What's still good about major airline flying?

[Fly4$]

I'm leaving the military next year to go fly for a major airline, the way I always planned it. What I have noticed that these forums seem to be filled with doom and gloom about my future job.

I would like to start this thread for all people entering the airline business, so they know there are still plenty of things to look forward to, and to give us all a little positive motivation.

Please don't hijack this thread for your complaints (which I'm sure every profession has plenty of) but please only sincere things that make this job still fun to do.

 

[flint4xx]

A half hour and no positive response. You can close this thread now.

 

[Whine Lover]

If you are a commuter you can remain in a state of perpetual adolescence via "the crash pad".

You get to sneak away from nagging girlfriends, wives, kids, etc. and sit in a cheap apartment with dumpster furniture drinking beer in your shorts and watching TV with the Guys all day.

Just like College....only you actually have a J.O.B.

When the Ball and Chain stares at you and says "what have you done for the past week?" the best part is:

A) She has NO idea and NO proof of what you were really doing . Whatever you say is Gospel.

and


B) You get to say " I've been working." and you aren't even lying.


YKW

 

[AA717driver]

Fly4--People bitch because it's not the "brass ring" job it once was. Coming in now, you know there are crappy work rules (although still better than a regional) and no defined benefit pension (although the DC plans will work pretty well).

Just remember: There are no guarantees in this or any other job. If you like--no, love flying, you will have a good time.

Was the military fun all the time? I doubt it. There will be days when you hate the job and days that are so good, you can't tell anyone outside the business because they can't comprehend it.

As I said before: You have to decide to be happy. Happiness won't come find you. Good luck. TC

 

[Whataburger]

Getting good money to sit on your a$$ and stare out the window all day while drinking free coffee is the job most people want. You can have that.

 

[Bavarian Chef]

Getting good money to sit on your a$$ and stare out the window all day while drinking free coffee is the job most people want. You can have that.

... at Southwest.

 

[General Lee]

I'm leaving the military next year to go fly for a major airline, the way I always planned it. What I have noticed that these forums seem to be filled with doom and gloom about my future job.

I would like to start this thread for all people entering the airline business, so they know there are still plenty of things to look forward to, and to give us all a little positive motivation.

Please don't hijack this thread for your complaints (which I'm sure every profession has plenty of) but please only sincere things that make this job still fun to do.

I still enjoy my job at Delta, but I am fairly senior and still making a pretty good wage. Most people don't start out that way, though. There is always that first year pay, and reserve that can cloud the dream. It takes a while to get comfortable with the pay and schedule, maybe a few years. 9-11 really did smack the "airline pilot lifestyle" with several BKs that affected average pay, and the introduction of RJs have shrunk many mainline fleets. Age 65 will stagnate many airline seniority lists, which will slow hiring. Once you are on with an airline, save money and invest in 401Ks and DC programs. Pensions at most airlines are gone or could be gone in the next dip. Overall, it is a good job if you can withstand the first couple years of lower pay and worse QOL. If you can get past that, then you can be comfortable, but never really totally secure. Just don't be a big spender and enjoy loved ones. An airline with a little variety (maybe a domestic and INTL operation) may keep you more interested in the flying part over time. Good luck.


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[FurloughedAgain]

Holy crap. General Lee just wrote an ENTIRE POST that I agree with!

The apocalypse is upon us...

 

[SWAdude]

General,

Fairly senior? Are you not an FO?

 

[FurloughedAgain]

FOs can be senior on the FO list. Either way, he's unlikely to get furloughed unless the airline shuts down.

 

[PCL_128]

If memory serves, the General has been able to hold Captain for a while, but he's waiting for an airplane that he wants to fly.

 

[CrewDog97]

fly4$,
hey brother (or sister as the case may be),
don't take all this gloom and doom to heart. i just got out of the military a year ago myself, got on with a major, and i'm loving it. like you, it's what i've always wanted to do. you know pilots can and will complain about anything. i'm just happy being a civilian for the first time since i was 18. i've been at my airline for less than a year, i'm off reserve, i have 17 days off this month and love having the free time to spend with my family and my other job (couldn't totally part with the military so i'm still a Reservist). i tend to think a bad day flying for the airlines beats a good day flying for the military, but that's just me. PM me if you need to talk to somebody who's been in your shoes!
crewdog97

 

[pilotyip]

Great Job!

If you like to fly it is still a great job, good pay, 100K in ten years almost anywhere, work 15 days a month, free travel, unlimited time off to pursue a reserve career. If you don't like to fly it is a hard job. I am still livin the dream after 40+ years.

