I don't get it...

[BenderGonzales]

It didn't used to be all about the money but let's be honest folks. As much fun as flying can be (we could debate all day about exactly how enjoyable it is to watch the autopilot follow the LNAV across the country for 2.5 hours at a time)... at some point we have to ask ourselves some serious questions.

Can I afford to buy a house?

Can I afford to buy a car?

Can I afford to pay off school loans and to live debt-free (with the exception of a mortgage)?

Am I putting away enough money to allow me to retire comfortably at 60?

Can I afford to have a child?

Can I afford to put some money away to help said-child through college?

Will I have anything to leave the child when I die?

Can we afford to take a family vacation once a year?

Sure, flying is fun. But nobody -- not ONE of us -- got into this profession with the goal of flying an RJ for 30 years while management whipsaws us into lower pay and worsening work-rules year after year.

At some point you have to wake-up and say, "Ok. Flying is fun, but maybe it's time to look at another segment of aviation, or perhaps look outside of aviation entirely, and simply fly as a hobby."

I dont blame those guys (except for the guy who is already whipped by his little girlfriend) one bit. Educated people make educated decisions based on reality -- not some romantic notion of what it's like to be a pilot.

 

[AngelKing]

very well put.


AK

 

[CrimsonEclipse]

It didn't used to be all about the money but let's be honest folks. As much fun as flying can be (we could debate all day about exactly how enjoyable it is to watch the autopilot follow the LNAV across the country for 2.5 hours at a time)... at some point we have to ask ourselves some serious questions.

Can I afford to buy a house?

Can I afford to buy a car?

Can I afford to pay off school loans and to live debt-free (with the exception of a mortgage)?

Am I putting away enough money to allow me to retire comfortably at 60?

Can I afford to have a child?

Can I afford to put some money away to help said-child through college?

Will I have anything to leave the child when I die?

Can we afford to take a family vacation once a year?

Sure, flying is fun. But nobody -- not ONE of us -- got into this profession with the goal of flying an RJ for 30 years while management whipsaws us into lower pay and worsening work-rules year after year.

At some point you have to wake-up and say, "Ok. Flying is fun, but maybe it's time to look at another segment of aviation, or perhaps look outside of aviation entirely, and simply fly as a hobby."

I dont blame those guys (except for the guy who is already whipped by his little girlfriend) one bit. Educated people make educated decisions based on reality -- not some romantic notion of what it's like to be a pilot.

Welcome to my most respected list.
If you're in FLL, I'll buy you a drink.

CE

 

[Metro752]

Last week three of my friends that are at three different regionals all told me they are ready to get out of the flying business. One is at SkyWest, one Air Wisconsin, and one at Horizon. Just like most of us, they all three spent ridiculous amounts of money, time, and effort to get to where they are. Two of them instructed for 3 years before they got on with the regionals. One of them is less than a year away from captain upgrade on the CRJ.

I asked the first one why he no longer likes the job and he told me, "Well, it's not that I hate the job, it's actually pretty fun and i never feel like i'm going to work, but my girlfriend said she can't have a relationship with a guy that's away from home 3-4 days a week." Uhm, what?

The second one said he can make more going into business working a desk. And you didn't know this before the $35k and 3 years instructing?

The third one said he's just plain bored. *shrug*

Someone enlighten me. I know the airlines aren't glamorous. I know the pay isn't a Fortune 500 CEO salary. I know i'm broke now and I will be for several years into my flying career. But what gives? With any job you have to make sacrifices. I am just constantly being suprised by people up and leaving the industry altogether.

thoughts?

g

tell them to hurry up and gtfo, more jobs for me

 

[Guitar rocker]

I know people that quit right after they got out of UND.

Their dad kept telling me that UND had a secret society of people making sure UND kids got all the good jobs and how they place their graduates directly in the regionals. He also always told me that his kids were going to be driving past my place with their Maserati sports cars, blowing the horn and waving the finger at me. Nope...never happened. Neither one of them has flown a plane since UND. Which is kind of sad, since their grandpa, the United pilot paid for it all.

And then there were those at UND that went straight to UAL.....we all know what types those were.....while we GUYS flew freight/checks, did regionals, found out what a torque guage was and earned that 900$/mo. UND did have it's little favorites and I wouldnt doubt that secret society thing either. I think our pal Kent Lovelace would know all about that.

