Flying, a dead end career?

[AWACO]

And here I am figuring if I should fly for a living or become a patent attorney.

Maybe I'm seeing through rose-colored glasses, but I figure I could just (evnetually) get a job at Netjets and after years with the company be making a 6 figure salary.

Ya you can 'PLAN' on that!

 

[AerroMatt]

I hate to quote myself, but I did ask some very open ended questions here to get some advise and all I have gotten so far is money money money. I care much more about QOL than money, hince the screen name. I was hoping some other people sharing their experiences might help guide some people like myself on making the "next step".

I could make more money driving a truck for Yellow Freight Lines than I am flying for a living and retire on a rather nice Teamsters plan. Trouble is, I have this love affair with all things aviation. So I bid adieu to the road after a million miles or so and came back into this business.

If all you are looking for is the money (or QOL), get into another line of work. This career will disappoint you. If you crave being in the sky, then keep at it. Network as much as you can, and keep in mind that no one gets it easy here. The competition is too intense, and it takes a maximum effort to break into the next level at every step. Luck has as much to do with it as effort, but as I am fond of saying: Luck is when Preparation meets Opportunity.

 

[RJP]

But how is that really so different from just about any other career field?

Well, for one, if I quit a job in another career field, I don't have to start at the bottom of the company again. Friends in banking seem to find VP jobs every couple of years. They don't start again in the ********************ing mail room at minimum wage.

Second, if I'm in another career field, I'm more 'marketable' to a larger market. I can take my experience and go find a job in, let's say, Hong Kong. But can I take an FAA ticket and go directly to a foreign carrier? Nope. Sure, I can try to get a job on a contract but unless I decide to start over with my ratings in the JAA system, I'm stuck here in the US where GOOD flying jobs are not exactly a dime a dozen.

I wouldn't have to buy my own physical every six months, I wouldn't have to be on reserve, I wouldn't have to worry what time I cut off at the bar, I could go to the hash bars in AMS.......

I could go on but I've got a headache now from thinking about it all.

Thanks a lot.

 

[Lead Sled]

Well, for one, if I quit a job in another career field, I don't have to start at the bottom of the company again. Friends in banking seem to find VP jobs every couple of years. They don't start again in the ********************ing mail room at minimum wage.

Second, if I'm in another career field, I'm more 'marketable' to a larger market. I can take my experience and go find a job in, let's say, Hong Kong. But can I take an FAA ticket and go directly to a foreign carrier? Nope. Sure, I can try to get a job on a contract but unless I decide to start over with my ratings in the JAA system, I'm stuck here in the US where GOOD flying jobs are not exactly a dime a dozen.

I wouldn't have to buy my own physical every six months, I wouldn't have to be on reserve, I wouldn't have to worry what time I cut off at the bar, I could go to the hash bars in AMS.......

I could go on but I've got a headache now from thinking about it all.

Thanks a lot.

It sounds to me that you're stuck in the "121" mindset. n that case what you're saying is absolutely true. In the corporate segment, it doesn't apply at all. The unions have screwed you 121 guys. 91 guys typically don't have to deal with seniority. If you change jobs, you take your experience with you and if you've got the qualifications to fly the left seat you get the left seat and left seat pay. Personally, I can't see the attraction to any 121 job, especially those flying RJs.

'Sled

 

[Horizon]

Paying your dues is bullsh*t, plain and simple. How much did you spend to become "employable"? Figure a minimum of 40K so you can check the "college degree" box, and easily another 40K to acquire all your ratings and flight time.

Guess what? If you spent 80K just to get a job that pays little more than what a high-school drop-out can make, you're an idiot. If you spent 80K to become employable, you should be making AT LEAST that much PER YEAR.

