Would you.......

[Salukipilot4590]

Of course I would do it all again. I cant imagine growing up dreaming of flying and doing something else willingly!

 

[Goose Egg]

This job is incredibly easy. It's like getting paid money for enjoying a hobby.

Mind-numbingly easy sometimes. I tend to look at getting paid to fly for an airline is like being compensated for being bored. That's work, not a hobby.

-Goose

 

[CopilotDoug]

Really? Total lack of control? Come on.

Not such BIG differences after all.

W

Yes, they may work harder Dubya. But hardwork does pay off. My former college room mate just transferred companies in October because he nogotiated himself better pay and benefits with a new company. Don't get me wrong, if I had a trust fund, flying would be my Job of Choice.

 

[Lynxman]

Ok I'm still new to aviation but have a decent amount of sources in the industry. They all can agree that times are crap now one of which is without a job albeit hes 62 and made more than enough in aviation to retire but.... The others tend to agree on this. There will be a shortage of pilots. Lets look at it mathematically. I've spent lots of money on flying way to much. Many people are not as lucky as me to be able to do this. The number of student pilots going in thinking they want to do this as a career is less and less each year. Continental's pilot group apparantly from what I'm told is a much older pilot group than the other majors. Age 65 delayed the inevitable the mass retirements of the baby boomers. There is no denying those facts. Will we see a pilot shortage? Right now? Of course not. In 3-4 years? I think so. Maybe I'm being optimistic, and I'm not banking on it happening that way I won't be upset when it takes me years to make it to the airlines. But I sure can hope and pray there is one!

 

[Flyer1015]

What other line of work can someone like me make over $150,000 a year (still an F/O) with just a high school diploma.

Try drug dealing, sell crack! You don't even need a high school diploma for that one!

Once you're furloughed, that high school degree won't get you far.

 

[Browntothebone]

Try drug dealing, sell crack! You don't even need a high school diploma for that one!

Once you're furloughed, that high school degree won't get you far.

I'm way too senior to get furloughed.

 

[Salukipilot4590]

Try drug dealing, sell crack! You don't even need a high school diploma for that one!

Yeah but you'd do MUCH better on the street with an MBA to be totally honest.

Also you'd probably be less likely to spend the money on 48" rims too...

 

[OUPilot01]

Lynxpilot

I agree with you that there is going to be a mass exodus of pilots in about the next 3-4 years. I doubt this will cause the extreme pilot shortage everyone talks about. You are right that you have to either come from well off means or have loads of debt to afford all the flight training in this day and age. However 1-2 years ago when we where starting to see what a pilot shortage might do, management just kept lowering and lowering the minimum flight experience until some of the lower tier airlines only required your commercial. This in many cases greatly reduced the cost and time it took to make it to the airlines. Management is smart and know that not only could a severe pilot shortage happen but also how much leverage it would give pilot groups. For this reason they will do all it take to mitigate one including ab initio. Although I hope that I am wrong on this matter history shows that a pilot shortage brings about lower and lower quilifications for pilots until all you will need is a GED to become one.

 

[lionflyer]

Lynxpilot

I agree with you that there is going to be a mass exodus of pilots in about the next 3-4 years. I doubt this will cause the extreme pilot shortage everyone talks about. You are right that you have to either come from well off means or have loads of debt to afford all the flight training in this day and age. However 1-2 years ago when we where starting to see what a pilot shortage might do, management just kept lowering and lowering the minimum flight experience until some of the lower tier airlines only required your commercial. This in many cases greatly reduced the cost and time it took to make it to the airlines. Management is smart and know that not only could a severe pilot shortage happen but also how much leverage it would give pilot groups. For this reason they will do all it take to mitigate one including ab initio. Although I hope that I am wrong on this matter history shows that a pilot shortage brings about lower and lower quilifications for pilots until all you will need is a GED to become one.

Yup! And after that they will start pushing hard for the "Multi Crew" pilot license and if that doesn't solve the shortage problem they will pursue unmanned flight. It's not gonna happen tomorrow but it's comming. Of course the most automated, sophisiticated, bad a$$ computer/autopilot in the world will never be able to do what Capt Sully just did.

 

[Goose Egg]

Of course the most automated, sophisiticated, bad a$$ computer/autopilot in the world will never be able to do what Capt Sully just did.

Amen to that!

 

[Lynxman]

I'm just surprised that my friend said you wouldn't believe some of the people that made it to the airline he's at. Was it rele that easy to make it thru training a year ago? Apparantly some our so bad that they don't want to give them bad probationary reports but they have to just due to safety alone. Is this common?

 

[OUPilot01]

Well, most airlines did not lower their training standards just the qualifications to start training. Yes, your friend is right there was a lot of 300 hour wonder kids that squeaked through. Some end up getting weeded out while others may end up doing really well. The only advantage to down swings in the industry is it has a tendency to weed out the guys that dont want to flight instruct or fly cargo in order to pay their dues. To get through tough times like now, you have to really want it and be able to offer something the next guy can not (a degree, higher hours, higher ratings ect...). I love when people get on these forums and are convinced they want to be airline pilots but the next words out of their mouths are along the lines of " but I dont want to get a four year degree" or "I will just buy my time through a crj course so I dont have to flight instruct." Airlines like to see well rounded individuals not guys looking to cut as many corners as possible.

 

[414Flyer]

That's a big roll of the dice. To put it more accurately: The regionals MIGHT be a $100k/yr job (If you're airlines doesn't go under, if you don't get furloughed, if your pilot group doesn't take pay cust, if...if...if...)

I am sure some here are on their 3rd regional airline, having to follow the jobs around as the majors play musical airlines with their contracts.

One friend of mine made Capt at Skyway on the Beech, then the 328Jet, then was out of a job. Got hired at Air Tran, then out of a job just as finishing IOE, and then to a new hire class at Mesaba.

Staying at regionals and getting 100,000 would be more reasonable, except the way those contracts keep getting handed off from one to another, and then sometimes the major they are contracted to either goes under or goes bankrupt.

Back in 2001, I would have loved to have gotten hired at AWAC and been Denver based. Of course all that is history now, but that would not have been a bad way to spend a career, based on the pay and work rules they had at that time, along with been in Denver.

None of that ended up happening for me, but I ended up finding a niche for me in Weather Mod flying and aerial firefighting, so I was able to have a house in a nice place, turn my alarm clock off all winter, and then I get to fly VFR over forest fires and beautiful terrain all summer. Sure, I dont make major airline pay, but I have a life, and its not too bad really

 

[Lynxman]

Well, most airlines did not lower their training standards just the qualifications to start training. Yes, your friend is right there was a lot of 300 hour wonder kids that squeaked through. Some end up getting weeded out while others may end up doing really well. The only advantage to down swings in the industry is it has a tendency to weed out the guys that dont want to flight instruct or fly cargo in order to pay their dues. To get through tough times like now, you have to really want it and be able to offer something the next guy can not (a degree, higher hours, higher ratings ect...). I love when people get on these forums and are convinced they want to be airline pilots but the next words out of their mouths are along the lines of " but I dont want to get a four year degree" or "I will just buy my time through a crj course so I dont have to flight instruct." Airlines like to see well rounded individuals not guys looking to cut as many corners as possible.

Jeez I cant even find a CFI job right now isnt that easy. I see your point my plan is graduate and instruct until I get the call.

 

[blzr]

Mind-numbingly easy sometimes. I tend to look at getting paid to fly for an airline is like being compensated for being bored. That's work, not a hobby.

-Goose

I agree. I tell people that I fly for free, but the company pays me to wait around on the boss.