 

[MK82Man]

Fly for Bucks -- well I've been at my major for 3.25 years. If you are retiring then you have some good options. Stay with tricare and participate to the max with your new airline 401k, B Plan, whatever. My wife and kids have non-rev'd to the max. NYC (three christmas's in a row -- it's cool when they come home and talk about the rockettes and the xmas show), SFO, ORD, and a host of other places. my kids can travel by themselves and have done it with friends. It's pretty cool to send your kid to SNA with a friend for a weekend for basically the cost of a hotel room. We've done Colorado, Mexico, England, France, Italy, Canada, and a host of other get-aways in the three years, so I count non-rev as a huge benefit. I think the kids are learning alot by being exposed to so much. We can go skiing in the Rockies on a weekend. Is it a cake to non-rev? No, but there are alot of folks who just quit trying and we plan smart, carry back up tickets and the good folks at SWA have carried us lots for dirt cheap. Summer 08 will have us on a greece cruise ... so to me, that is what is still good about the business. Plus the guys (and 2 gals) I've flown with are great. Only a couple of losers in the crowd. And I'm still flying and I enjoy that. There is no PPT, no colonel meet and greet, and Home Depot in the middle of the week is way uncrowded. Good luck

 

[ip241au]

Fly4$

Take a good look at your prospective airline, their domiciles, work rules, routes they fly. If your airline has a domicile that you want to live in that is huge. Commuting sucks and takes away a lot of your free time and also your peace of mind (Will I get to work?)
Are their benefits good? 1st year pay?

If it's all about money, maybe your degree will earn you a lot more instead of flying. Some non-flying civilian careers are paying good money and great benefits. If you don't have a lot of time to put into a commercial airline career, 20+ years I think, you will never get to the left seat. The left seat makes the big money and your timeline to the Captain seat may just have been extended five years.

 

[Fly4$]

Thanks a lot everybody for the constructive posts. I already feel a lot better. I guess there is plenty to love out there, but I will make sure I stay well informed. I am well educated and should have plenty of other options, but for now I just love to fly, and I am looking forward to the change of scenery. (coming from the military)

 

[instructordude]

If you like to fly it is still a great job, good pay, 100K in ten years almost anywhere, work 15 days a month, free travel, unlimited time off to pursue a reserve career. If you don't like to fly it is a hard job. I am still livin the dream after 40+ years.

That's really what it is about, the love of flying and the ability to make the big bucks (100K) and only work 16 days a month. Most angry guys I've talked to and seen on this site don't like to fly and probably don't have any hobbies to do on their off time. This job can be a dream.

 

[vtwo]

That's really what it is about, the love of flying and the ability to make the big bucks (100K) and only work 16 days a month. Most angry guys I've talked to and seen on this site don't like to fly and probably don't have any hobbies to do on their off time. This job can be a dream.

What kind of putz are you???????

 

[instructordude]

What kind of putz are you???????

??????

 

[Kharma Police]

What kind of putz are you???????

That guy is awesome, a true genius. I don't know what's more entertaining, him, or gullible guys that get their blood pressure up by reading his posts.

 

[DontFeedTheBear]

That's really what it is about, the love of flying and the ability to make the big bucks (100K) and only work 16 days a month. Most angry guys I've talked to and seen on this site don't like to fly and probably don't have any hobbies to do on their off time. This job can be a dream.

Since when is 100K the big bucks? It's people like you that will keep this profession down. Strive a little higher or get out! Years of missing holidays and missing your kids growing up, can you really put a cheap price tag on that? There are pleanty of professions that pay about 100k in the second year with only a degree. (Yeah, I know, Go there myself!) Not for me, I actually enjoy my job, and the people I work with. But I would like to be paid as a professional with respect to my training, skills, responsibilities, time away and the chance of losing my medical. Aim a little higher 'dude', or go do something else.

Yogi

 

[contrail67]

Several jobs that pay 100k in the second year? Probably if their cost of living warrants it....doctor, lawyer yeah. Most places like that (100K) 2nd year, are in EXPENSIVE housing areas where they have to pay that.
There are several parts of the country that are within 3 hour drive or short flight where you can live like a king on 80K because of the low cost of living...I have spent most of the holidays with my family...for the past 15 years in the industry...guess I am just lucky on bidding.

 

[Jmoney]

GoJet Idiot!

That's really what it is about, the love of flying and the ability to make the big bucks (100K) and only work 16 days a month. Most angry guys I've talked to and seen on this site don't like to fly and probably don't have any hobbies to do on their off time. This job can be a dream.

Don't listen to any moron who claims to be from GoJet! This guy is such a scam-artist...... Instructordude spent many a long night hijacking threads on the regionals board and now he has come over here "born-again."

Just give this monkey time, and he will show you what any absolute freaking jackass he really is!

