Is flying an airliner easy?

[F16TJ]

I've had many people ask me if flying the F-16 was hard?

My answer: No, flying it is easy. Employing it...that's the hard part!

 

[say again]

Flying an airliner is easy. Getting to an airliner is the hard part.

And staying there is even harder!!!!!

 

[skipro101]

I

I agree that the skills of doing more than pointing it and flying airspeeds, etc is the hard part...especially flying it well enough to save brakes, fuel, etc.

And that is what I’m getting at...aren’t those settings already decided for you as a airline pilot?

For example, if you were flying for southwest from CLE-DET, wouldn’t your climb profile, settings, routes, hell, everything is already decided for you (unless of course you get into an emergency)..

Again, I know its hard to be a good airline pilot, I guess what I meant to ask is, is being an airline pilot the least taxing/challenging in day to day operations (provided you don’t have an emergency).

I’ve never done it, but it just seems like every move you make in a normal flight is already decided for you, whereas if you flew corp. or smaller freight, you would be the one making those decisions.

Do airlines tell the pilots what altitude to fly for a given route?

Its hard to express my perception...I sounds like an airline flight is almost like a train ride. You go the same route, same altitude, same approaches, day in and day out, the only time you get to make decisions is in an emergency.

As far as going out and seeing for myself like someone suggested...You can just go get hired at UPS or Continental and say, hey id like to try this path our for a few days.

I’m just trying to do some research before I go for a particular route.



Thanks for your replies.



Edited for grammar.

 

[banned username 1]

OK, OK, let's see if we can narrow the focus down for you.

If you picked a Chopin piano concerto and gave it to 100 different concert pianists, it would be played and interpreted 100 different ways- even though they used the same sheet of music. I used to fly a commuter trip to the same place twice a day, 5 days a week, for several years. Talk about tedious. But there was never the identical trip. There are too many variables.

There are a lot of things that are standard operating procedure. There are also things that a pilot has called "technique". No two pilots have the same technique, just like those pianists.

Is it challenging every day? Hell yes it is. It's always a challenge to do something to the best of your ability- and then try to do it even better the next time out. That's called being a professional- and maybe that's why not everybody is one.

Do we "have" to fly a particular altitude for a given flight? No. But then if the altitude is the best one for economy and a safe and smooth trip, why wouldn't you? If you have a valid reason to do otherwise, nobody's going to question you. In fact, they're not going to question you anyway!

I was the one who suggested that you go out and get your feet wet. While I applaud you for trying to get as much information as possible, if you think you're going to jump right into the line that says "Major Airline Only", that's not how it works. You have to go out and get a LOT of training and expend a LOT of effort before you ever start down a pathway toward a particular aspect of aviation. Think of it like deciding to be a brain surgeon. You don't go to "brain surgeon classes" right away, but you have to get a general college education first. With those ratings and 1100 hours, I'm surprised at your questions in the first place. It seems like they would have been answered for you as you have progressed and connected with other pilots.

You've received a lot of good, solid advice from people who know what they're talking about, because they've "made it". I don't really know what more we can tell you to help you out. Like the man said- there are no guarantees, you just have to go out and give it a try and see where the journey takes you.

 

[GuppyPuppy]

I was the one who suggested that you go out and get your feet wet. While I applaud you for trying to get as much information as possible, if you think you're going to jump right into the line that says "Major Airline Only", that's not how it works. You have to go out and get a LOT of training and expend a LOT of effort before you ever start down a pathway toward a particular aspect of aviation. Think of it like deciding to be a brain surgeon. You don't go to "brain surgeon classes" right away, but you have to get a general college education first.

While that is true for most of us, it certainly wasn't true for a number of women who were hired by UAL in the late '80's and early '90's. Many went from general aviation piston aircraft to a B737 F.O. seat or F.E. seat on another plane. While I don't blame them for taking what was being offered to them, I cringe to think that I know of a couple that are, shall we say...less than stellar who are still employed there. One of them finally passed her initial checkride on the 6th try! Heck, I'd be worried about continued employment if I busted the first one.

 

[EAP]

I think UAL78 offered some pretty good perspective to the original question. As far as the social engineering that went on in the "late 80's and 90's" and still does to a degree, let's be honest here... at a hell of a lot more airlines than just Marvin (UAL for the layman) played this little game. Some of them were just as good at the game too, they just didn't get all the credit Marvin did. I could go on and on about this person or that person who allegedly didn't "deserve" getting onto brand X airline. It sure didn't mean that flying an airliner was any easier for them, or for their flight crew or passengers/victims. If you REALLY want to examine some out of line hiring, look no further than some part 91 corporate aviation operations. Corporate jets are no "easier" to fly than most airliners

 

[banned username 1]

Guppy Puppy,

While I admit that for a number of females, that was the case, they are the exception now rather than the norm. And frankly, those pilots stand out. The rest of the female pilots are outstanding. I doubt that UAL, or anybody else would have changed their hiring bias if not under the shadow of an EEOC hammer. It's pretty much history now, and it doesn't address this thread. You've made your point and I'll have to agree to some extent. Will it ever happen again? Doubtful.

Back to this guy's question. I hope we've answered it for you because I don't know what else we can tell you. Remember that few of us have the fortune to pick a particular "route" to "go" in aviation. That's the first lesson you need to learn. Let us know what happens in ten years of so.

