Non B1tchers Only Please!

[DirkkDiggler]

Thanks to all of you who have contributed your enjoyable comments and stories. Those of you who have "been around a while" and feel the need to burst everyone's bubble, so to speak, should really think hard about your motives. After someone tells you a happy story about their job and how much they enjoy it, what could compel you to try to tell them that they are wrong and they should not be enjoying things quite so much. No one is trying to force their happy feelings on you, they are just happy and kindly sharing their happy thoughts instead of their cynical views of life in the airline industry. I flew overnight checks for two years, which is more than most of you regional pilots who have been flying for a regional probably ever did. I can tell you that flying overnight checks is neither glamorous nor good for your morale or lifestyle. It is a far cry from the relatively easy life of a regional pilot. Even after two years of flying checks, I still had a positive view of my job as a pilot and wasn't nearly as jaded as some of you here. So just because you are flying for a regional, and some of us have just started with a regional, doesn't necessarily make you more experienced than the rest of us. In fact, I'd argue that anyone who flew checks or some other such job between instructing and the regionals has a more worldly view of this profession than people who went straight from instructing to the right seat at a regional. We've been around and we're still happy and plan on remaining that way. It's all about perspective and if you're not happy in your job, maybe you should take a step back and reevaluate how you look at your job. I don't think you need to leave the job, but it may help if you look for some other way to get satisfaction from it. After all, life is what your given. It's then up to you to make the most of it. Enjoy life, it's a gift! Some of you check haulers should recognize that!

 

[d.fitz]

I flew overnight checks for two years, which is more than most of you regional pilots who have been flying for a regional probably ever did.

Is someone looking for a can opener? : )

The guys here have paid their dues. I agree with you on alot of this because I have previously worked in another field. Since I have switched though, nothing has changed. I still love flying (even though I am currently layed off).

But still, you are opening a can of worms here. MANY of these guys have paid their dues, I dont think you should bring that into question.

Just FWIW...

 

[acaTerry]

This isn't "flying" by my definition. This is "systems managing".

Then you are doing it wrong. Ralph Butcher, a recently retired UAL pilot, just wrote an article on how so many people have become airplane drivers rather than airplane pilots.
Turn off the AFCS and fly the thing. Then maybe you'll feel like a pilot again.


The EMB-145 kicks a$$.

Just started at TSA? The 41 would have been more fun....although I wouldn't say its a$$ kicking. Enjoy it!

 

[DirkkDiggler]

exactly

 

[KingAirKiddo]

My personal opinion, its a great job once we close the door and get to be pilots. everything in between, including a lot on this board.... BLOWS.

Hope TSA is treating you well my friend, Tailwinds.

DITTO.

 

[Fly2Scuba]

Happiness won't get you money

What it comes down to Dirk, is at one time I had the same view is your original post. In fact that's a nice paragraph for a school creative writing assignment about dreams. The real world however isn't quite that nice. Please post again when you're on a 18 hour Christmas Eve overnight in downtown Dayton, nothing's open, you're getting paid $20.50 an hour for 7 hours of flying for a 2 day trip that takes you away from home for 30 hours. Management loves it when pilots talk about the joys of flying with no complaints. My guess is that the "regional" pilots with little or no grievances either began flying for a "regional" with no debt or even lots of personal capital and/or have a very supportive high income spouse and/or parents. Its business and when a typical "regional" FO makes less than a senior FA, somethings really messed up. All the b__ching on this forum addresses the fact that we are being poorly compensated for the huge liability involved in operating a complex machine with many lives at stake. Don't be surprised to find the real airline pilot life isn't as glamorous as you thought. When that happens, think of this board as a sort of therapy, express your displeasures here and you'll likely be less negative in the real world when interacting with family and friends.

 

[DirkkDiggler]

Scuba Steve:

