Attn: All Airline Pilots

[FN FAL]

Misc: must be motivated; must be able to lift 60#

Lift 60 lbs? That's one heavy flight bag...what, do they make you keep Jepps for the whole world in that thing?

 

[Geronimo4497]

They do run the mail..............

 

[Big Duke Six]

Let's see, back to the thread...

Listen up Pilotyp:
I know Mgmt's salaries are miniscule in the grand scheme of things, but for me it is a question of leadership and principle. What if everyone said "my small piece doesn't matter"? Why would I care if I burned a little extra gas, took home a few Cokes, trashed a few parts that could have been saved, made unnecessary copies, didn't re-use paperclips, gave myself and my buddies a little extra bonus here and there. Why should anyone care?

It matters because it's a team effort. It's integrity and leadership that counts. Management, by NOT imposing cuts on themselves that equal or exceed those they are asking others to swallow, produce nothing but hatred and ill-will. I don't care if they can "go somewhere else" with their fantastically portable skills. If they want their airlines to succeed so much, then show it.

Get it now? WTF is wrong with people these days?

 

[Ill Mitch]

I like the job. FedEx does a great job with their feeders and for the moment, I can't see doing anything else.

However, it is funny, some of the comments I get from the fresh meat...(non-feeder 200-1000 hour guys).

Not picking on the new guys, but as long as there are hoards of brainwashed cult members feeding the bottom of this pyramid...the guys in the middle will be hosed.

What is it you always say? I can dig it!

After spending 16 or so years in this biz, for me it is about quality of life. I get that at the feeders. And I make enough to buy the more expensive ramen bowls, as opposed to that crappy Top Ramen.

At a regional, I would not have a good QOL and wouldn't make enough to even buy that crappy Top Ramen unless the store had it on sale.

I still look to see what is out there and one day I will probably leave for something else (in fact I am working on something right now, but don't have high hopes), but right now I am content.

 

[LJDRVR]

Some interesting points, along with a fair amount of self-aggrandizing chest thumping by some of you who think all regional airline pilots are afflicted with SJS. (You're forgiven, I've never made a self serving post. )

The stand up for our rights approach advocated by the original poster will never realistically work for many reasons. Here's one: Even if we all woke up tomorrow with a backbone, none of us would take actions that could ultimately hurt all of our QOL, and potentially put 20% of us on the street.

So, what to do? You have to approach your career with an individual focus. In other words, YOU do the right thing every day. Don't go to work for a scumbag operator. Don't compromise your personal integrity for anybody. Not the person sitting next to you not the customer, and most certainly not the person who employs you.

Here's the critical part of the equation: view yourself as a professional aviator. Your ability to safely and effectively operate an airplane for money should be at the center of your psyche. It's great to have career goals, but don't let your desire to do______ prevent you from doing a job that allows you to put food on the table with stick and rudder. Gather skills and abilities that make you furlough/recession proof. Keep your CFI current if you can. All your experience in the right seat of a 50-seat jet? Get out there and befriend some freight dog outfit. Take a leave of absence if required, but if you don't have the skills to fly by yourself at odd hours through all kinds of cruddy weather, your simply not a well-rounded pilot.

Doesn't matter how big an airplane you fly or who you fly for. (Right now there are some UPS FO's who have no idea what they're going to do to earn money during the contract negotiations furlough.) We pilots have a plan B for what can go wrong in the airplane. Sometimes even plan C and D.) Yet not too many of us approach our careers from a viewpoint of "what-will-I-do-if-I-lose-my-job-tomorrow?"

Developing extra skills and a network of friends in all areas of aviation will not only fundamentally alter your perspective and job security, it will give you the tactical high ground to tell an insane boss to take a hike. Did your spineless peers just vote for pay concessions? So long suckers.

One more piece of advice, get a sugar mama.

 

[mcjohn]

Nice post LRJDRVR.

 

[Big Duke Six]

Originally posted by LJDRVR

The stand up for our rights approach advocated by the original poster will never realistically work for many reasons. Here's one: Even if we all woke up tomorrow with a backbone, none of us would take actions that could ultimately hurt all of our QOL, and potentially put 20% of us on the street.

OK, I'm stumped. What could we do that would put 20% of us on the street? (Does Delta employ 20% of the commercial pilots out there?) And how would this hurt our collective QOL if we did?

I am simply saying if you don't feel Mgmt is taking the licks with you, then they need to be stopped and a message needs to be sent. It's not complicated. But, as we know, (no offense here guys) it didn't happen at UAL and it didn't happen at NWA. It needs to happen. Cuts are inevitable, it's just a matter of whether or not we keep funding Mgmt's future at our expense.

I'm not even a chest thumping union type, I just get totally bent seeing other people taken advantage of. It's all principle.

 

[pilotyip]

Duke six not defending management leadership; except for a few airlines I will agree there is a scarcity leadership in upper management. However my post was show management salaries are a drop in the bucket compared to the total cost of the running an airline.

 

[cynic]

Ummmm, flying a jet is easy and fun and so long as you can turn the autopilot on and you have a pulse you are good to go.

Yes yes yes.... I know.... when the sheet hits the fan a flying monkey won't due but it doesn't happen often and the resulting loss of life is not enough to push up the requirements.

Thats the way it is. Unions are just expensive legal insurance.

You regional pilots are soon to paid in bananas.

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