 

[smellthejeta]

Back to the original guy's question... It took me A LONG TIME to figure out what I wanted in a career. When I first started training, I thought airlines were the ONLY way to go. Having worked for the airlines and some MAJOR FBO's, I've come to the conclusion that ignoring the corporate world would short change yourself. I've me too many guys who see to have the AIRLINE ONLY blinders on, and keep thinking that they're sheltering themselves from some great careers just because they aren't airlines. After getting furloughed from the airlines three or four times (former roommates of mine) you might come to realize that starting over on 1st year regional pay ($20k/yr) just isn't what you wanted from a career.

 

[AA717driver]

Flying corporate is considerably more challenging than airline flying. At the airlines, you just show up, get in and go where the flight plan tells you.

In corporate, you have a lot of support these days. Flight planning is done by a service (but occasionally, they will screw up and you have to catch them), travel arrangements are made by the in-house flight coordinator (but occasionally they will screw up and you have to catch them) and the pax usually travel with an assistant.

BUT! If something goes wrong (transpo or catering doesn't show, the plane breaks or the TV doesn't work) the guy with a bunch of "0's" after the numbers in his bank balance will be staring YOU down wondering why YOU got things screwed up.

Tomorrow I may fly from IND to LIT. The next day, I might fly from LIT to MDLR (La Romanna, D.R.) OR to India. You just don't know.

Yes, corporate is a lot more "challenging" than airline flying... But that's a double-edged sword. Good luck.TC

 

[skipro101]

Thank you for your replies.

Yea, I was not looking for an "answer" so much as some perspectives I guess. I understand that I will have to be flexible and take advantage of any good opportunity, whether it is my dream track or not, if I want to get ahead quickly. still though, its good to be educated with perspectives and at least have a game plan--albeit one that is going to change.

Yea, maybe I should have figured it all out by now, but there is a lot of think about when you talk about career… a big part of ones life is spent working...making this simple posts might change my life ;] hehe, ok I’m being dramatic.

AA171diver said, " At the airlines, you just show up, get in and go where the flight plan tells you."

That is the perception I have of airline flying....and I don’t think that would be what I want out of a career. There is a perspective on www.jetcareers.com about a British kid who was accepted to the BA flight academy...he would have had everything paid for and a seat in a big heavy jet...but after riding jump seat a few times he chose a different career.... amazing to me...but it opened my eyes that maybe being an airline pilot isn’t the track for me....

Regardless, I will only know after I’ve lived my life...

Still, I’m thinking corporate or fedex/ups/dhl is more to my personality than is the big airlines.

Thanks


Edited for grammar.

 

[vetrider]

Thank you for your replies.

Yea, I was not looking for an "answer" so much as some persepctives I guess. I understand that I will have to be flexbile and take advantage of any good opportunity, weather it is my dream track or not, if I want to get ahead quickly. still though, its good to be educated with perspectives and at least have a game plan--albeit one that is going to change.

Yea, maybe I should have figued it all out by now, but there is a lot of think about when you talk about career..a big part of ones life is spent working...making this simple posts might change my life ;] hehe, ok im being dramatic.

AA171diver said " At the airlines, you just show up, get in and go where the flight plan tells you."

That is the perception I have of airline flying....and I dont think that would be what I want out of a career. There is a perspective on www.jetcareers.com about a british kid who was accepted to the BA flight academy...he would have had everything paid for and a seat in a big heavy jet...but after riding jumpseat a few times he chose a different career....amazing to me...but it opened my eyes that maybe being an airline pilot isnt the track for me....

regardless, I will only know after ive lived my life...

Still, im thinking corporate or fedex/ups/dhl is more to my personality than is the big airlines.

Thanks

Well if showing up, getting in, and going where the flight plan tells you is not necessarily for you, then neither will fedex/ups/dhl be for you, because that is exactly what they do as well. The only real difference is what is in the back of the plane.

Airline flying may be structured, but don't confuse that with boring. To borrow from an idea UAL 78 put forth in a previous post, just as Stevie Ray Vaughan, BB King, Eric Clapton and others can put their own touch on the same song and yet retain their own identifiable "voices", so to can the airline pilot put his own stamp on that routine Denver to LA trip. On the subject of UAL 78, I personally think his commentary in this thread is dead on, it would be worth it to reread all his posts here.

Personally, I love airline flying. I've never flown military or much corporate or charter, but I'm sure they have their own rewards as well. I don't care what kind of flying it is, you can't really go wrong if you ask me.

 

[Bankangle]

The more important question to be asked: Was it easy to get to where you were flying an airliner and got the experience to where you thought it was easy? That would be a NO.

That summs it up! Good job!

 

[jws717]

The hand flying of the CRJ is quite easy, just like a 172, however it is not forgiving. If you are a few knots to fast it will float 1000s of feet down the runway. In other words if you mess up a little in a 172 at 500ft AGL you are still gona be able to get it into a positon to land, in the CRJ its getting ugly.
Also when i got my first job on a jet keeping up with the speed on approches and go arounds was a chalenge. You also have the whole CRM aspect to deal with. Bottom line after flying the thing for a few hours you will feel at home. As far as the airlines being boring, it depends on what you like. flying into new york in a snow storm is a real challenge. or flying the visual into washingtons reagan at night is another awsome ride.

 

[skipro101]

Thanks for the post jws.

 

[AA717driver]

I'm sorry if I gave the impression that airline flying wasn't fun. It was a whole lot more fun than corporate. It's just not as challenging.

I enjoy the challenge but I'd go back to driving a 717 around the Midwest tomorrow if I could. (If I could go back as a captain, be 50% on the captain list, have a totally painless commute and have no worries about the stability of my company.)

Good luck.TC