Focus Air Second Officer

[big_al]

shortcuts? you call being taken advantage of as the "right way" to do it? I call that shady, whether you believe it or not. Why would somebody want to spend 10 years of their lives flying in the military (especially if they arent happy with the militaries role in current events) or be forced to live basically off poverty level wages flying for smaller airlines or instructing? you call that paying your dues. I call that getting screwed and coming back for more.

 

[mikecweb]

Yeah instructing is a pain in the butt but its all apart of the deal. Back when it was still a dream did you really think you'd have to sit next to random people and tell them how not to kill the two of you and somehow make them a pilot in resonable amount of time...hell no! But if you got further then your PPL and thought you could get to the airlines without instructing then you just were ignorant or didn't do any research.
The thing I hate reading all the time and hearing from all of my friends in the industry is all the excitement about landing an airline job and then almost immediately all of the b*tching and moaning about how much it sucks to be a regional pilot. Ummmm didn't you hear everyone else b*tching and complaining before you? Did you just think that you would get the happy experience and makes loads of money? And does complaining about your own careers decisions on FI or other websites somehow take the sting away? This is a different job then any other in many respects. Is it kinda crappy the way employees are treated and paid close to nothing.... yeah. But didn't we all know that going into it?
For some reason highlighting you're own ignorance about complaining about an industry you selected to go into seems pretty stupid if you ask me.

 

[L-1011-500]

shortcuts? you call being taken advantage of as the "right way" to do it? I call that shady, whether you believe it or not. Why would somebody want to spend 10 years of their lives flying in the military (especially if they arent happy with the militaries role in current events) or be forced to live basically off poverty level wages flying for smaller airlines or instructing? you call that paying your dues. I call that getting screwed and coming back for more.

So do you believe that paying huge money up front to jump into a jet is the way to go? Yes I truely feel sorry for any young guy out there today wanting to be a commercial pilot. But part of the flying instruction and working your way up gives you something money can't buy. That's experience and the respect of your fellow pilots. I went into the military when I was young and am still in the Guard today. I don't agree with our involvement in some of these countires but we have young men and women dying there every week. So I feel a responsibility to stay in and keep flying beans and bullets to the guys who are also there whether they believe in it or not too. I was also at CAT for a very short time and saw first hand how the 250 hour wonders who paid there way into my cockpit made flying unsafe for the rest of us who paid our dues. Or as you call it getting screwed. Somethings in life require hard to work to achieve. How you get there through the military or flight instruction on up is not an easy road. If you don't like the choices to get where most of us here are today I suggest you take a different career path.

 

[doh]

L10,
I knew you would have to respond! I think you are wasting key strokes.:beer: Here's to BBQ chicken and ribs!

 

[Draginass]

Oh, what a great idea! A "just-barely-qualified" recip pilot, not flying for a year doing mailroom duty, then onto the panel of a 747 (good luck, sonny . . it ain't a 727), then to the right seat after a year sitting sideways and two years since getting his license. That is stupid in the extreme.

Back around 2000, the supply of experienced heavy pilots dried up and Atlas starting having to take recip and RJ pilots. The reality is, the Captains I know there all complained about the lousy quality of the FOs they started getting. The company didn't care . . . they just made the Captains bear the burden. But at least the FE's were well experienced. It's not the Captain's job to make up for the years of judgment, skill, and knowledge that his crew ought to have . . . . things that only years of experience working one's way up the ladder can earn.

The 747 isn't a 414 or a Barbie jet, and flying internationally and especially in South America isn't for novice beginners.

 

[kevdog]

Oh, what a great idea! A "just-barely-qualified" recip pilot, not flying for a year doing mailroom duty, then onto the panel of a 747 (good luck, sonny . . it ain't a 727), then to the right seat after a year sitting sideways and two years since getting his license. That is stupid in the extreme.

Back around 2000, the supply of experienced heavy pilots dried up and Atlas starting having to take recip and RJ pilots. The reality is, the Captains I know there all complained about the lousy quality of the FOs they started getting. The company didn't care . . . they just made the Captains bear the burden. But at least the FE's were well experienced. It's not the Captain's job to make up for the years of judgment, skill, and knowledge that his crew ought to have . . . . things that only years of experience working one's way up the ladder can earn.

The 747 isn't a 414 or a Barbie jet, and flying internationally and especially in South America isn't for novice beginners.

Sounds like the captains are complaining if they can't get a better job where the entire crew is qualified to fly into crappy airports like in South America.

 

[Classicdriver]

The 747 isn't a 414 or a Barbie jet, and flying internationally and especially in South America isn't for novice beginners.

SA isn't a good place for even experienced crews, if the experience wasn't in SA. Driving back and forth across he Pacific won't prepare you for the fun down south.

 

[Flying Ninja]

I was also at CAT for a very short time and saw first hand how the 250 hour wonders who paid there way into my cockpit made flying unsafe for the rest of us who paid our dues.

Did you mean CAPT? And it's 225 hour wonders by the way...if they even finish flying out those hours. Many have less than that entering the regionals from that crap program.

 

[Flying Ninja]

The 747 isn't a 414 or a Barbie jet, and flying internationally and especially in South America isn't for novice beginners.

Makes you wonder about their CRM and Safety philosophy, doesn't it?

 

[big_al]

I never said pay for flying is the way to go, but how can you blame some people for doing it? Their only other option is pretty lame and basically screwing you over anyway. Just look at all the people who drop down thousands for a 4 year degree and never even use it in the real world. to some, paying for time is not that bad. but again, I would not do it. I realise its all about paying your dues and instructing is the best way to learn to be a great pilot.