is there anybody who is happy in this business

[BRA]

I like my job and i am happy with it. I do consider my job work though. 4-8 legs a day as a 1900 PIC with 20 minute turns is work. No auto pilot. I have a lot of fun with it though. About once a month i see something new that i have never seen before. Either a cloud formation, or a celebrity, or an illuminated fire handle light you just never know what you will see next. The first take off after having 3 or 4 days off is always the most fun..... even though it is a lowly beech 1900. It's hard to see every one else in a nice new jet, but i guess the grass is always greener on the other side. I absolutely love jumpseating up front in mainline jets. Even with occasional disgruntled mainline pilots they still know how to have some fun. How many people get the chance to ride in the cockpit of an airbus 320 at night? Not that many! Sounds strange but i almost think i found that perk in my job the most satisfying. Jumping on a continental 757 at the last minute to florida and sitting in first class being wined and dined for free was pretty cool too. I looked down at my Crew ID tag and felt like i was in a movie. (note: i am not a PFTer) I worked my arse off to get to the 1900 and i do appreciate everything a lot! 1000 turbine PIC now and I realize i am still basically a rookie, i think that is cool. A few years ago i would have looked at someone like me and thought i was an aviation god. Well, that is my random contribution to the thread.

 

[KingAirKiddo]

I love my job, but hate the industry.

I flew a four day trip last week with late report times, so most of the legs were at night. There was a full moon out, and the skies were completely clear. I was sitting at FL280 watching the eastern seaboard pass below me on my way down to Orlando. All the landing performance was calculated, so there was nothing to do but simply sit back, put my feet up, and get lost in my thoughts (and diligently monitor the instruments per our company FSM, of course ). You know, I wouldn't trade moments like that for any desk job in the world.

Then you come back from the trip and hear the news that your parent corporation may or may not file Chapter 11, that you may or may not have a job next year if your pilot group does not take concessions, that you may or may not be junior manned to JFK if the company opens a base there, that you may or may not be on reserve again next month, and so forth.

You've simply got to take the bad with the good and roll with the punches as they come. It's not a perfect business, but it's the one that we all know and are most comfortable with. I've wanted to be an airline pilot since I was 5 years old, so yes--I'm livin' the dream, even if it ain't exactly what I imagined it would be.

Later...
KAK

 

[Av8rTodd]

you need to be worried if

Pilots are not happy unless we are complaining.....hey if we are not complaining then YOU need to be worried!!!


Cheers,
Todd the furloughee

 

[Nindiri]

No complaints here, life is sweet. I'm not getting rich, but 80 grand is still better than most jobs, and I get to fly a nice jet 14 days a month instead of sitting in an office all day, plus no work or stress to take home when I check out.

It would be nice to move on to a major and make better money, but even if this regional is my last stop, it still beats the hell out of any other job.

 

[Nalo Boy]

life is good

 

[dash8driver]

love it.. no other place that i know of that you can take a vacation without using up your vacation.. just by bidding your scheduled days off efficiently..

 

[English]

True, so true...I'm at home on a 12 day stretch off - just by bidding them together.

I love PBS.

 

[Hugh Jorgan]

love it.. no other place that i know of that you can take a vacation without using up your vacation.. just by bidding your scheduled days off efficiently..

Dayyyamm straight, crackah. Not to mention being able to stick your thumb out for a free ride to the vacation spot of your choice. If it were only easier to J/S with a longboard....

 

[foreverflyer]

People who do not enter aviation with open eyes and a realistic attitude are going to be very disappionted and have a miserable life. The people who truly love to fly and did not enter this business just to make big money are the ones who will really enjoy their jobs.

I don't make much money. And I will never get rich where I work. But I have a fabulous life. I have the job that I have wanted since I was 6. I get up in the morning and look forward to going to work. And I live within my means.

We may not make much money but look at all the other benefits we get. I have seen most of the world thanks to my job benefits. No way would I have ever been able to do all the things I have done if not for my job.

You are only going to be as happy as you want to be at your job. If you are not truly in love with aviation and you are not happy with your job, pay, base, etc....then you need to find another career!

ON ON

 

[spitfire1940]

Catch me before I fall ... a positive thread on FlightInfo.com, with nary a bashing of Mesa, PFT, scope or whatever. Someone pinch me

 

[capt. megadeth]

even though it is a lowly beech 1900. It's hard to see every one else in a nice new jet, but i guess the grass is always greener on the other side..

I have more respect for a "lowly" twin turbo prop and people that fly them than I do for a RJ pilot. If you went straght from CFI to flying an RJ, I think you are at a severe disadvantage experience wise. I thing jets are waaaaaaaaaaaay overrated. Don't get me wrong, it's nice to have an APU and go fast....but fling at 4000' over Lake Michigan building ice and hand flying an approach down to mins in a blizzard....now you can't beat that!

P.S. I am NOT bashing RJ pilots here....I am just saying that there is nothing "lowly" about a Beech 1900, Jetstream 31 or any other turboprop for that matter

 

[DirkkDiggler]

I have more respect for a "lowly" twin turbo prop and people that fly them than I do for a RJ pilot. If you went straght from CFI to flying an RJ, I think you are at a severe disadvantage experience wise. I thing jets are waaaaaaaaaaaay overrated. Don't get me wrong, it's nice to have an APU and go fast....but fling at 4000' over Lake Michigan building ice and hand flying an approach down to mins in a blizzard....now you can't beat that!

P.S. I am NOT bashing RJ pilots here....I am just saying that there is nothing "lowly" about a Beech 1900, Jetstream 31 or any other turboprop for that matter

And keep in mind that some of us RJ pilots used to do that Lake Michigan icing sh!t before we flew RJ's. In fact, some of us did it in piston twins without the benefit of turbine reliability or power.