Cargo Gig Advice?

[staledog]

Struck a nerve did I?

Let me impart on you some words to live by...

THE TRUTH ONLY HURTS IF IT SHOULD.

Well you didn't strike a nerve with me, although I agree with what the other guy said.

You also didn't answer the question.

Seriously, I'm not being rhetorical, I'd like to know why you feel the way you do and where you're coming from.

 

[Redmeat]

Well you didn't strike a nerve with me, although I agree with what the other guy said.

You also didn't answer the question.

Seriously, I'm not being rhetorical, I'd like to know why you feel the way you do and where you're coming from.

Where am I coming from? You're kidding right?

So you're not familiar with any of the perils of the airline "profession" huh?...notoriously bad management, furloughs/starting over, crappy schedules, commuting, being gone all the time, divorce, your job being a puppet on a string to mid-east oil... ya know that stuff? Oh yeah, there's that whole terroist thing too.

What'd you just fall off a turnip truck or something?

A Dentist sleeps at home with his wife and kids every night and isn't worried about a rebel uprising in Libya putting him in the unemployment line.

It's too late for me...I learned the hard way...but my advice to a youngster with an education would be to steer clear of this gig. This is essentially hourly LABOR with the chances of true long-term success a gamble that is in large part out of your control. You may get lucky...or you may end up another 55yo aviation horror story. PanAm, Eastern, TWA, USAIR ring any bells?...or worse yet a regional lifer working your tail off for money that your next door neighbor the plumber laughs at.

Use your mind. Start your own business while you're young and have the energy necessary to make it work. Any of the Technology fields pay high dollar to sharp folks and they don't have the antagonistic atmosphere of the airlines. Keep aviation as a hobby that you're passionate about.

I'm in my 50's and am FINALLY at a point in this biz where I feel that I can breath a sigh of relief. In this gig we are all only a couple of bad management decisions and $140/barrel oil away from the unemployment line fella.

As to why I read FI? Why do people stop and stare at car crashes? Why do intelligent people read The National Enquirer when waiting in the grocery line?

Disclaimer: If you're one of those grown men that still makes pretend airplanes with your hands at the bar with your buddies, my post probably won't make any sense to you.

 

[staledog]

Where am I coming from? You're kidding right?

So you're not familiar with any of the perils of the airline "profession" huh?...notoriously bad management, furloughs/starting over, crappy schedules, commuting, being gone all the time, divorce, your job being a puppet on a string to mid-east oil... ya know that stuff? Oh yeah, there's that whole terroist thing too.

What'd you just fall off a turnip truck or something?

A Dentist sleeps at home with his wife and kids every night and isn't worried about a rebel uprising in Libya putting him in the unemployment line.

It's too late for me...I learned the hard way...but my advice to a youngster with an education would be to steer clear of this gig. This is essentially hourly LABOR with the chances of true long-term success a gamble that is in large part out of your control. You may get lucky...or you may end up another 55yo aviation horror story. PanAm, Eastern, TWA, USAIR ring any bells?...or worse yet a regional lifer working your tail off for money that your next door neighbor the plumber laughs at.

Use your mind. Start your own business while you're young and have the energy necessary to make it work. Any of the Technology fields pay high dollar to sharp folks and they don't have the antagonistic atmosphere of the airlines. Keep aviation as a hobby that you're passionate about.

I'm in my 50's and am FINALLY at a point in this biz where I feel that I can breath a sigh of relief. In this gig we are all only a couple of bad management decisions and $140/barrel oil away from the unemployment line fella.

As to why I read FI? Why do people stop and stare at car crashes? Why do intelligent people read The National Enquirer when waiting in the grocery line?

Disclaimer: If you're one of those grown men that still makes pretend airplanes with your hands at the bar with your buddies, my post probably won't make any sense to you.

But, there's a whole other side of the coin.

Just trying to give you my point of view here.

Yes I am familiar with all the stuff you just listed in your first paragraph. I was more interested in who specifically screwed you over in the past. But, it doesn't really matter. Pilots aren't the only ones with those problems. If you haven't noticed, Americans from all walks of life have gotten screwed over in the past few years. Bad management, furloughs/starting over, crappy schedules..not just in aviation. Divorce, same thing. And terrorists could get anybody at any time. In a mall, or whatever.


A dentist may go home to his family every night, but I'm sure they have their problems too. Like if half of his customers have lost jobs, they may have to cut corners, or if the rebel uprising in Libya sends fuel to 7 bucks a gallon people may choose to fill up the car's gas tank instead of going to the dentist.

I do agree that a large part of making it in this business is just luck, but I would also say that's with any job. Yes I agree with you that making your own money by starting your own business and having aviation as a hobby is one good way to go. But again, a whole lot of those self-employed business owners have lost everything in the last few years. And even if you are successful enough to have aviation as a side hobby, chances are slim you'll be rich enough to be able to afford to fly anything with a turbine. Does everybody want/need to fly a large jet? No, but some may want to (like me)..


You say: Any of the Technology fields pay high dollar to sharp folks and they don't have the antagonistic atmosphere of the airlines.

I say: Ever seen the movie "Office Space"? Plenty of places have that antagonistic atmosphere and bad management, not just the airlines.

I also agree that flying for regional airlines sucks, and should be avoided unless that's just what you really want to do.

