the dream gone forever?

[Rez O. Lewshun]

Quite interesting the mental perspective...

We think of the good ol days.... as well... good. Were they?

I posit that too many of us recall how great we thought this career was..... not how it really was....

There are guys at the aviation colleges paying hugh amounts of money. They believe that all the stereotypes about this job... still exist... the days off, the money, the sexy FA's etc....

And that is what we recall.

In the good ol days the chief pilot decided how close one must live to the domicle. There was no commuting. Pilots moved often with the summer and winter seasons. There were always furloughs. And guys like EL Cord and Lorenzo...

https://crewroom.alpa.org/DesktopMo...sView.aspx?itemid=899&ModuleId=1274&Tabid=251

Many pilots simply don't know the history of this job. It was never fantastic... or as wonderful was we want to believe... We just want to think that way about the past... romanticize it, etc... And of course we look negatively on the future... because it is an unknown....

 

[goodgig]

So Pickle, what's your plan B?

 

[atlcrashpad]

The Dream is still alive......

Go out and live the dream...... bouyyyyyy....

 

[pilotyip]

Still living the dream

PS: Don't worry, Yip will chime in here fairly soon and tell you this is still the greatest career in the world.

Only if you have wanted to be a pilot since you first saw an airplane, if you are in it for pay..........disappointed (see below)

 

[hockeypilot44]

In today's world, you can go from no experience, no education, and no money to regional jet first officer in less than two years. The flight academies in Florida have made this possible. This has oversaturated the market increasing supply thus reducing demand. This has caused our pay to plummit. There are other factors also like our seniority system. I see a lot of pilots out of work in the next few years. The one's still working will not be able to improve working conditions due to all the pilots on the street waiting to take their jobs. Thus the cycle will continue.

 

[UALjan15]

In today's world, you can go from no experience, no education, and no money to regional jet first officer in less than two years. The flight academies in Florida have made this possible. This has oversaturated the market increasing supply thus reducing demand. This has caused our pay to plummit. There are other factors also like our seniority system. I see a lot of pilots out of work in the next few years. The one's still working will not be able to improve working conditions due to all the pilots on the street waiting to take their jobs. Thus the cycle will continue.

Off the mark. Pay at the regionals has always sucked (show me how it has recently "plumitted"). It used to be bad pay for flying a Brasilia or Saab, but the market dynamics pushed those pilots into RJs, and no one was able to set a high bar for the wages on this flying. This has little to do with the flight academies in FL, who are just training pilots to the jobs in the marketplace, which aren't really entry-level jobs skillwise. It has more to do with the major's successful strategy of whipsawing the regionals against each other for small jet contracts.

Your last point sort of hits the mark, as out-of-work pilots make fertile ground for startups like Skybus and VA to come in a set a new low for pilot pay. This puts significant downward pressure on everyone else in contract negotiations.

 

[SSDD]

It seems people say dream, but they mean $$$$$$$. If you want to fly airplanes and make a decent living, that's still possible. If you're thinking of working 6 days a month, making a million $, and having 20 year old flight attendants cream their pants at the sight of your uniform, well that's just a fantasy

 

[Pickle]

So Pickle, what's your plan B?

I'll know for sure when I get the official job offer letter from the place, but they did send me home with a benefits package and W4 to fill out, and they have asked me to choose a start date so they can properly fill out the offer letter.

I will say that it is aviation related, but I will be home every night......







Ok, ok..... I am going to be the new VP of FLight Deck Hosing at UAL.

 

[fly4unclesam]

So what do you guys recommend for someone who is active duty military, approaching his 20 in a couple of years, and wondering if he should retire and try the airline thing or stay in the military past 20? Obviously, if I stay, I will continue to make good money and continue to increase my pension every year. On the downside, there is a good chance I may be forced out of the cockpit into a desk job. If I retire, my pension will definetly help offset the low pay but, as Otto said in his initial post, I hear so much negative on board that I am wondering if the career is worth it.

 

[ip241au]

Fly4unclesam,

If you stay past 20, crunch the numbers and determine what it will increase your pension.

If you stay until 24 years, it will probably mean an additional $10K a year in pension for the rest of your life assuming an annual pay raise that has been about 3% per year for the active duty the last 10 years. Maybe you will get promoted=more pension.

GI benefits are going to rise, this increases the value of your military benefits. If you get a desk job, learn a new skill.

Contrary to what a lot of folks think, there are some very well paying jobs out there that don't involve flying airplanes. Stick it out, you will never regret it.

 

[727C47]

So what do you guys recommend for someone who is active duty military, approaching his 20 in a couple of years, and wondering if he should retire and try the airline thing or stay in the military past 20? Obviously, if I stay, I will continue to make good money and continue to increase my pension every year. On the downside, there is a good chance I may be forced out of the cockpit into a desk job. If I retire, my pension will definetly help offset the low pay but, as Otto said in his initial post, I hear so much negative on board that I am wondering if the career is worth it.[/quote

follow your gut,please don't make a life decision based on a FI board,PM me if you want to talk about it,cheers amigo !

 

[HighSpeedClimb]

Having put 19 years in then losing it to stupid management and losing my pension to boot...Stay in or quit all together.

 

[SFR]

Actually I think it has been a great career, so far. I have been blessed with not being furloughed and going to CAL in 2005.

All in all, compared to my parent's jobs I have a great one. It is all how you approach it.

If you commute that is added unnecessary stress and will piss you off, it did me.

Move to a base if you can!!! It will help a lot!!!

 

[Wankel7]

So what do you guys recommend for someone who is active duty military, approaching his 20 in a couple of years, and wondering if he should retire and try the airline thing or stay in the military past 20? Obviously, if I stay, I will continue to make good money and continue to increase my pension every year. On the downside, there is a good chance I may be forced out of the cockpit into a desk job. If I retire, my pension will definetly help offset the low pay but, as Otto said in his initial post, I hear so much negative on board that I am wondering if the career is worth it.

Take a look at fractional flying....

 

[waveflyer]

Get your 20- that's a no brainer at this point. after that-avoid the legacies, they sold out a long time ago-- but great jobs exist in the corporate world on a case by case basis, netjets is not your father's execjet- that's a good job; Fedex, UPS speak for themselves- SWA- get the type-nothing but upside for them; international jobs can be good- just do the research... just stay away from the legacies and most jobs are still pretty good... You're in a great position- just don't leave for anything that's not a great job-- FDX/UPS/SWA/NetJets...
Good luck