Is your company working you to death?

[DesertFalcon]

The Company I work for is completely understaffed!
We are working our butts off!

I have a job but I am way underpaid, overworked and totally frustrated at the way management treats us.

What's the story at your company?

 

[macdaddy]

I'm sitting on my butt.


Furloughed.


Bored.


Wish I was flying.


Although, I understand everybody still working at my former employer is working their tail off, too.

 

[Simon Says]

I am still a working at Mesaba, but have'nt flown since late April.

 

[Snakum]

Yes, my company is definitely working me to death ... unfortunately it's almost all behind a desk, though. I've had only three 'official' flights since September.

Minh Thong
SE Piston Corp Geek

 

[CL60]

Fully staffed corper

Not bad. Fully staffed and a good blend of flying days and off days. No standby days. Doing about 400 - 450 hours per year per pilot.

Although training and vacation season is busy for us, on average, we fly around 2 to 3 days a week with the occasional overseas trip. Got lucky last rotation... the bird was gone so I was off all week. Going to recurrent training this week then a week of light flying and then going to Europe with a great crew. Good trip too, three days in England, two days in Germany, a day in France, and four days in Scotland.

These jobs are out there but you have to know where to look. If you are frustrated with your current employer and working conditions, PM me and I'd be happy to help out if I can.

 

[DesertFalcon]

A few days ago... I was considering quitting the job I have.
I have rested a little, since then.... I am now ready to be abused again.

Not because I enjoy abuse. I just need the job.

Bummer.

 

[bailout]

I am not senior enough to hold a line yet, (still on reserve), but I have been flying 6 days a week since March. They call me within my first hour of reserve and give me two scheduled 3 day trips back to back. I am suppossed to have every tuesday and wednesday off this month, but so far that hasnt happened,. thank god for my 4 guaranteed days off!

 

[DesertFalcon]

What other industry does this to their workers. Pilots are not as smart as they think.

Why do we allow these companies to control our lives to this extent.

We are our own worst enemies!

I don't like being a Slave!

 

[Timebuilder]

What other industry? Talk to an Intern at you local hospital. Two hours sleep in 36 hours is very common.

 

[English]

There are flying jobs out there with good schedules. I fly once or twice per week, midweek, all day trips. I'm salaried so it makes no difference that I'm not flying alot.

I feel for those of you complaining about regional schedules, junior-manning, and reserve. That stuff took all the joy out of flying for a living.

 

[DesertFalcon]

I still love to fly... That is the problem...
I find it hard to think of any other industry I would want to work.

Bobbysand, you are right.... Interns do work hard, however, I am beyond the intern stage in my career. I have yet to make anything close to a satisfactory income flying.

At least doctors evenutally make a good living after paying their dues.

I guess I just feel like complaining?

Hopefully, I will someday make a decent living doing what I like to do.....Flying.

 

[Timebuilder]

I'm sure you will.

 

[aero99]

"I have yet to make anything close to a satisfactory income flying.

At least doctors evenutally make a good living after paying their dues. "


If you are chasing the almighty $ and think there is a point that you will be happy with, you may never be happy.

I don't fly for a living, but I used to work my a$$ off just to make more money. When I made 30k a year I wished I was making 50k, got to 50k and wanted 75k, got there and 100k was that magic number that would answer all my needs....got to 200k one year. 5 years prior to making this kinda money I would have never thought I would be able to bring in that kinda dough. Didn't have a degree or any specailized training. My life didn't change all that much from 30k to 200k. Paying the bills was a little easier, but I lived in the same house and drove the same car.

I'm glad I went through all that relatively young. Now I don't worry about what I make, I just do what I do well and enjoy it.

There are the good and bad sides of every industry.

Be glad your a slave in a plane and not in a desk. Do what you love to do and do it well and to the best of your abilities and your paycheck won't be your focus.

I was tired of being a slave too, and up and started my own biz. I am still a slave... to my partners, the bank, the payables, my employees etc......

It's all in how you look at where you are, where you want to be and what YOU are doing to get there.

Good luck Falcon, there will be bluer skies out there one day.

 

[DesertFalcon]

Aero99;

Everything is viewpoint....
Your reality is how you think it to be.

Unfortunately, I don't feel that I have been adaquately rewarded for my efforts. The company could be better if, they would just acknowledge our efforts, instead of making us feel like you better do it, or else!

