Airline Pilot profession losing it's luster

[JerryLundegaard]

"We are a bunch of whiny children, wearing polyester grade school outfits adorned with shiny plastifool's gold regalia duping ourselves...we will continue to reap the bitter fruits of ever more creative management inspired cram-downs!"

Wow, sort of a blend of Jack Whitaker and Eric Sevareid!

 

[Rerouted]

When the joy of flying airplanes exceeds the joy of seeing my little son every morning, having a wife who actually likes me, and honestly making my mortgage payments every month, I'll go back to it for a living. Until then, I'll leave it to you guys. The thrill is gone.

 

[bvt1151]

"Losing" as in "in the process of being lost?" Try "already gone".

 

[Mach 80]

You guys are funny. Just where is there job security anyway? I also think anyone of you would have a very hard time finding a job paying over $50,000/yr and if you did you'd get so sick and tired of rush hour driving and traffic five days a week, weekly sales reports, weekly meetings, sitting at a desk with no windows all day, and no matter how well your sales were last month, the guy breathing down your neck all the time would want 10% better next month. It isn't real pretty outside of aviation either.

 

[Broke in CVG]

You guys are funny. Just where is there job security anyway? I also think anyone of you would have a very hard time finding a job paying over $50,000/yr and if you did you'd get so sick and tired of rush hour driving and traffic five days a week, weekly sales reports, weekly meetings, sitting at a desk with no windows all day, and no matter how well your sales were last month, the guy breathing down your neck all the time would want 10% better next month. It isn't real pretty outside of aviation either.

Wow. Not true. It's called self-employment. I had my own business before the airlines and now I am quitting on my birthday to go back to starting another business. SBA loans are flowing fast and free right now. A lot of paperwork and time to get it through, but you can get an SBA loan for anything right now. BTW: The (self-employed) guy who cuts my lawn makes over $50k a year and he only works 7 months out of the year.

 

[kmox29]

You guys are funny. Just where is there job security anyway? I also think anyone of you would have a very hard time finding a job paying over $50,000/yr and if you did you'd get so sick and tired of rush hour driving and traffic five days a week, weekly sales reports, weekly meetings, sitting at a desk with no windows all day, and no matter how well your sales were last month, the guy breathing down your neck all the time would want 10% better next month. It isn't real pretty outside of aviation either.

FAA Aviation Safety Inspector beats every one of your criticisms and pays almost double your figure to start.

 

[Drill Sgt. Dad]

I am going to chime in here. I know many have bashed me for my posts, but at this point I do not care whether you do or don't.
What has happened to our profession? We destroyed it. WE ARE OUR OWN WORST ENEMIES!!! We stab each other in the back and show zero unity. "Wear your hats for unity." Oh come on, give me a break!!!! We have taken flying from other carriers and just shrugged our shoulders when asked about the pilots we just put out of work. Why should we care? We are getting our precious growth and more money.
Meanwhile, managment laughs at us and has NO RESPECT for us. Why? Every bankruptcy, and every oppurtunity for growth, management comes running to us, and as stupid and as desperate we are, we agree to concessions for that precious little growth. I make $40K-$45K annually as a regional airline CRJ FO. Yet, my management thinks I am overpaid. Yet they tried to extract paycuts, but thankfully our union finally showed a set and told the company no.
Meanwhile, we as pilots, have destroyed the profession. We have taken jobs at the regional level and at upstarts for subpar wages. We are willing to make very little to try and hope we can advance our careers. In the 1990's there was no shortage of pilots willing to shell out $10,000 for training at a regional which paid $15K. Instead many go and deliver pizzas and work at Costco and Lowe's on thier days off and think nothing of it. I once asked a pilot why and he said, if he didn't enjoy it so much, he wouldn't be doing that. Yet, meanwhile, he is dragging down the profession. Every bankruptcy, the airlines come running to the pilots and ask the pilots to take concessions to finance them and help them after their own inefficiencies and business blunders got them there in the first place, and what do pilots get in return for financing the company? Managment still thinking we are overpaid. When The Eastwinds, Skybuses and Air Souths started flying, they were paying Captains on the 737's and Airbus a whopping $60K a year and sad but true, pilots flocked to these jobs. During the early 2000's, management used bankruptcies to get pilots to finance their growth and the airlines made record profits. when pilots asked about their return on the investment, management laughed at them. At the regional level, contracts were re-worked through bankrupcy courts and yet pilots did not hesitate to take concessions for growth. Did any care that one large regional carrier went away? Did they care long time UAL Express carriers Air Wisconsin or ACA were going to either switch partnerships or disappear, did anyone ever stop to think about those lives that got upended? Of course not. Why? Becasue we are our own worst enemies. We have shown over and over we are pushovers and we'd sell our own parents.
I was once told by an airline executive, they can offer $400 a week for a direct left seat hire in a 737 or an Airbus and tell an applicant they would have to perform fellatio, and there still would be no shortage of applicants. What is so sad? This executive is right!
Until EVERY pilot takes a stand, grows a set and stands up to management and says no to any further concessions, and starts flying the contract and quits waiving their contractual rights, which is not their's to wave in the first place, things will never change. Then maybe management will be forced to re-think their business mottos and treat us like assets and not liabilities.
So, let the basing begin, however, I will not repsond
venting is over

 

[152SIC]

Good response, but better paragraphs would help the readability of your argument.

When I was offered an interview in 1998 at a respected regional I declined due to inferior pay. I wasn't privy to the internet at the time; I figured no other pilot (experienced pilot I mean) would entertain that low-ball offer; also other avenues were more reasonable.

12 years later, I have been hired at a few majors, turned them down and stuck to corporate. Then I got the royal shaft. I am sure many of us can relate.

The light is beginning to shine at the end of the tunnel. This career has been very topsy-turvy. Nobody said it would be perfect. If I wanted stability I would have remained in government work.

Pilotyip is on the mark, this career does pay well. It is rewarding. It is tough and it is unstable. It will never change, but the near future has never looked better.

 

[dojetdriver]

Still an above average paying job.

"Average" compared to what?

The "above average paying job" requires above average skill, knowledge, experience, training, and perseverance. And even than, you can end up with below average pay.

 

[pilotyip]

US Dept of Labour

"Average" compared to what?

The "above average paying job" requires above average skill, knowledge, experience, training, and perseverance. And even than, you can end up with below average pay.

Stats they publish giving the percentile and wages for that percentile. Above average skill and training, compared to what? Flying is an acquired skill that can be mastered by almost almost anyone with a certain level of skill and desire through training. Knowledge compared to what, a man who runs a Nuc power plant? I will give you perseverance, it does take a lot of that to stick with this fickle career.