Sounds harsh, but it's the truth. Time and time again they want you to have all these qualifications, all this experience, spend all this money...and yet they will never PAY YOU ACCORDINGLY!!! IT'S TIME TO STOP THIS BS!!!:angryfire :angryfire :angryfire

DADDY'S LITTLE KID SITTING WAY UP HIGH IN THAT REGIONAL JET AND BRAGGING HOW HE IS AN AIRLINE PILOT ON MYSPACE....PERFECTLY HAPPY MAKING 20K A YEAR DOESN'T HELP EITHER!!!!!

 

[positiveg]

If we think about it though, how much worse could it get?

 

[CrimsonEclipse]

If we think about it though, how much worse could it get?

ha ha ha ha ha!!! er....um.....

alot.

CE

 

[rice]

Paying your dues is bullsh*t, plain and simple. How much did you spend to become "employable"? Figure a minimum of 40K so you can check the "college degree" box, and easily another 40K to acquire all your ratings and flight time.

Guess what? If you spent 80K just to get a job that pays little more than what a high-school drop-out can make, you're an idiot. If you spent 80K to become employable, you should be making AT LEAST that much PER YEAR.

Sounds harsh, but it's the truth. Time and time again they want you to have all these qualifications, all this experience, spend all this money...and yet they will never PAY YOU ACCORDINGLY!!! IT'S TIME TO STOP THIS BS!!!:angryfire :angryfire :angryfire

DADDY'S LITTLE KID SITTING WAY UP HIGH IN THAT REGIONAL JET AND BRAGGING HOW HE IS AN AIRLINE PILOT ON MYSPACE....PERFECTLY HAPPY MAKING 20K A YEAR DOESN'T HELP EITHER!!!!!

JEEZ!!!!! Quit your biatching. It's not "The Man's" fault. We are our own worst enemy in this business. Doesn't matter what part 121, 135, 91, or Fractional. Major 121 guys preached "max pay til the last day" and look where they are now. Regional guys have screwed themselves (and in turn the major guys) since the inception of the "commuters" by working for poverty wages and hoping to one day grab the brass ring which is no longer there. Dip $hits doing the 135 thing to build time and fly for fast food pay are the bane of that sector and should be publicly flogged along with the scumbag operators they work for. The Frac guys have been taking it in the pooper since day one but have finally seemed to crawl their way out with NJA's new contract. And lets not forget the 91 guys, granted there are many excellent corp. jobs out there, but all you have to do is look at each months Pro Pilot and you're sure to see some half a$$ group doing stupid things like sleeping on a Lear in the "berthable" seats or then there's the guy who says "hell I'll work for $20k less" just to get the job (believe it, I've seen it happen). Complete D'bags like this should be banished to the lowest level line job dumping lavs for the remainder of their aviation careers.
Until WE PILOTS stand up for what the job should pay or walk away from this career path, we have no one to blame but ourselves.

 

[Espalda Mojado]

JEEZ!!!!! Quit your biatching. It's not "The Man's" fault. We are our own worst enemy in this business. Doesn't matter what part 121, 135, 91, or Fractional. Major 121 guys preached "max pay til the last day" and look where they are now. Regional guys have screwed themselves (and in turn the major guys) since the inception of the "commuters" by working for poverty wages and hoping to one day grab the brass ring which is no longer there. Dip $hits doing the 135 thing to build time and fly for fast food pay are the bane of that sector and should be publicly flogged along with the scumbag operators they work for. The Frac guys have been taking it in the pooper since day one but have finally seemed to crawl their way out with NJA's new contract. And lets not forget the 91 guys, granted there are many excellent corp. jobs out there, but all you have to do is look at each months Pro Pilot and you're sure to see some half a$$ group doing stupid things like sleeping on a Lear in the "berthable" seats or then there's the guy who says "hell I'll work for $20k less" just to get the job (believe it, I've seen it happen). Complete D'bags like this should be banished to the lowest level line job dumping lavs for the remainder of their aviation careers.
Until WE PILOTS stand up for what the job should pay or walk away from this career path, we have no one to blame but ourselves.

Make this a sticky! #1 all-time best post on flightinfo.com!

 

[C601]

Make this a sticky! #1 all-time best post on flightinfo.com!

Bingo...