The flying job itself

[no1pilot2000]

This question is for pilots who are currently flying for an airline or on furlough. Do/did you enjoy the flying job itself? I am not taking in consideration pay, QOL, or management issues. I am talking about flying the airplane itself and working with fellow crew members (other pilots and FA's).

 

[crj567]

This question is for pilots who are currently flying for an airline or on furlough. Do/did you enjoy the flying job itself? I am not taking in consideration pay, QOL, or management issues. I am talking about flying the airplane itself and working with fellow crew members (other pilots and FA's).

It is an amazing thrill for the first few years... After that time, it just becomes a very repetitive, mostly boring job... The weather us crazy, mechanical problems will drive you nuts, and the job itself generally becomes less rewarding... You start looking forward to the time you get off work, rather than anticipating the time you wil go back. If you are looking for longterm security and job satisfaction, look elsewhere.

-Now, there are many different facets of professional aviation, but I think you will find that many airline people are pretty disappointed in their job, overall.

-Airlines sure ain't what they used to be, and I don't see much improvement anytime soon.

 

[SLOTH]

crj567,

How's that different from any other job? As long as you're learning, the job (any job) will be rewarding and exciting.

 

[crj567]

crj567,

How's that different from any other job? As long as you're learning, the job (any job) will be rewarding and exciting.

You are right-

This job doesn't suck as bad as many I could think of. I guess it is really more of a matter of expectations. I had always harbored such a deep passion for aviation, I never thought it could become "just another job."

Unfortunately, it is now very much "just another job" to me. I used to think I could never see myself being happy doing anuthing else, but now I have come to see that everything has its "ups and downs." I definitely could leave this industry and never look back-that is not to say there are not things I would miss, but I definitely wouldn't miss all the "airline" parts. You can keep all the scheduling problems, the long days, the insane weather, and the mechanical headaches-I wouldn't miss any of that for a seond.

=This industry has taken most of the fun out of this job.

 

[PooPooPants]

The flying part for me has always just been so so, it's cool but so is riding my bike down the tail of the dragon. What I really enjoy are the occasional great overnight cities and the time we have to learn something new about a part of our country or another country, whether it be historical or just finding a great neighborhood pub. I would have never traveled to DSM or OMA on my own and those happen to be two of the neatest cities, great people, excellent bars and even some culture.

 

[kf4amu]

I fly the Dash, considered to be one of the more "hands on" and fun planes to fly, and I love that part. But with all the restrictions the FAA puts on us, in regards to aircraft performance in 121 ops, much of the Dash's capability would be against the regs. So if I want to fly for fun, I'll go elsewhere. Theres nothing that sucks more than flying an awesome airplane well short of the limits it was designed for.

 

[CesnaCaptn]

When I flew for a regional I felt burnt out. I was working up to 20 days a month and I was making just under $100k/year. I wanted to move up to a major and start making more per hour, so I could work fewer hours/days and maintain the same standard of living. Now that I'm on reserve at a major, I wish I flew a little more. Don't get me wrong, I love being home with my family. The only thing better than getting paid to fly is getting paid not to fly. The last six month I've been averaging fewer than 40 hours per month, working about two days per week.

Like PooPooPants mentioned, great overnights in small towns are great. I had some of the best times of my life flying for a regional. Luckily, my major feels like a regional sometimes and I'm able to experience some of those small town overnights.

Pilots and flight attendants tend not to stick together for a week, so there's a little more anonymity at the majors. I feel like every trip I'm sitting next to a new pilot, and every leg I'm flying with new flight attendants. Crews at my airline are definitely less social than they were at my regional. Then again, at the regional you're more likely to have an entire crew under 30, or even under 25.

This month marks my 10th anniversary flying for the airlines and I still love it. I think this past decade has taught me to manage my expectations. This industry has seen a lot of change. The pilots that are the biggest complainers have the most to complain about. I'd probably have a little trouble loving this job if I'd moved from airline to airline, been furloughed, or if it had led me to lose my wife or my house. I've been lucky enough to have flown for two profitable airlines and my pay, except for my first 2 years at the major has mostly gone up.