 

[g4800xp]

NJCAPT said, What do I have to learn, junior? I feel the same way. I'm not exactly happy looking for my sixth airline job in the past fourteen years, but I take it in stride and am a reasonably content employee wherever I'm working. I don't need to sit next to some whining, grass-is-greener pain in the a$$ for a whole trip.
__________________
__________________

NJCAPT, Not being a smart ass here, you still love flying, why not look for a nice part 91 job, they are out there, try something different? I could not agree more with you.

Lots of good posts on this thread and only a few negative ones, I just refuse to be someone who says " i wish I had....." . I am sure some troll will fire off some 91vs 135vs121 bit,

 

[PDH]

Who here has had a job that they did not like? That's why they call it working. You chose which job you would prefer over any other, and now you sit in the right seat of an RJ. That sure beats raking leaves for a living. I have had several jobs that I have enjoyed, but after a while I get bored and always wish I were flying. Even now, I own a small business, make decent money, and make my own schedule--but at the end of the day I still wish I was in that 172 that just flew over. Unless you are an F-22 test pilot with a part-time gig as a Playboy photographer, you will most likely get bored with your job at some time or another. Enjoy it....a lot of people changing tires down at Discount envy the heck out of you.

 

[Joshrk22]

I'm kinda glad that people are leaving this business. I suppose it's the first step in pulling this industry outta' the ********************ter.

If people keep leaving or deciding that the airline industry is unstable, eventually the airlines will have to go looking for the pilots.

Supply and Demand...

As people become more educated and are aware that this is not a stable career and choose a different career, then throw in the retirements, and the furloughs that never return to their job; one day you will have a shortage of pilots.

By the time I get to a regional, I'm hoping this is the case and there is a quick upgrade time, the pay has increased, and there is a better QOL.

Just my thoughts on it.

 

[Metro752]

you don't need a super quick upgrade time if the right seat pay is reasonable.

 

[Joshrk22]

you don't need a super quick upgrade time if the right seat pay is reasonable.

I suppose you have a point.

 

[Metro752]

in our dreams tho eh

 

[macfly]

It didn't used to be all about the money but let's be honest folks. As much fun as flying can be (we could debate all day about exactly how enjoyable it is to watch the autopilot follow the LNAV across the country for 2.5 hours at a time)... at some point we have to ask ourselves some serious questions.

Can I afford to buy a house?

Can I afford to buy a car?

Can I afford to pay off school loans and to live debt-free (with the exception of a mortgage)?

Am I putting away enough money to allow me to retire comfortably at 60?

Can I afford to have a child?

Can I afford to put some money away to help said-child through college?

Will I have anything to leave the child when I die?

Can we afford to take a family vacation once a year?

Sure, flying is fun. But nobody -- not ONE of us -- got into this profession with the goal of flying an RJ for 30 years while management whipsaws us into lower pay and worsening work-rules year after year.

At some point you have to wake-up and say, "Ok. Flying is fun, but maybe it's time to look at another segment of aviation, or perhaps look outside of aviation entirely, and simply fly as a hobby."

I dont blame those guys (except for the guy who is already whipped by his little girlfriend) one bit. Educated people make educated decisions based on reality -- not some romantic notion of what it's like to be a pilot.

Whaaaaaaaaaaa? Do a little research next time and know what your getting into. Why would you be asking these questions AFTER years of training and accepting some serious debt? The information is out there, crunch the numbers and answer those questions before its too late.

The guy thats qutting due to his girlfreind needs to grow a spine cause its obvious that he already lost his sack.

 

[BenderGonzales]

For some of us pal, we DID the research -- over a decade ago when the game was played by a different set of rules.

 

[AngelKing]

For some of us pal, we DID the research -- over a decade ago when the game was played by a different set of rules.

Touche, it was much different back in the 70s.


AK

 

[macfly]

For some of us pal, we DID the research -- over a decade ago when the game was played by a different set of rules.

Yeah the majors looked a bit stronger I suppose, I dont know about other segments - I was chasin skirts in college and graduating from high school.

My point was to always plan for the worst and hope for the best. It's my impression from these boards that the civilian route of the aviation ladder(121) will likely land you a regional flying job for the duration of your career and you should be prepared for such.

As for me personally, i was a pre 9/11 gung-ho, pro-pilot wannabe that reigned myself in after 9/11. I went back to college, got a bis degree and now im in the position to continue flying and working on ratings without swallowing tons of debt. I crunched the numbers and they didnt compute for 18k a year. It wasnt mathematically possible for me without living in a box.

I hope things improve for you guys that fly for a living.