Is it worth it in the end??

[SSDD]

I got out- and I couldn't be happier. Life is getting better and better every day, and my relationship with my wife is unlike anything it's ever been before. Best decision I ever made was to get out early!

And yet you still hang around an aviation board...

 

[gringo]

Wow Sparky, that response is so full of ignorant I don't even know where to begin.

2 reasons, I would guess, why I still hang around here; the first, being that I still enjoy flying for fun. Last time I checked, this was an aviation board, not an airline pilot only board.

And secondly (and more importantly),

I get endless amusement watching chuckleheads like you convincing yourself and each others on this board that the $hit sandwich you're choking down is actually filet mignon, or at the very least a prime rib sandwich. And as we all know, prime rib is the king of all the meats!

However, your attempt at sarcasm has been noted, and you will be receiving a gold star soon. Check your mail; it'll be arriving right after the great hiring boon of 2007.

 

[climbhappy]

quote" and yet you still hang out on an avaition board"


i do that too, i feel like i have one foot out the door, but yet i just joined airline apps and sent 10 resumes thinking throw enough crap against the wall and something may stick. flying is kind of like crack!
i may get called back, but the longer one goes and the life adjustment is made, the harder it is. you have to be committed sure, but maybe i should be committed for even thiking i am committed.
i found last week, collecting decent money for the time i had spent "one day" was a good return as far as flying goes. if it keeps up i may be next.

for sure this busienss keeps you in suspense. if you don't like last minute football games like the cowboys v giants last week, then yeah this business isn't (as far as 121 goes assuming the big job hasn't come yet, sticking it out for hope thereof) worth it.

 

[capt. megadeth]

I get endless amusement watching chuckleheads like you convincing yourself and each others on this board that the $hit sandwich you're choking down is actually filet mignon, or at the very least a prime rib sandwich. And as we all know, prime rib is the king of all the meats!

.

That's not fair. There are many pilots that have had great careers. Ok, I admit, the chances are slim but it's there. Every capt. I have flown with has multiple properties, toys, etc. They are not complaining about any $hit sandwich.

 

[152SIC]

I wish I had chose a different career path. Now at 33 years old it is difficult to just jump into another job. I have been flying since i was 21 and now have a mortgage, bills etc...
I have often thought about other career paths I could pursue at this point, but I suppose my current level of pay keeps me where I am at (for the time being.)
On the plus side, I have seen alot of the country I would have never seen with any other job. I am currently flying a Citation X which WAS interesting (the first 15 hours or so.) I am also making a comfortable living at present (it won't last though.)
For someone starting out, however; chose a career path which allows you to fly on the side. There is not a good future in professional flying.

 

[gringo]

That's not fair. There are many pilots that have had great careers. Ok, I admit, the chances are slim but it's there. Every capt. I have flown with has multiple properties, toys, etc. They are not complaining about any $hit sandwich.

And there's the issue right there: have had. 30 years ago, 20 years ago, maybe even as recently as 10 years ago, this was a great career. Nowadays, with all the turmoil, the low pay (adjusted for inflation, you're making 1/2 of what they were making 30 years ago), the stress, long times from the family, high divorce rates, stoopid TSA, jakc@ss schedulers, the list goes on and on and on...

I don't believe that one can have a great career anymore. Maybe a good one, certainly, but not great. But even then, the odds of one finishing 30 years from now, looking back and saying "yeah, I'm glad I did that" is so slim, why even bother? The writing's on the walls, fellas, and luckily for us, it's written in English.

There are literally millions of things you can do with your time that would lead to a more satisfying, more productive and ultimateley, more rewarding life.

And so yes, I stand by my "$hit sandwitch" statement. It was once filet mignon. But it sat out in the sun too long and became rancid. This career is going down the tubes; it's great while you're young and single, but once you get married and start a family, you should find other things to do. If the airlines didn't fcuk you today, they're likely to do it tomorrow, or the next day. It's just a question of time; ask any United pilot on September 10th; they were kings of the world. The next day, they were out of a job.

 

[capt. megadeth]

And there's the issue right there: have had. 30 years ago, 20 years ago, maybe even as recently as 10 years ago, this was a great career. Nowadays, with all the turmoil, the low pay (adjusted for inflation, you're making 1/2 of what they were making 30 years ago), the stress, long times from the family, high divorce rates, stoopid TSA, jakc@ss schedulers, the list goes on and on and on...