But that's what is comes down to, doing WHAT YOU WANT to do. I wouldn't want to do anything other than fly. A cockpit is better than a cubicle any day.

Another thing is, the original poster said he's already done the regional thing and is interested in CARGO now. As far as I'm concerned, that's a whole different ballgame. Why? Because even if everyone in the world quit flying on the airlines tomorrow, people are still going to need to get STUFF from A to B. Not all of that stuff can be sent via truck, rail, or ship. Some has to go on airplanes. So the way I see it, there's a lot more job security in the cargo world. That's why I do it.

Final thought: Over the next 50 years, tons of companies are still going to use airplanes and need pilots to fly them. Many of these jobs will pay well. Any pilot is going to have speedbumps in their career. But if it's what you want to do, then you should do it.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Put me down for agreeing with the guys that have been around awhile telling FNGs to stay away.

I always laugh at you guys that get so bent out of shape when someone criticizes this industry, or god forbid, their airline.

This business blows and it's getting worse every year. Stay far away! If I could do it all again, I'd be a plumber and an electrician and start my own company. Guaranteed job security right there with knowing those two trades. Probably could be a millionaire in no time if you bought some trucks and hired some employees.

Aviation blows and part if the reason is the people like you that keep telling everyone how great it is even though you know it blows. BWTFDIK

 

[pilotyip]

My advice would be "get out while you still can"...but since you are already out, my advice is "stay out while you still can". ESPECIALLY cargo. When you're in your 50's, you will come back and thank me.

Use your degree and find something a cut above this circus. Buy an airplane to satisfy the bug.

Seriously.

I guess you don't fly cause you like to

 

[pilotyip]

Put me down for agreeing with the guys that have been around awhile telling FNGs to stay away.

I always laugh at you guys that get so bent out of shape when someone criticizes this industry, or god forbid, their airline.

This business blows and it's getting worse every year. Stay far away! If I could do it all again, I'd be a plumber and an electrician and start my own company. Guaranteed job security right there with knowing those two trades. Probably could be a millionaire in no time if you bought some trucks and hired some employees.

Aviation blows and part if the reason is the people like you that keep telling everyone how great it is even though you know it blows. BWTFDIK

But you know what, after 3 jobs in five years after leaving the Navy, I got out of this business for 6 years. I ran my own business, but I missed airplanes and pilots so I got back in at the very bottom. I have had a ball and would change little, if you fly because you like to, what a way to make a living.

 

[Captain Morgan]

I guess you don't fly cause you like to

I agree with PilotYIP, what's holding you back? We don't need people like you that are drains on the people in this industry. Times are tough most anywhere these days. Can you imagine being a teacher showing up for work to teach bratty spoiled kids only to find the government is taking more pay away from your already pathetic wages. The golden era of flying is over or never exactly was. Do you know how many times I look fondly on being a kid again? Would I go back, he'll no! It's only because it's in the past that you think it was better. I always laugh underneath at these guys that bought into the starry eyed pilotmill advertisements only to hate life now. I ask them why they dont get out and they tell me they can't make the same money anywhere else, then I laugh inside because they don't realize what they just said.

 

[pilotyip]

Can you imagine being a teacher showing up for work to teach bratty spoiled kids only to find the government is taking more pay away from your already pathetic wages.

My sister and her husband are school teachers in Michigan family income in excess of $160K per year, live in a $400K house, buy new cars every year. School teachers can make a good living. The movie "Waiting for Superman" real grabber, you see parents who want their kids to succeed, you see kids who know they need an education, but they are trapped in a failing school system. You feel so sorry for these kids. But the teachers union will not allow anything to be done to these failing teachers. The NEA/NFT will use their power to get rid of anyone who tries to improve on the system. When you see these motivated kids not get a lottery number to get into a high performance charter school, it is like seeing them get a death sentence. No wonder the US is a failing society. BTW Because of what I saw in the Ann Arbor, MI school system, it matched this movie in the low-income section where I lived, I put my son into the Catholic school system. 99% of his classmate went on to college.

 

[Captain Morgan]

My sister and her husband are school teachers in Michigan family income in excess of $160K per year, live in a $400K house, buy new cars every year. School teachers can make a good living. The movie "Waiting for Superman" real grabber, you see parents who want their kids to succeed, you see kids who know they need an education, but they are trapped in a failing school system. You feel so sorry for these kids. But the teachers union will not allow anything to be done to these failing teachers. The NEA/NFT will use their power to get rid of anyone who tries to improve on the system. When you see these motivated kids not get a lottery number to get into a high performance charter school, it is like seeing them get a death sentence. No wonder the US is a failing society. BTW Because of what I saw in the Ann Arbor, MI school system, it matched this movie in the low-income section where I lived, I put my son into the Catholic school system. 99% of his classmate went on to college.

I saw the preview for that movie, looked interesting. I know I am going to do anything within my power to put my kids in private.school even if that means I have to drive my old beat up Subaru into the ground. I didn't even guess that MI teachers made that! The small town I grew up and went to school in, the teachers made maybe 25-30k their first year.

 

[Redmeat]

We don't need people like you that are drains on the people in this industry.

I see that you're an FO on the EMB145. Do you know what the word ironical means?

The small town I grew up and went to school in, the teachers made maybe 25-30k their first year.

It shows glaringly in your writing...