My sixth year view of AirTran

[Caveman]

USARET & Citrusflyer,

Thanks.

 

[pilotyip]

afherkdriver, he did not have a degree when he flying as a pilot.

 

[Phaedrus]

he did not have a degree when he flying as a pilot

Seriously...is this serious? Are you jakin' us? Surely....

 

[Espalda Mojado]

My last job was AirTran and I was there for almost 3 years and was holding captain when I chose to leave to go to CAL. I knew what the pay was first year and took quite a hit.

IAHERJ

Repeat: People like you who are willing to fly widebodies for less than $30K/year are a problem.

My present avatar is on behalf of the MESA pilots who have to endure sleepng in the airplanes. My next avatar will be you, cashing that big widebody paycheck for $1000. Hopefully you guys use Airborne, since you can't afford to get sick with no health insurance for 6 months. When you see the avatar, please don't accuse me of flying for CAL.

 

[AAflyer]

Lear70 those are good reasons to go to school, but they having to do with flying an airplane. I know too many people without college degrees who are among the finest people I have ever associated with. The WWII pilots did not have college degrees, guys like GW Bush I, and George McGovern; they did an unbelievable job. No a college degree does not make the person. Besides why would anyone want to talk about anything but flying and airplanes?

There are numerous jobs where you do not need a college degree. What does a degree have to do with numerous jobs? It does however set a bar, a minimum standard, just like needing 1500 hours for your ATP. You mention specific individuals all day long (there are ALWAYS exceptions to the rule), however in a side by side comparison the differences will usually show over a period of time.

I don't think any less of an individual without a degree, however by the same standard they should not expect to be compared as an equal. If you took a simple look at jobs requiring a degree and ones that do not you will note a marketed difference in pay. (There are exceptions to this "rule",
however they are not the norm).

This profession has been under assault, the last thing we need to do is LOOSEN the standards, (more dumbing of the profession). Why should management pay high salaries for pilots when the requirement to enter our field is a GED, high school diploma and certifcate you can purchase at a rating mill school over a 2 day period.

Maybe we need to police our own.

Regards,

AAflyer

 

[GogglesPisano]

This profession has been under assault, the last thing we need to do is LOOSEN the standards, (more dumbing of the profession).

Ahh. But that may be Pilotyip's motive.

 

[IAHERJ]

Repeat: People like you who are willing to fly widebodies for less than $30K/year are a problem.

My present avatar is on behalf of the MESA pilots who have to endure sleepng in the airplanes. My next avatar will be you, cashing that big widebody paycheck for $1000. Hopefully you guys use Airborne, since you can't afford to get sick with no health insurance for 6 months. When you see the avatar, please don't accuse me of flying for CAL.

I have no doubt you don't fly for CAL.

IAHERJ

 

[pilotyip]

No Motive

No motive here, just a recognition that the degree has very little to do with a pilot being successful in flying airplane. The college degree was not a big deal until the late 70's. It is now used by HR dept's at the top airlines to cut down on the numbers they have to deal with. With growing the worldwide pilot shortage, and coming hiring boom in the US, the degree will carry less and less weight in the decision process. It has been posted that I am anti-college degree. Nothing cold is further from the truth. The country needs all the college-educated citizens it can have, its raises the level of knowledge to keep this as the greatest country in the world. Real degrees in business, engineering, the sciences, math, and medicine provide a graduate with marketable skills. If you are going to go to college, get a real degree from a real university. Do not spend four years getting a degree in Women’s Studies. The college degree has nothing to do with flying an airplane. Many have posted they agree it has nothing to do with the mastering on an airplane. I have admitted that the possession of a degree may open doors at a few select places of employment in the airline industry. If a potential pilot feels they will only be pleased in life if they get an interview with FedEx, then that prospective pilot should go to college. Air Inc advertises that 172 airlines and assorted aviation companies are recruiting right now; I only see four that make the degree a showstopper. My assertion that runs contrary to the ‘College is a must” crowd, is that to be competitive for the other 168 places the degree is not necessary. If a prospective pilots just loves flying airplanes, and would be happy making $70-$100K per year with no debt from college loans, a college degree is not necessary. Many prospective pilots may be steered into attending college when they are not college material, not because of a lack basic intelligence, but because it is not important to them. These pilots want to get on with their lives flying airplanes. I have seen too many non-degreed pilots reach a good career position with out a degree. But then my focus is on job satisfaction and not upon pay, respect, and prestige. It is about the joy of flying an airplane. Others out there may feel the same motivation I do. My advice is go to school part time or community college and fly, pilots get hired because they have flight time. Flt time moves you up the food chain to better jobs; the degree is not needed until the last step. You can go to school part time with a full time flying job, you cannot build real flight time while going to school full time. I have seen non-degreed guys go to the Nationals in their mid-20’s.

 

[dtfl]

I have no doubt you don't fly for CAL.

IAHERJ

I have no doubt he is never going to work as a rocket surgeon.

Hey speedy gonzales, or espadril or caca or whomever - IAHERJ didn't leave AT for a job that will never pay over 30k. Did you read his post? He left one for a job he believes will be his retirement job...taht he believes will pay more and provide better QOL in the long run.

Let us know when you leave your low paying job for another carrier, and start at 1st year pay, so we can say you, too, are responsible for the downfall of this industry. Your logic is as flawed as that of a 14 yr old crack addict. Evey peson that leaves a job to start another one is responsible for the downfall of our industry...yep...makes sense.

 

[frog_flyer]

Frog,
My wife is an Atty, and makes about half that amount as an ADA down here in TX. Unless your personally related to an Atty, you have no idea what you're talking about. My wife doesn't suck at life because she doesn't make what you think that a Lawyer should make.

100K a year for an Atty is considered extremely good money and definitely not the norm at least in TX, and we live in Houston. I can't imagine what a Lawyer makes out in Odessa, San Angelo, or Lubbock.

My dad, two uncles, and grandparents practice (one is dead now, so doesn't anymore) law in dallas. Aunt is a judge here also.