How 'bout sitting in a shack in Detroit in the middle of a blizard on New Years Eve, flying a beat up baron after flying three legs and having to load and unload 1,000 pounds of boxes and bags at each stop in a freezing wind. Then having to look forward to two more legs into more storms and icing conditions that your aircraft was never meant to be flown through. Even on that night, I wouldn't have traded my career for anything else. So to address your point that most people who are happy in the regional industry probably had Mom and Dad pay for training, went straight to a regional, and never had to work a day in their lives; it shows how naive one can be! If you don't like the pay, find a new job. You knew what it was when you took the job and you should accept that. To put things in perspective, you would never take a job as an accountant with Microsoft knowing full well what your salary would be for the next ten years, and then after one year start bitching that you think you should be earning more (and then have the nerve to expect the company to give in to your demands because you have some sort of seniority). It's called working your way up and accepting things for what they are. If you guys want to get paid as much as a United captain right off the bat, you should probably marry some rich chick whose dad owns a GV and become his pilot without putting in any effort or paying your dues. I don't really care if you're unhappy in your job. That is a personal problem that you have to deal with and maybe you deal with it by b1tching on this website. If you were to leave the job, you can be sure that there are 100 people who would be HAPPY to have your job and may even have the sense to realize what a blessing it is to have such a kushy, relatively well paid job. As soon as I'm not happy in this career, I will look for a new one. But with as much b1tching as there is on this site, nobody really thinks it is that bad because if they did, they'd find new jobs PDQ.

 

[DirkkDiggler]

1

 

[Britpilot]

What MJG said.
Do some time in this bussiness before you start pointing the finger.

 

[I Hate Freight]

That says it all right there. Good luck my friend.

Please quit your job as soon as possible and walk my resume in on your way out.

Thanks!

 

[I Hate Freight]

I just started with TSA. Will I be treated like horse-dung here? Probably. Boo-who cares. I just got done hauling checks for 2 years. I would just be happy with a plane that has a heater that works-got that! Auto pilot-BONUS. Glass cockpit-BONUS. Jet Engines-BONUS. Air-conditioning-BIIIIG BONUS!!!

Hey J, don't forget to thank the guy who typed up that nice resume for you

Hopefully I'm right behind you.

R

 

[Mike man]

I'm not going to take any advice for anyone who can not read...

"Non B1tchers Only Please!"

Clearly you can't read, or you would have 1) not posted a reply bitching about your job and 2) answered my question about which job you are not a number or just a worker.

 

[Britpilot]

Please quit your job as soon as possible and walk my resume in on your way out.

Thanks!

Wanker

 

[Britpilot]

I'm not going to take any advice for anyone who can not read...

"Non B1tchers Only Please!"

Clearly you can't read, or you would have 1) not posted a reply bitching about your job and 2) answered my question about which job you are not a number or just a worker.

Clearly you have not been an airline pilot for very long because, it is our perogative to go to work and bitch and moan then come home and bitch and moan. It is our calling.

 

[Fly2Scuba]

Dirk, is that a code word for Ornstein?

I tried to put in nice words how I think you are wrongly judging those who have complaints on this board. Now, I am questioning whether you are trulely a pilot or a management mole sent to calm down anyone who might threaten management's Tahitian vacation home fund. Either that or you still don't quite have a grasp of the industry. Once again I still enjoy the flying, but to just accept the current pay and work rule conditions as final is just plain dumb. It's about business and fairness. The attitude of well if you don't like your job, then quit is blantantly niave and stupid on your part. When you invest 4 years in school, a couple years of flight instructing, and 3 + years at the airline, that's a huge investment. Here's the main point you don't understand: Most of the so called "regionals" are doing major airline flying and that trend is continuing leaving less major airline job vacancies in the future. That certainly wasn't the case when I started flying in the mid 90s. So there are 2 options when not completely satisfied with the career: quit or try to make a difference in improving the career conditions. I'll choose option 2 for the time being.

 

[I Hate Freight]

Wanker

Double Wanker!! I know you are but what am I? Na na na!

 

[Britpilot]

Double Wanker!! I know you are but what am I? Na na na!

You've already answered your own question.

 

[j328driver]

I've been full time flying now for almost 10 years. I can honestly say that I still can't wait to get out of bed in the moring (or afternoon, or night) to go to work. Having just moved past the "regional phase" of this career, here are a few of my observations:

1. A job, like anything in life, is what you make of it. You get out what you put into it. Maybe not one for one, but on the whole average in = average out.

2. I've had enough other jobs to know that every job has its good and bad. Take the good, put up with the bad, and choose to be happy.

3. The worst (read: most challenging) day of flying still beats the best day of real work.

4. As others have said in this thread, enjoy the flying before you get to the 121 phase, because commercial airline flying is all about standardization. If you don't fit into a "standardization mold" then find another form of flying that will suit you better.

Cheers.

 

[DirkkDiggler]

Danged Skippy!

 

[flyin4jsus]

I'm glad to see a thread worth reading. I can honestly say I enjoy what I do, just like everyone else. I started as a baggage handler for Comair and then moved to a flight attendant for Atlantic Coast. And finally, glad to be paid to fly airplanes and giving back as well as a flight instructor hope to fly with you all soon. Keep the shiny side up!