I really need some advice.

[satpak77]

dude don't try to spin this all around back on us, you are the one who told us all to be "thankful we had jobs" and told us how we "allow the state of the industry to fog our thinking"

I suppose I am the evil bad guy here....while you are busy with that, just remember more major carriers are Ch.11 than not, and more than 5000 airline pilots are on the street, unemployed. USAir and UAL retirees just lost all medical benefits

My apologies if those things "cloud my thinking", I guess we all need to "look at the positive"

contrails, jet fumes, sunsets, and all that crap

** by the way, Training Forum does exist

 

[PilotOnTheRise]

dude don't try to spin this all around back on us, you are the one who told us all to be "thankful we had jobs" and told us how we "allow the state of the industry to fog our thinking"

I suppose I am the evil bad guy here....while you are busy with that, just remember more major carriers are Ch.11 than not, and more than 5000 airline pilots are on the street, unemployed. USAir and UAL retirees just lost all medical benefits

My apologies if those things "cloud my thinking", I guess we all need to "look at the positive"

contrails, jet fumes, sunsets, and all that crap

satpak77,

I apologize for anything I did that has made you angry with me. I am not trying to turn this around on you, or anybody else. You are much more experienced than me, and I understand that. I understand that you, and others are very frustrated with the problems with the industry, and you have a right to that. I sometimes respond to posts and begin offering advice when I think truly I don't need to be, because I am not in the industry, and do not understand completely what is going on. I do apologize for that.

I assure you that I did not mean the "be thankful you have jobs", and the "you allow the state of the industry to fog your thinking" comments in the way they were perceived. I apologize. This statement was meant in general, not just toward pilots. I feel for the 5,000+ pilots on the street, and I hope that they are able to find employment elsewhere, or get recalled soon. I realize many of these pilots have families, and it must be rough.

I meant no 'ill-will', and I will try to be more selective to what I reply to.

 

[satpak77]

Hey Bro

The current state of this industry is what it is. Not more, not less. Put away the Kit Darby books and read the discussions here instead, the industry is a sad state of affairs.

I recommend med-school and go buy a Bonanza

good luck to you and no ill-will either.

 

[SpatialD]

You know, I probably have the single worst pilot job in the industry - at least for an almost 1200 hour guy. I could tell you why, but I'd just be whining and that's beside the point. The important thing is that I still go back for more every time I get a trip because I do see a brighter future ahead. On the other hand, I don't just expect it to fall in my lap if I hold out long enough and accumulate enough flight hours. You have to be very careful and deliberate in how you go about pursuing your career goals. You have to know what your goals are, be willing to revise them from time to time as necessary, and do your best to make the choices that will help you achieve them along the way - then learn from your mistakes when you make the wrong choices.

I am grateful to have a job (I could be one of the 5000 or whatever pilots who doesn't), but on the other hand, I don't really like what I'm doing much. And I sometimes think that the current state of the industry does jade my perspective. I have to make constant efforts to keep my eye on the big picture and resist the relentless temptation to believe that I am entitled to anything just because I'm surrounded by so many other people who think that way. Pilots - even the well-off FedEx captain types - are the complainingest bunch of human beings I've ever encountered (myself included, I'm afraid).

PilotOnTheRise, I think you have a good outlook and attitude - but it may not be so easy to keep that going once you get out here in the mud. Be thankful for all these MF'ers who are so disenchanted with the careers they've chosen. Learn from them and respect them, but do your best to stand out and not turn into one of them. If you catch a bunch of sh!t for it in return, that may just be evidence of the fact that you've taken the road less traveled - the one that doesn't lead to utter misery and sorrow in the end.

Also (and I think this is very significant), I have a theory that the fact that there are so many pilots who have totally piss-poor attitudes is due primarily to severe sleep abnormalities and deprivation. I can't tell you how many rotten A-holes I regularly run into in this business. And even the guys I actually like tend to piss me off pretty bad sometimes, either because they're being absolute d!cks or because I'm so irritable myself that I can't stand to look at them. Many types of flying involve such long-term, extreme fatigue as most people have never experienced. It does strange things to one's personality and can really affect your ability to maintain a positive state of mind. Just keep that in mind as you progress through your career - especially if you get discouraged.

I don't see where you need to apologize for anything in this thread. A lot of the hostility you're getting is just random, anonymous venting. But remember too that those guys ended up that way for a reason, and you're setting out on the same path that got them there - so beware!