I don't believe that one can have a great career anymore. Maybe a good one, certainly, but not great. But even then, the odds of one finishing 30 years from now, looking back and saying "yeah, I'm glad I did that" is so slim, why even bother? The writing's on the walls, fellas, and luckily for us, it's written in English.

There are literally millions of things you can do with your time that would lead to a more satisfying, more productive and ultimateley, more rewarding life.

And so yes, I stand by my "$hit sandwitch" statement. It was once filet mignon. But it sat out in the sun too long and became rancid. This career is going down the tubes; it's great while you're young and single, but once you get married and start a family, you should find other things to do. If the airlines didn't fcuk you today, they're likely to do it tomorrow, or the next day. It's just a question of time; ask any United pilot on September 10th; they were kings of the world. The next day, they were out of a job.

Well, ya know....it's good that there are people like you out there because there is less competition for people that really want to make a lifelong career out of it. I am sorry things didn't work out for you but don't rain on everyone's parade.

 

[capt. megadeth]

There are literally millions of things you can do with your time that would lead to a more satisfying, more productive and ultimateley, more rewarding life.

.

Please do tell. Like what? Give me a few examples.

 

[Contract]

Im not going to waist my time reading all the responses to this question. Im sorry to tell you if your for real but this career field is becoming more and more like a Bus Drivers Schedule all the while requiring Pilots to maintain professionial proficciency doing what is not natural. Yes, thats it....we fly..

We move people through the air as fast as we can. All the while maintaining safety. Most pilots today dont really understand that idea. So they will tell you that its worth it and the lifestyle while different is GREAT. Bottom line, these are the same guys that you or any one else looking to embark on a career in this profession would gladdly heed. Funny thing is, this profession is not what many of us expected it to be at this point in our lives. We are actually going through the largest downturn this profession has ever seen.

The future; well it does not hold any great promises. We have alot of consolidating to do and beyond that will be anyones guess. If I were a young man once again, I would be looking for something that would keep me happy and make me money just as I did when I started my journey for the Airline Industry as a Professional Pilot.

The "Very Bottom Line" is this. If you love to fly thats great but if you want to have any resemblance of a normal life with wife and kids (which I consider to be normal progression but others may not) then find another profession that pays well and buy yourself an airplane.....Good Luck I have not even begun to speak of the testing to replace pilots with DRONES....WOW

 

[Contract]

Capt Mega Death......Rock on Bro Head.......but at least tell the guy why you are late on some of those BILLS your playin. Just kidding Brother,,,but you know damn well what I mean....Its not what we were expecting.......Gone are the $300k per yr.......EXPECTATIONS. The only way they come back is with a shortage, so STFU and let the shortage begin......Drones are at minimum 50 to 70 years out. Luv ya Man. Rock on but play Smart if your even a real /Rocker.

 

[gringo]

Please do tell. Like what? Give me a few examples.

Sales & Marketing
Real estate (development, management, construction, sales)
Restaurant owner
Graphic arts designer
High end auto sales
High end aircraft sales
(Heck, LOW end aircraft sales)
Financial advisor
Construction (I mentioned that, but it's worth mentioning again)
(Did you know Donald Trump had a brother who was an airline pilot? TWA, I think; ended up broke, an alcoholic and comitted suicide)
Race car driver
TV show host
Doctor
Dentist
Attourney
Owner of a small business
Owner of a mid-sized buisness
Owner of a large buisness
Airport administrator
I met a guy down in southern Illinois who owned a vending-machine restocking company; the dude was loaded! Owned a Stearman, a Comanchee and something else that was fun to fly...

You're only limited by your own imagination.

Trust me; when I sent in my shredded up ID card with my letter of resignation, I had no idea what to do next; now, several months out, I'm seeing all kinds of opportunities that I never even considered. Life is great, and we live in the greatest country in the world; we can literally do just about anything we want, and have a much better life because of it.

However, as long as there are pilots who are willing to take it up the keyster every day so that the rest of us can fly coast-2-coast for less than the price of a bus ticket, then I suppose that's fine, too.

 

[capt. megadeth]

Ok thanks. You still have to work your a$$ off in any of those fields to make a good living and it's not guaranteed that you will make good money either.

