Glamorous career with unglamorous pay

[Pendulous Vein]

worried...

I've been "lucky" (?) enough to get into a pool.....I'm growing more and more worried about how to make ends meet....making $8000 a year as a CFI is not cutting it anymore. I guess it never did really cut it, but oh well. So, my regional job....if I'm called from the pool, will be, what....$15,000/yr? How do I pay my $580/month school loans on that and still buy groceries? I like food, it's something that I am into. I like eating, and hope to be able to when I'm (maybe) in the right seat.

 

[Pipeliner606]

If you think "piloting" is a part time job, you need to stay in your little bio tech lab, or cubicle, or what ever you do now. I fly pipeline patrol, and fall into the income category you mentioned, and I will tell you that what I do is ALL work. If you think piloting is a part tim job, come on down and ride right seat with me on one of the big petroleum gathering systems I fly in South Texas. I fly straight and level about 3 percent of the time, never above 450 or 500 feet (usually lower, unless I am dead heading to another section) and put in around 10 hours a day in the cockpit of a 182! You would lose your cookies and piss your pants in 5 minutes, I promise you. I spend EVERY minute in the air with my attention divided between observing the ground, trying to look for traffic (usually two of three other patrol planes in the same area at the same altitude), and flying the aircraft. Also throw in communications with pipeline ground personel, and keeping track of GPS and paper pipeline charts while doing all the rest of this. The only time I shut down is when I drop in for fuel. I may not fly a corporate or commuter aircraft, but I work my ass off doing the flying I do! Piloting is not technically a full time job...WHAT A FRICKING JOKE!!

 

[uscpilot]

Sorry guys if I have described piloting as a 'part-time' job. Indeed I have yet to do my homework. Well, I'm really new to this field and gathering as much information as possible before changing my career to aviation. Again, no offense. Thanks.

None taken. I assumed as much when I read your first post. If you dont know anyone in the industry about all that you have if you are totally "green" is the media. The blind leading the blind (thats putting it nicely). You took your lumps well, and are now slightly more informed. You also have found out that aviation, like any other industry, has people who may be angry and are waiting to be offended just so they can fly off the handle and take out some agression.
Keep the questions coming. Just be tactful, remember we are a sensitive bunch.
usc

 

[Stifler's Mom]

Keep the questions coming. Just be tactful, remember we are a sensitive bunch.

No shiot.

Panties Wadded...Checklist Complete.

 

[bobbysamd]

Sorry guys if I have described piloting as a 'part-time' job.

In all fairness, it's a common misconception among the lay public that piloting is a part-time job. People hear that pilots fly 80 hours a month. When they hear "fly" they hear "work." They don't realize that pilots are only paid for the 80 hours a month, notwithstanding per diem, time away from domicile, duty rigs, etc.

My G-d, given the hours I put in now, if I could "work" only eighty hours a month I'd go back! Once more, rest assured that is not the case at all. Pilots have plenty of down time. Ask any flight instructor who has students in ground school or on school break and has no one else with whom to fly.

 

[hydroflyer]

Most full or part time jobs also end when you clock out and go home, not the case with flying. If we weren't flying, would we really be paying as much attention to the weather and what is to be expected throughout the day? How about caring about where the president might be to avoid the flight restrictions and delays? Also, most pilots have to do checkrides every 6 months which will require some study and review on their own time, after work. Should you fail one checkride, your job could be on the line depending on the policy of your employer.
Many flight instructors may have an even harder time as they may have to keep up with paperwork, make sure their students endorsements are current, review and prepare lessons for each student, research students questions and study for advance ratings and certificates that they themselves may be earning.
This post isn't meant to flame, simply to point out how much more work needs to be done after hours when you fly for a living. Still couldn't see myself doing anything else though.