compound interest" "quality of life" "TAFB" will take on a whole new meaning.
Click to expand...

Agreed. If you're single (or unable to marry due to sexual preference), and will be your entire life, its not a bad life.

If you ever achieve any small level of success in matters financial or personal, you will spend the rest of your career trying to keep your employer from sucking the life out of you.

The day you can afford a living space nicer than that ratty hotel your company pays $35/night for is the day you'll slowly start to realize life on the line isn't quite what it once was.

I'd rather sleep in my garage at home than in the nicest hotel in the system.
 
nonstop said:
If you don't like to be around your family. It sounds like you're 22. You probably are, don't take offense but you're naive. I was too when I was your age. Someday soon things like "retirement" "compound interest" "quality of life" "TAFB" will take on a whole new meaning.
Click to expand...

What, did you pick this job out of a hat or something? Did you not perhaps think coming into this "Airline pilot, hmmmmmm, I might be away from home a lot..."
 
FishandFly said:
you sound so wise until I realize you are so far more experienced than I, yet you are still an airline pilot who doesn't like his job because of things like "retirement" "compound interest" "quality of life" "TAFB"
Click to expand...

You really don't get it. I'm an airline pilot because I'm caught. The investment isn't worth it anymore, but in the 90's that wasn't the case. I made the investment when it still made sense. It's still not worth it, and I'm working on several different career options that don't require >250 hours away from home a month. You'll find out, when you grow up, you can't just walk away from things because they didn't work out the way you expected. You'll have "financial responsibilities" and no matter how ridiculous a job is, if it pays 90k a year it's not something you can just immediately walk away from.
 
I_Love_Lamp said:
What, did you pick this job out of a hat or something? Did you not perhaps think coming into this "Airline pilot, hmmmmmm, I might be away from home a lot..."
Click to expand...

Well honestly, like I said I was naive. Choosing a profession when you're in your teens is absurd, you just don't know what's important to you yet because you're not done growing. Even so, when I selected this profession things were *drastically* different than they are now, career earnings were ~100% more than they are now.
 
nonstop said:
You really don't get it. I'm an airline pilot because I'm caught. The investment isn't worth it anymore, but in the 90's that wasn't the case. I made the investment when it still made sense. It's still not worth it, and I'm working on several different career options that don't require >250 hours away from home a month. You'll find out, when you grow up, you can't just walk away from things because they didn't work out the way you expected. You'll have "financial responsibilities" and no matter how ridiculous a job is, if it pays 90k a year it's not something you can just immediately walk away from.
Click to expand...

what are you like 28 then?
 
Considering inflation, regional pay is down around 30% of where it was when I hired in. But the kicker is the lack of career progression and threats to longevity which were not envisioned at the beginning of this decade.
 
this is the love it or leave it argument...

many of the guys in my indoc class were midlife career change types, they know exactly what they are getting into... long hours, questionable pay scales, etc, they are doing it because it's something they really want to do.

A big part of this job is being away from home, or dealing with the downtime. For those on here who are really unhappy with their current situation, you have one of two options.... work to make your job better, or spend the time between cycling the gear studying for a career in something other than flying. Spend the nights in a crappy hotel earning a master's degree. Learn a second or third language. Do something productive with your time rather than bitching about it on the web.

If you aren't happy with your life, change something about it
 
I'm in my late 30's
I'm have more time with my kids than any of my friends and neighbors, by comparison.
I have a great wife who doesn't work.
We live in a very nice neighborhood.

there were lean years, but I'm very happy now. when I talk to friends and neighbors about my work and theirs, I rarely leave feeling jealous of their work. I've been told by many that their feelings are quite the opposite.

guess it just depends on the person
 
I'm surprised noone commented on the minimums. It's sad that ASA is now below Great Lakes. It seemed Lakes was always the "we'll take 'em" airline. And how about PSA going for wet ink commercials? :eek:
 
Edit from above - meant to write "down by about 30%."

...and the above writer is correct. Rote memorization of procedures in a sim does not make a person a pilot. Flying magazine has several good articles this month, one specifically mentions Delta Connection Academy.

Everyone needs to be careful out there.
 
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~~~^~~~ said:
Yep - those standards guys are earning their money, as are the junior Captains. Rote memorization of procedures does not make a line pilot.
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Tell me about it. I'm just glad I have a flight instructor certificate and know how to use it... and I'm a line pilot, not in the training department.
 
JP and Fins,

If you guys/gals are not IPs it is not your job to instruct. If the FOs are being released to the line and are not competent, for your own safety/certificate preservation you should have them removed at the next stop. Obviously this will be hard to pull the trigger on someone who seems like a good guy/gal but it has to be done. It is not a personal but professional issue and in the long run you will probably be helping this pilots longterm career. These airlines have to learn that you cannot continue to skimp on pay/work conditions and get qualified applicants. I include my own currently ********************ty airline NWA. We will not be attracting or keeping the better qualified regional/military pilot in the near future when we start hiring due to the current contract. And before anyone assumes that I am advocating being a hard ass to the fngs I am not.
 
SkyNation said:
I'm in my late 30's
I'm have more time with my kids than any of my friends and neighbors, by comparison.
I have a great wife who doesn't work.
We live in a very nice neighborhood.

there were lean years, but I'm very happy now. when I talk to friends and neighbors about my work and theirs, I rarely leave feeling jealous of their work. I've been told by many that their feelings are quite the opposite.

guess it just depends on the person
Click to expand...
I'm a bit older but DITTO! In a huge way.

I've had a "real, 9-5 (what a joke)" job. I don't EVER want another one.
 
No ********************. This certainly beats working for a living.

9-5 jobs are for suckers who don't know how to fly.


...also Roll Tide....Im tired of losing to you bastards....heheh
 
lowery21 said:
No ********************. This certainly beats working for a living.

9-5 jobs are for suckers who don't know how to fly.


...also Roll Tide....Im tired of losing to you bastards....heheh
Click to expand...
something tells me the streak will end at 5....nice choice in new coaches....War Eagle!
 
huncowboy said:
How is this depressing? Desperation on part of regional airlines could mean leverage for pilots.
Click to expand...

So you get leverage, maybe get a 10% raise, pay still sucks, and now they get all the new pilots they want. Am I wrong?
 
There's no way in hell I'd ever regularly get 15 days off per month in my past business/cubicle life. So while I'm gone more hours per month, the hours I am home are more useful as they aren't as broken up as the 9-5'r. When I did the daily rat race, by the time I got home through the traffic, cooked dinner, and did whatever else needed doing, ie clothes, pay bills, shop for food, whatever, it was time for bed to do all over again. By the time the weekend came I was completely worn out.

That said, I have had to learn to make the time home count more. There is a lot to be said for being home everynight, especially when it comes to family. It's easy to come home and get wrapped up in projects, so I have to remember to focus more on them then I did in the daily rat race.

And another that said, we are grossly underpaid for the amount of time we are gone. No doubt about it. Grossly. But then again, I depend on another person for my paycheck. They are the smart ones - the ones who work for and therefore pay themselves.
 

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