How many of you thought you'd be where you are now in your career?

[Lrjtcaptain]

if 9/11 hadn't happend, id be in the left seat of some regional right now. Grad 12/01.....but as the way the markets turned, im a CPC in a tower now just hopping to get picked up in the busier facilities. Paper work is out, just the waiting game

 

[PureMuscle]

if 9/11 hadn't happend, id be in the left seat of some regional right now. Grad 12/01.....but as the way the markets turned, im a CPC in a tower now just hopping to get picked up in the busier facilities. Paper work is out, just the waiting game

How do you like it compared to flying? It seems like a lot stress, but at the same time don't you get decent pay depending upon where you work, and retirement?

 

[Big Duke Six]

Thanks Big Duke, that was the kind of response I'm looking for. Out of curiousity, would you trade your position for anything else?

I went to an airshow a few weeks ago, and finally sat in a T-38, and I just thought to myself, "I need to fly more, this is incredible". I have been thinking of going into the military for some time but need to finish my bachelors degree.

I would not trade this for anything else. But getting here was not so pretty.

The whole thing is a gamble. The odds of making it are slim. I'm not blowing my horn here or anything of that sort, but here are some numbers (as best I recollect) to put things into perspective. I'm not special, and everyone else who sits in an airline seat faced similar odds along the way. Bear with me here.

I got my Comm/Inst in college while enlisted in the military (Air Guard). It took me three years of applying to Guard units for a pilot slot before my home state took me. I was competing with a couple dozen guys every year for ONE slot to go to UPT. That is typical for every state.

Next step was Flight Screening. Back then, us Guard guys had to go even though we all had PPL's or better. Out of about 24 in that class, I think three guys went home early. Not bad, but it was just 11 flights in T-41's with civilian instructors. And we were all pilots already.

At UPT, we started with 22 in my class. By the time we graduated a year later, only half of us were still there (some were washed back, but most were gone completely). It was one of the hardest years of my life, but also the most rewarding. We definitely had fun there, but you were never more than three flights from being back home on the ranch. That is how fast it happened if something went wrong. But, flying a Tweet or T-38 solo has rewards. Even then though, you had to take advantage of that time to practice. Especially in the -38, every minute had to count. But I digress.

So after the military came the airline. I applied for about 3 years at F9 before I finally got an interview. During that 3-year span, I flew freight (single-pilot in Metroliners) for usually six days a week. It was hard on my wife and kids to put it lightly. They were asleep when I left to go to work and were all asleep again by the time I got home.

Anyway, back to F9. By way of numbers, I interviewed with 5 other guys, and they hired 3 of us that day. I was told by HR later that in our larger group of interviewees, they had started with about 1500 resumes. They tossed out half of those and gave the rest closer scrutiny. Out of that 750, they interviewed 150 and hired 20.

All I can say is there must be someone looking out for me somewhere. I also left no stone unturned getting ready for each next step. Yes it is great now, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. But the road to get here is anything but predictable.

Your mileage WILL vary. In my case, realizing I had no other talents, I had to be stubborn.

 

[Lrjtcaptain]

How do you like it compared to flying? It seems like a lot stress, but at the same time don't you get decent pay depending upon where you work, and retirement?

I like it, its fun, not as stressful as you would think. I don't see people in planes anymore, just big hunks of metal that fly j/k. Money is good, benefits are great, and Northern California is beautiful however not a day goes by i don't miss being in the air. I hear horror stories about the regionals but if i had so much money that I didn't need a career, id go up to KBIL and apply to bigsky

 

[PureMuscle]

I would not trade this for anything else. But getting here was not so pretty.

The whole thing is a gamble. The odds of making it are slim. I'm not blowing my horn here or anything of that sort, but here are some numbers (as best I recollect) to put things into perspective. I'm not special, and everyone else who sits in an airline seat faced similar odds along the way. Bear with me here.

I got my Comm/Inst in college while enlisted in the military (Air Guard). It took me three years of applying to Guard units for a pilot slot before my home state took me. I was competing with a couple dozen guys every year for ONE slot to go to UPT. That is typical for every state.

Next step was Flight Screening. Back then, us Guard guys had to go even though we all had PPL's or better. Out of about 24 in that class, I think three guys went home early. Not bad, but it was just 11 flights in T-41's with civilian instructors. And we were all pilots already.

At UPT, we started with 22 in my class. By the time we graduated a year later, only half of us were still there (some were washed back, but most were gone completely). It was one of the hardest years of my life, but also the most rewarding. We definitely had fun there, but you were never more than three flights from being back home on the ranch. That is how fast it happened if something went wrong. But, flying a Tweet or T-38 solo has rewards. Even then though, you had to take advantage of that time to practice. Especially in the -38, every minute had to count. But I digress.

So after the military came the airline. I applied for about 3 years at F9 before I finally got an interview. During that 3-year span, I flew freight (single-pilot in Metroliners) for usually six days a week. It was hard on my wife and kids to put it lightly. They were asleep when I left to go to work and were all asleep again by the time I got home.

Anyway, back to F9. By way of numbers, I interviewed with 5 other guys, and they hired 3 of us that day. I was told by HR later that in our larger group of interviewees, they had started with about 1500 resumes. They tossed out half of those and gave the rest closer scrutiny. Out of that 750, they interviewed 150 and hired 20.

All I can say is there must be someone looking out for me somewhere. I also left no stone unturned getting ready for each next step. Yes it is great now, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. But the road to get here is anything but predictable.