 

[instructordude]

Since when is 100K the big bucks? It's people like you that will keep this profession down. Strive a little higher or get out! Years of missing holidays and missing your kids growing up, can you really put a cheap price tag on that? There are pleanty of professions that pay about 100k in the second year with only a degree. (Yeah, I know, Go there myself!) Not for me, I actually enjoy my job, and the people I work with. But I would like to be paid as a professional with respect to my training, skills, responsibilities, time away and the chance of losing my medical. Aim a little higher 'dude', or go do something else.

Yogi

Yogi,

I do respect your opinion but disagree about plenty of jobs that pay 100K in the second year with only a degree. What kind of degree is that.... a trust fund degree.:laugh:

As far as being a professional, YOU ARE ONE! You wear a tie and hat like I do and probably like me.... ARE PROUD TO DO IT! 100K is a good amount of money and I agree it could get higher but let's not say that it is chicken feed. Let work to get it higher but not kill the golden goose at the same time!

 

[Jmoney]

Yum.....

I still enjoy my job at Delta, but I am fairly senior and still making a pretty good wage. Most people don't start out that way, though. There is always that first year pay, and reserve that can cloud the dream. It takes a while to get comfortable with the pay and schedule, maybe a few years. 9-11 really did smack the "airline pilot lifestyle" with several BKs that affected average pay, and the introduction of RJs have shrunk many mainline fleets. Age 65 will stagnate many airline seniority lists, which will slow hiring. Once you are on with an airline, save money and invest in 401Ks and DC programs. Pensions at most airlines are gone or could be gone in the next dip. Overall, it is a good job if you can withstand the first couple years of lower pay and worse QOL. If you can get past that, then you can be comfortable, but never really totally secure. Just don't be a big spender and enjoy loved ones. An airline with a little variety (maybe a domestic and INTL operation) may keep you more interested in the flying part over time. Good luck.


Bye Bye--General Lee

Plus, the General can live on a 100% Kool-Aid diet......

My, my, my, that stuff really must make one's head swell.... Got quite a bit more proud of oneself since we flew the lowly EM2, eh General? I just don't know how that head could possibly get thru the cockpit door anymore.

Keep in mind... The regionals got your cocky butt where it is-maybe you should consider that when hijacking every thread possible to toot your own horn!

Jackass!

 

[instructordude]

Don't listen to any moron who claims to be from GoJet! This guy is such a scam-artist...... Instructordude spent many a long night hijacking threads on the regionals board and now he has come over here "born-again."

Just give this monkey time, and he will show you what any absolute freaking jackass he really is!

JMonkey,

I have to ask you about the regional board thing? You can look at my other posts but I have few posts on the regional board? "Born Again" Explain here or by a PM. Scam artist....?

 

[Bavarian Chef]

This job is about 3 things: chics, money and time off.

Anyone that tells you that they do it for "their love of flying" hasn't really done any (real flying) and probably lists a Cessna in their profile.

Oh, did I mention it's just a job? Remember that, and you will never worry about 99% of the crap on this board.

 

[Jmoney]

Maybe....

JMonkey,

I have to ask you about the regional board thing? You can look at my other posts but I have few posts on the regional board? "Born Again" Explain here or by a PM. Scam artist....?

Maybe you have a some sort of long-term memory issue. That would not surprise me as silly of a 'tard as you seem to be.

Perhaps you should post something on the regional board to see if anyone else remembers you. Interesting how some of the guys over there even use quotes from you in their signatures.

If you somehow fail to recall, you spent most of your time there bashing others who did not buy into your "screw everyone else in the industry" Go-Jet mentality-perhaps you and Skynation are still buds-maybe you can go over and get him to refresh you memory.

-Never spent much time on the regionals board?
-Very rich!

 

[instructordude]

Maybe you have a some sort of long-term memory issue. That would not surprise me as silly of a 'tard as you seem to be.

Perhaps you should post something on the regional board to see if anyone else remembers you. Interesting how some of the guys over there even use quotes from you in their signatures.

If you somehow fail to recall, you spent most of your time there bashing others who did not buy into your "screw everyone else in the industry" Go-Jet mentality-perhaps you and Skynation are still buds-maybe you can go over and get him to refresh you memory.

-Never spent much time on the regionals board?
-Very rich!

JMoney,

You still haven't answered the question. What posts? You are confused with someone else.

What is up with the avatar? Get a life dude.

 

[instructordude]

This job is about 3 things: chics, money and time off.

Anyone that tells you that they do it for "their love of flying" hasn't really done any (real flying) and probably lists a Cessna in their profile.

Oh, did I mention it's just a job? Remember that, and you will never worry about 99% of the crap on this board.

BC,

Too true my brother in blue. Where did you fly F-14's at. Capt I'm flying with next weekend was a Tomcat dude.