To quote my a jumpseater last week, "we still want to make a million dollars and management still wants us to do it for free."

I guess I talked about pay and QOL, but it's hard to ignore when it's such a big part of our career. Plus it varies so widely throughout the industry.

I think most people that frequent this board either love the job/industry or they are at least a little obsessed.

 

[Beefy Botham]

B747-400. What a machine. It is a pleasure to fly. I am very lucky indeed.

 

[GuppyWN]

The overnights are what you make of them. I don't slam click. I almost always go hang with the crew on overnights and although SWA has had it's challanges lately I still love the company and enjoy the flying.

We flew down the east coast tonight. Clear, smooth, good conversation and a full moon.

Good times.

I don't need an ILS to minimums to make me feel like a real pilot. I don't need to push the airplane to the limits to feel like a real pilot. I need to get from A to B with no drama and hit zero airspeed at the gate with no violations.

Gup

 

[Ty Webb]

I suggest each and every one of you pick up a copy of "Fate is the Hunter". It is an awesome read, written by Ernest Gann, who was seniority 273 at American Airlines, hired into the DC2 in the 1930's. It will give you a lot of perspective about both how little and how much has changed in the past 70-plus years,, plus it's awesome book that will have you on the edge of your seat from time to time.

I like to re-read it every few years.

 

[ExFokkerFlyer]

I HATE going to work... packing, getting all my stuff in order and packed into the car. My "commute" is a three hour drive with no traffic, I try to plan for four hours just in case. About halfway through that drive I kind of get into the groove of things. By the time I get to the plane, I'm fine, looking forward to doing the job. For about two and a half days, I'm having a good time. I can honestly say that I enjoy my time at work then, and I am glad I'm where I am. by the end of the third/beginning of the fourth day... I'm done... hate airports, hate airplanes, hate pilots... just want to go home.

After two or three days at home, i start thinking about work again...

It's like any career that you have clawed and scraped to get to... some days it's just okay, some days you wonder why you are so lucky, and some days you just want to tape the pilots next you's mouth shut.

BTW... looking forward to going to work on Wednesday now. Two day, should be fun.

 

[SLOTH]

We flew down the east coast tonight. Clear, smooth, good conversation Above 10k and a full moon.

There you go Gup, fixed it just in case.


The one thing that will make any job "fun" to be at, is the people that you work with. I work with some fantastic people, and each time that I run into old classmates or "family" from another domicile it's fun to catch up, which makes the airport appreciation hours go by very fast. Money is nice, but doesn't come to the top of the list for many. Growth in the job is what will keep one motivated. Once one stagnates, it'll lead to trouble starting usually with massive complaining.

 

[TMMT]

Everyone burns out.

I think most pilots have at one or more points in their careers seriously considered getting out, going back to college, or taking up cocaine...

I left a job flying a G-IV with a International/Domestic split of about 70/30, great pay and awesome perks for a Lear 60 job that flips the split.

I enjoy being at home in my bed 9 trips out of 10. And the occasional overnight is usually just one day, then back. Not 7 or 12 stuck in the City Hotel at the airport in Budapest...

 

[pilotyip]

But a nice thing about this job is when you leave the plane at the gate you are done with the job. No pressure to get that report done by a deadline, no need to stay on the phone tonight to see I can get some customers to pay early so I can make payroll this week, no filling charges against an employee who has been stealing from your company, no fights with the City about the amount of your tax on the sign on your building. In flying airplanes your days off are your days with no worries about how to keep the business running. Still love flying anything, DA-20 on a Line Check, C-172 with a new student trying to kill me, B-17 to an airshow, I would loved to have had a real airline career. Compared to many job, flying is a good one.

 

[tomgoodman]

The road not taken

A lot of us are very happy to have left professional aviation behind, but that doesn't mean that we would be even happier if we had never taken that first flying job. We would have been gazing at every contrail and thinking "if only....."