NY Times gets it right.

[XJohXJ]

Here's the latest article about choosing a pilot career:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/10/business/10pilots.html

They even criticize Mesa.

It's always nice to see some reporting that at least tries to get the story right.

 

[Soverytired]

Great find, great article.

Flew the "camping trip" with one of them for sure; had the same experience with pax coming on board while I had my pilot shirt off (t-shirt on) and was heading to the lav with a tooth brush to freshen up.

What a crazy world. That's by far one of the best articles I've read about pilot's plights in ages.

 

[Spicepilots]

Agreed. It certainly doesn't put the current state of things in a very positive light. The other articles they post though do what the media typically does; point out that airlines can't make money without raising prices or possibly merging, but in the same paragraph complain about how that will make it harder for the average person to afford to travel. D'oh!

One wonders if the average person is smart enough to connect the dots between the pathetic conditions pilots endure at places like Mesa and their cheap ticket to grandma's house. Eh, what am I saying, they probably don't care... that's why the airport is full of slovenly women in their pajamas. Even Greyhound and Amtrak get their passengers fully dressed.

 

[Ezekial19:79]

Sam Negely. Makes me laugh out loud.

 

[cldsfr79]

Wow, that article really depressed me, but yet I laughed because it is so true.

Coming from a pervious regional pilot, you guys/gals have to get out of the airlines. I did it for 3 years, just to be handed a pink slip when my airline tanked. The days of being a "Skygod", as quoted from the book "Skygods, The Fall of Pan AM", is over.

Yes, the regionals suck, and they are going to continue to suck. Pilots at the regionals are cheap labor easy labor, and the airlines know that. If you are not willing to do it, 20 others will stomp on you to take your place. At the regional level, and even in the majors now, pilots are seen as machines who are expendable. The era of Pan Am, Braniff, Eastern, TWA, and the prestige of being an airline captain are over. Look at what's going on out there. More and more majors and even nationals are parking their planes or not growing at all, while they higher cheap regional labor to do their flying in 50-100 seat jets. And with the rise in fuel costs, the regional jet flying may decrease dramatically with the usage of either turbo props or nothing at all.

I wanted to be an airline pilot ever since I was a small child, but reallity caught up with me. After I was furloughed I took one last look at the airlines, as if I was looking at a friend that I new was going to die, and I walked away.

I jumped into the fractional jet world and couldn't be happier. I work for NJA, and every post you guys have read about how great it is, is true. Now, I know there are thousands of you and only hundreds of jobs, but don't give up to find something you love.

Use and abuse the regionals for all their worth, build your flight time as fast as you can, and then bail. There are so many good corporate jobs out there or other fractionals that will give you a good life.

Good luck out there.

 

[dingo222]

it was a good article until they mentioned Kit Darby. The salary graphic comparison was pretty nice also.