Your mileage WILL vary. In my case, realizing I had no other talents, I had to be stubborn.

Yeah, someone is definitely looking out for you. Another thing I think of is family life. I don't have a wife and kids yet but what if I want them someday, even though some people thinks it's dumb to think of that stuff when it's not in front of them. I want to be able to provide for them, and atleast see them every once in a while. Then again, the selfish side of me comes out and says I don't even have a family yet so do what you want. I appreciate the reply, it helped me out a lot. Thanks

 

[PureMuscle]

I like it, its fun, not as stressful as you would think. I don't see people in planes anymore, just big hunks of metal that fly j/k. Money is good, benefits are great, and Northern California is beautiful however not a day goes by i don't miss being in the air. I hear horror stories about the regionals but if i had so much money that I didn't need a career, id go up to KBIL and apply to bigsky

What type of controller are you, and where? ATC was another option I thought of but I know there are age restrictions, being aceepted into the program, etc. I'm 22 so age shouldn't be too big of a deal, but then again I remember someone telling me the cutoff for ATC was 23 (maybe it was 25).

If you can give me a short summary of how you went about it that would be great. Thanks for everything.

 

[atlcrashpad]

Career Path

I wanted to dig ditches for a living and now I fly for a Regional Carrier. I'm embarassed to say my "Dream" is shattered.

 

[Big Duke Six]

Yeah, someone is definitely looking out for you.

So, you're saying I can't fly? j/k

I don't have a wife and kids yet but what if I want them someday, even though some people thinks it's dumb to think of that stuff when it's not in front of them. I want to be able to provide for them, and atleast see them every once in a while. Then again, the selfish side of me comes out and says I don't even have a family yet so do what you want. I appreciate the reply, it helped me out a lot. Thanks

My advice would be to head in the direction you want to go ASAP. If that is an airline, the sooner you get there and get a seniority number, the sooner you'll be established in a decent quality-of-life so you can have a family. It's best to have a greater degree of flexibility early on, because you don't know where you may end up along the way.

 

[smellthejeta]

Muscle,

Age cut off for ATC is 31. PM me for more details about getting that career going if you want.

 

[JimBo480]

When I was hired by NWA in the fall of 1999 I expected to be a DC-9 Captain within 5 years. Five years later, I'm starting my fourth year of furlough and working outside aviation as a mechanical engineer.

This is not the career path I expected. I certainly would have settled in a warmer part of the country. But all things considered, life isn't bad outside aviation. Although I must miss it a little, I find myself drawn back to this board every month or two.

Jim in MSP

 

[PureMuscle]

Muscle,

Age cut off for ATC is 31. PM me for more details about getting that career going if you want.

Definitely will, thanks a lot.

 

[PureMuscle]

When I was hired by NWA in the fall of 1999 I expected to be a DC-9 Captain within 5 years. Five years later, I'm starting my fourth year of furlough and working outside aviation as a mechanical engineer.

This is not the career path I expected. I certainly would have settled in a warmer part of the country. But all things considered, life isn't bad outside aviation. Although I must miss it a little, I find myself drawn back to this board every month or two.

Jim in MSP

I saw on your profile you have flown the F-16. Do you wish you would have stayed in the military, or did you see getting out a chance to do different things for the better?

 

[typhoonpilot]

When I was hired by NWA in the fall of 1999 I expected to be a DC-9 Captain within 5 years. Five years later, I'm starting my fourth year of furlough and working outside aviation as a mechanical engineer.

This is not the career path I expected. I certainly would have settled in a warmer part of the country. But all things considered, life isn't bad outside aviation. Although I must miss it a little, I find myself drawn back to this board every month or two.

Jim in MSP

Very similar. When I was hired by USAir in 1989, they were saying you'll be a DC-9 captain in five years. Of course I didn't believe that, I thought more like 10 years. In the end they were right, I was a DC-9 captain five years later, it wasn't at USAirways though :erm: . .

Right now I consider that I'm well ahead in terms of seat position, but well behind in terms of monetary compensation.


TP

 

[AA717driver]

Ever since I knew what an airplane was, I wanted to be a fighter pilot. I didn't have the eyesight. So, in that respect, I didn't make it.

I was a captain at a major airline and now I'm flying a G550 all over the world. I haven't had job security for squat but, yes, I've done pretty well. I'm lucky and thankful.TC

P.S.--Too bad my resume looks a whole lot better than my bank account...

 

[Bjammin]

Good thread, people letting it all hang out.

I'm way ahead of where I thought I would be at 36. Some of it is luck, alot of it was good people teaching me how to fly, some genes ( My Dad took almost the exact path I did.), and some is skill (Trying not to toot my horn), but even with all I have I sometimes wish I would have done something different. Something like computer programing or being a charter yacht captain in the Virgin Islands. I know if I would have got into computers in the 80's I would be a very rich man and could be with my family every night as well as afford my own airplane to fly whenever I wanted to. Those thoughts come into my mind over the cold, dark Pacific after 10hrs in the air and away from home for the 15th night in a month, and I have it about as good as most pilots. If I was working for a commuter, away from home even more, and with an airline that may go under I think I would be as disgrunteled (sp?) as most of those guys seem and truly looking for a way out.
Flying is very, very fun and satisfying in spirts and I am truly happy, but it can be very hard work, frustrating in terms of both airborne issues and company problems, and extreamly stressful with regards to checkrides and emergencies.
I dunno, it is a love/not so much love relationship with me.