Thank you for your point of view... I am glad you responded.

DesertFalcon

 

[wingnutt]

If you are chasing the almighty $ and think there is a point that you will be happy with, you may never be happy.

oh man, did you say a mouth full there

this is not directed at you falcon, but just sparked an irk that has since been discussed with a few fellow pilots as of late.

is it just me or is there a certain level of greed that appers to be proliferating the ranks of the up-and-comers? my actually having a 135 job is, at times, a conversation piece that seems unavoidable to anyone without (especially thru the 9-11 debacle). dont get me wrong, i love talking to the next rank of junior pilots (for lack of a better term), but the overall concensus seems to be that if one is not striving for the majors (and the cooresponding "big bucks") then something must be wrong in ones head.

i have, in vain, tried to point out how i actually like my wife (unlike my last one) and to be able to see her and my daughter every day (if not, every other or so) mean more to me than "making the big bucks". alas, more often than not this is too much for (insert local hangar rat name here) to comprehend. they just cant seem to grasp it.
"you dont want to fly commercially?" man, this is a whole other pet peeve of mine, but hang on...lemme check, im pretty sure my liscense says the same thing as yours does/will... Commercial Pilot.
"what about the travel?" well, after being in the military for 8 years and having my share of being gone days/weeks/months at a time, i have had all the travel i can stand to bear...7 countries and all but 7 states.
"what about the money?" man, if money is your main concern, i dont want your butt flying me anywhere on any sort of air related contraption.
"what about prestige?" lol, why in the world are you concerned with what others think of what you do for a living, are you doing it for them, or for you?

basically my whole rebuttal goes something like this...

first, if you are not truely happy in your career choice, perhaps you are on the wrong career path. yea, sure, the oppurtunity to make "the big bucks" is there, but dont let it be your sole driving force. what will you do, if for some reason you cant get to that point? long story short, be happy in what you do and enjoy whatever perks come with it, but dont let it consume your life, we arent on this earth long enopuh to fret over it.

and lastly, dont put down the guy who couldnt give a hoot about an airline job. ive seen way too many people in this world take a job/promotion/transfer strictly for the money, and are miserable on the inside...money is not the answer, and flying a bus is not for everyone.

do what you love, and love what you do.
thanks for the webspace.

 

[macdaddy]

Boy, with an attitude like that, I'd like to hire you to work for me. I'll pay you 50 cents an hour more than minimum wage. You can even have a raise in a couple of years. Hope you don't want to have a family - you won't be able to afford it. If you do have one, I'll let you off of work every once and a while to see them. If you stop loving your job, I'll send you back to get brainwashed again because it is obviously your problem for having a bad outlook.

Sure I want to do something I love to do for a living, but I can't get into qualifying school for the PGA. So by your logic, I should be happy driving the tractor picking up golf balls at the driving range for the rest of my life just so I can be a professional in the golf business.

When airport screeners and air marshalls make twice what regional pilots make, there is a big problem. I am not going to whore myself out for peanuts just because I like to fly. I owe it to myself and my family to make decent money and be home for them.

More to say, but out of time.

 

[wingnutt]

whoa there big guy i think you missed the point.

all i was referring to is that being an airline captain on a 747 flying to and from Japan is not the do-all, end-all for everyone. no-where in my post did i mention that one should be a slave, nor work for pennies

like aero said... "If you are chasing the almighty $ and think there is a point that you will be happy with, you may never be happy".

relax man, be happy in what you do, and the rest will take care of itself

 

[aero99]

Falcon quoted

"Your reality is how you think it to be."



Oh how true.

 

[DesertFalcon]

Hi, Everyone;

I think I have touched a nerve here.

Quality of Life, including a decent paycheck for a Professional Service is something we all have worked for and deserve.

I get frustrated that companies don't seem to give a Hoot, about anything but their greed!

Where is our humanity?

DesertFalcon

 

[CL60]

As professional pilots, it's our duty to one another as well as ourselves to ensure we are properly compensated for our skills, knowledge and awesome responsibilities that we willingly accept. Proper compensation in the form of money, benefits, respect, and a decent lifestyle are all not too much to ask for considering the job we must consistently accomplish everytime we strap "it" on.

I love to fly and believe that what we do for a living is a very valuable service.

See you out there...