If I didn't have the bug before...

[PilotOnTheRise]

I got to sit in the cockpit of a UPS A300 the other day. I probably drooled all over it. If that is not enough to give you the bug, I don't know what else will.

So, why do I write this:

While sitting in the cockpit, I couldn't help but think of how lucky pilots are. Sure the regionals could pay more to their FO's, sure the industry is having some problems right now, although hopefully it begins to straighten out sometime soon, and there are always going to be some negatives, but it is still the best job in the world. I thought to myself; "I can either have this cockpit be my office, and be 30,000 feet in the air, or sit in a cramped office in some office building somewhere, doing paperwork all day". I choose the first one.

Things can always be better, but realize what you do for a living. Theres nothing much better if you ask me. I hope to oneday soon be joining you all in the cockpit. Until then, I'll keep training away.

 

[pilotdiscretion]

Quick! Someone get this man the Kool Aid antidote.

 

[LowlyPropCapt]

...Or an SJS vaccine.

 

[freeflyer14]

http://forums.flightinfo.com/showthread.php?t=60552&highlight=shiny+jet+syndrome

 

[SennaP1]

Don't let them get you down. (PILOT on the Rise) Yeah its got its up and downs. But if its what you want to do, do it.

I wish all these guys that keep complaining about the industry would get out, Oh I know you //expected// different things. Its never too late to change careers. That's why there are 40 yr old FO's at regionals.

That SJS stuff is stupid too, yes I fly a jet. But its not shiny and I could care less. Actually my dream airplane to fly at an airline would be a Q400 (out of my hometown) Props are alot more fun anyhow. Although I hear the Q400 is a Mx disaster.

P1

 

[PilotOnTheRise]

I knew I'd probably get those type of responses. But atleast let me have the moment while I still can.

 

[ChperpltII]

Flying is a blast. Don't let some of these clowns rain on your parade.

Everything in life is what you make out of it.

 

[Rook]

Flying is a blast. Don't let some of these clowns rain on your parade.

Everything in life is what you make out of it.

Amen brother.

 

[nimtz]

Long ago I heard the expression flying is awesome, but aviation f*cking sucks! You got to figure out how to balance that reality if you want this line of work.
​

 

[Glacialfury1906]

I knew I'd probably get those type of responses. But atleast let me have the moment while I still can.

Hey Bro, I hope no one or nothing ever steals your joy. Keep your passion and energy up and hopefully you won't end up like the rest of us. It's to late for most of us. Just know that there will be bumps in the road. Good luck, you'll get in that A-300 seat one day...........

 

[SkyBoy1981]

Where the hell does it say that anyone who aspires to fly for a living suddenly has SJS? Here, I'm going to post the warning signs again on this thread for those of you with short-term memory loss.

Do you know a CFI who has applied at Mesa or Boston/Maine?
Do you know a CFI who is burned out after 6 weeks of instructing?
Do you know a student pilot who has answered an flight school ad for "guaranteed interview with our regional airline partner"?
Do you know a pilot who has purchased a CRJ type-rating?
Do you know a regional-jet pilot who has purchase a 737 type-rating?
Do you know an airline pilot who has taken concessions in order to allow their company to purchase larger airplanes?
Do you know a pilot who believes that AirTran and Jetblue are the "majors" they've wanted to work for for "their whole lives"?
Do you know any member of the RJDC who STILL BELIEVES that mainline pilots are hurting their career expectations?
Do you know any airline pilots who refuse to dress in their uniform as specified by their SOP because "if they wanted me to dress better, they'd pay me better"?
Do you know any airline pilots who carry their hats for 4-days without ever putting it on their head?
Do you know any airline pilots who wear a backpack rather than carry adult-luggage?
Have you flown with copilots who say, "I cant believe they pay us to do this!!"?
Do you know any individual whose first "real" job involved carrying 50-90 people in the back of a jetliner?
Do you know any regional jet pilot who drops the "Express" or "Connection" portion of their airline name while using their profession to attempt to pick up women in a bar?

In my opinion if anyone has SJS its you pilots that fly 70-90 seat airplanes around for 50 seat wages. You know who you are.

 

[say again]

I got to sit in the cockpit of a UPS A300 the other day. I probably drooled all over it. If that is not enough to give you the bug, I don't know what else will.

So, why do I write this:

While sitting in the cockpit, I couldn't help but think of how lucky pilots are. Sure the regionals could pay more to their FO's, sure the industry is having some problems right now, although hopefully it begins to straighten out sometime soon, and there are always going to be some negatives, but it is still the best job in the world. I thought to myself; "I can either have this cockpit be my office, and be 30,000 feet in the air, or sit in a cramped office in some office building somewhere, doing paperwork all day". I choose the first one.

Things can always be better, but realize what you do for a living. Theres nothing much better if you ask me. I hope to oneday soon be joining you all in the cockpit. Until then, I'll keep training away.

Follow your dream. I had one helluva time for the 3 years i was at the regionals. it had its $hitty moments, but the fun times certainly out-weighed the negatives. good luck to ya and don't let people stand in your way!!!:beer:

 

[PilotOnTheRise]

I think you have to have SJS to aspire to fly. I've wanted to be a pilot since I was a kid. If it weren't for SJS, hanging around this board would turn me away quick.

But, with that said; everybody has complaints about their job. The grass is always greener, and things could be better. Ultimately things could always be better, but that could go on, and on, and on. Once things do get better, they could always be even more better, and so on.

Aviation is just one of those industries that can be up one day and down the next. But, I can't imagine anything I'd rather do than fly airplanes. As the UPS pilot told me; "you can make a good living as a pilot, just don't always count on the company you work for to pay you". F/O pay is bad at a regional, but ultimately you can make a very good living as a professional pilot. One day we will all hopefully be captains on a UPS A300, or wherever we wish to go in this career, and we will all look back at our journey and be thankful we had it.

And I agree with what another poster said. If you don't like it, get out. Its better to open your seat up to someone who really wants it, than to complain about it, and hate it, meanwhile someone is standing in your shadow, who would love nothing more than to be in that seat.

 

[propsarebest]

If you like flying so much, DON'T MAKE IT A CAREER!!! Keep it fun! if you fly for a job, then it just becomes work, and work sucks!

 

[Ill Mitch]

If you like flying so much, DON'T MAKE IT A CAREER!!! Keep it fun! if you fly for a job, then it just becomes work, and work sucks!

It is all up to the person. I've been flying for 16 years, the past 10 making money at it. It is still fun for me. Yeah, there are some times where I wanted to be anywhere else other than the cockpit, but it still beats sitting behind a desk in an office writing reports.

Since flying full time, 90% I look forward to going to work. When I was doing the office/management thing...I looked forward to going to the office about 5% of the time. But, then the cute girl quit and that number dropped to zero.