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AOPA article; "The glory days are over"

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Traderd

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 4, 2005
Posts
2,073
I am unable to find a link to this column from the June 2006 issue of AOPA Pilot, but thought I'd mention it as the current condition of the airline pilot's profession is being discussed in a somewhat personal and detailed manner in a GA rag. I'm not sure how many here are AOPA members, so I thought I'd pass it along.

It is discussed by Barry Schiff in his regular column, Proficient Pilot. He identifies himself as a retired TWA pilot with 34 years of flying for that airline. He essentially repeats the information noted here with great frequency. "The glory years are gone" Pay is low to start and vertical movement has slowed dramatically. He specifically describes the careers of his two sons, Brian and Paul.

Brian was hired by TWA in 1989, furloughed from American in 2003 after TWA's "assimilation" and flies as a regional captain awaiting recall. His other son Paul was hired by Trans States in 2000, left after about four years and as many domicile changes for United Express where he had three domicile changes in a couple of years. He left the recently after realizing the most he had earned after six years as a commuter pilot (apologies to General Lee) was $30K and that he saw foresaw little potential for a career like his dad had enjoyed with TWA. Mr. Schiff then proceeds to plug his son's new on-line pet store venture but mentions how glad his son is to have a schedule stable enough to meet that special someone.

His son Paul notes that it is easy to get a job at a regional because of attrition. He then noted that the attrition is not due to a move to the majors, but rather due to people leaving the industry.

Mr. Schiff does note that these are anecdotal experiences, but in his discussions with many others in the arena, he can no longer encourage aspiring airline pilots without detailing the current realities concerning the probability of success. He then concludes by noting that flying itself is still rewarding and challenging.

His final quote is "Does the end justify the means? Does becoming a captain for a major airline justify all that must be endured the get there? Perhaps, but surviving long enough to get there is the problem."

So, if any of the GA guys care, he has put the issue to the front in a rag aimed at the other than airline pilot crowd. Maybe the student pilot types will read and be influenced to question; maybe not.
 
Can anyone find the link to the article. Sounds like good reading.
 
Sounds like one son made the poor decision to fly for TWA and will be waiting for a very long time to be recalled. The other was just a loser.
 
Wow, you really are an asshole, aren't you?
 
EMB SKILLS is one of the useless FI posters. He never contributes to any thread and only responds with childish responses with no content. So don't be shocked that he comes off that way. Sorry about hijacking the thread.
 
Don't get mad at me if some shriveled old fart and his loser sons don't like flying anymore. It's not a dream job if you can't work for a good company.
 
Way2Broke said:
EMB SKILLS is one of the useless FI posters. He never contributes to any thread and only responds with childish responses with no content.

You are correct, sir.
 
Barry's Grandchildren

Personally, I could not be happier. FINALLY someone in the aviation newsmedia -- someone who is in a position to influence flight instructors and student pilots -- is telling the real story.

The fact is that the industry has changed dramatically in less than a decade. The vast increase in the size (# of pax) of the so-called "regional" aircraft has dramatically decreased the number of mainline jobs available for recall or newhire.

Attrition frequently comes from the BOTTOM of the seniority list as F/Os wise up and leave the industry. Some pursue the corporate positions that have become a more stable (financially and otherwise) segment of aviation. Some pursue fractionals. Some leave aviation altogether.

Barry's son flew for Trans World Airlines. Likely that was the only airline he'd ever wanted to work for -- following in his fathers footsteps. Was his choice to go to TWA the "wrong" choice?

No. Not at all. No more than the choice of pilots to work for Braniff, Eastern, Pan-Am, USAir, etc. was ever a "bad" choice.

We may find, in a few years, that the choice to go work for JetBlue is considered a mistake. (I personally think they will fade into aviation history by 2010). It is all part of the unfortunate reality we face -- we're married to whatever airline we work for because, regardless of our experience, when we start over, we start at the bottom. Period.

Maybe Barry's article will open the eyes of some flight instructors. Maybe it will begin to open some eyes to the fact that the job still has to be worth the sacrifice. Once the "career" isn't a possibility anymore maybe bargaining power will return.

This decade is ruled by those with Shiny-Jet-Syndrome. It is an affliction not exclusive to aviation but to an entire GENERATION of young-people who demand instant gratification. They aren't willing to pay their dues. They want what they want, and they want it now.

Hopefully the children of the furloughees - Barry's grandchildren - will have a stronger work ethic. They are the profession's only hope.
 

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