 

[g4800xp]

Capt Mega Death......Rock on Bro Head.......but at least tell the guy why you are late on some of those BILLS your playin. Just kidding Brother,,,but you know dang well what I mean....Its not what we were expecting.......Gone are the $300k per yr.......EXPECTATIONS. The only way they come back is with a shortage, so STFU and let the shortage begin......Drones are at minimum 50 to 70 years out. Luv ya Man. Rock on but play Smart if your even a real /Rocker.

Those days are gone because of 330k and 150k in pension for a few days a month work with schedule manipulation amongst other reasons. I sure don't begrudge anyone for making it, but even a dim bulb could see it was not viable long term. It makes me sick that after Eastern/ Brannif/ Enron we still can not protect pensions. I feel for you guys.There are crap jobs and crap deals 91/135/121 but 91 has been great for me, truely can not wait to fly and my wife loves my job more that I do. I did not start flying til I was 28, I am 46 now. May go back to the restaurant business someday but most likely not until I hate flying.
On a side note, all my divorced pilot friends have one thing in common, not infidelity, but the wife was at home in a blizzard with a broken piece of crap car while they were in Florida or the Bahamas year after year. I know that a nice Suv keeps her happy, and it is a small price to pay.

 

[gringo]

Ok thanks. You still have to work your a$$ off in any of those fields to make a good living and it's not guaranteed that you will make good money either.

Yeah, I suppose you're right. I forgot all those Riddle ads guaranteeing the huge incomes.

How silly.

Nevermind.

 

[capt. megadeth]

LOL! I remember when I was in high school I thought "man, I am gonna make $250K a year.....I don't have to worry about retirement because they are gonna give me a pension". Well, reality has set in but I still love the job. I really don't want to do anything else.

 

[gringo]

...but I still love the job. I really don't want to do anything else.

Fair enough!

Blue skies!

 

[AerroMatt]

Back to the original post

Flyguy 022,

What it comes down to in the end is this; Just how bad do you want to fly every day? If you want it more than anything else on earth, you will go do it and be thankful you did. If not, go into Real Estate or enter law school or some other profession that suits your tastes and buy an airplane later in life when you can afford it.

The posts on this thread are correct. Gone are the days of earning 300K working for a major 10 days a month and retiring at age 60 with 80% retirement. However, a decent living can still be earned if this is what you want for a career. Still plenty of adventure out there and exciting times for all. Make certain your spouse to be understands your avocation or you will be headed for the Heartbreak Hotel.

After my first marriage ended, I got out of driving semi-trucks and back into aviation in my mid-30's. I had been a 1000hr CFI who left aviation in the early 90's (when work was so tough to find that C210 freight positions required 2500 hours min!). During the years I spent in that truck, all I could think of was how I could get back into aviation. Really made me miserable thinking how I could still be up in the sky instead of driving that diesel. I eventually got back into instructing, then 135, until I finally landed a nice Corp job. Pay could always be better, but it is good and I find this much more rewarding in job satisfaction. Nine years later, I have no regrets... its been worth it all.

So in the end, I would advise you to sit down some evening and take a long hard look at your desires, ambitions and goals in life. Put them on paper and sort them out. If you have priorities that come in above aviation, then do not persue this as a career! It will only lead to your disappointment, as many here will attest. If aviation does come out on top then have at it, fight the good fight, and never look back.

Good luck to you in whatever you decide. :beer:

 

[climbhappy]

i agree with you. as I go throught this right now. I am finding that this is not the TOP prioirty. if it was, I'd be at avantair right now. turned down a job after i got laid off. no bases near me. i hate commuting, so that rules out many. it has to be the number one priority.


Funny, since i have been flying some small piston stuff having gotten out of a 737, i find myself gawking at the lore of flight like i used to 20 years ago.


i like airplanes no matter what size. this career stuff kind of sorts itself out with or without us.

 

[g4800xp]

I just checked out in a 172 and took my 13 year old son up for a lesson. I have not flown GA types in 10 years or more and it was great. Hardest part is the low speeds, this thing lands at a speed so low, the stuff I fly does not even begin to indicate airspeed yet. Love it! I would prefer my son did something else other than fly, but it is up to him. Got a few years to go.

 

[AerroMatt]

Hey good luck, G4800xp! You are doing the best possible thing for your son by giving him the experience and then letting him decide if that's what he wants to do. I intend on doing the same with my kids when they get old enough.