The Fare-trix: Reloaded

[Phaedrus]

Agent-CEO Smith:
Why, Mr. Pilot, why? Why? Why do you do it? Why? Why get up? Why keep fighting? Do you believe you're fighting for something, for more than your survival? Can you tell me what it is? Do you even know?
Is it professionalism, or work rule changes, perhaps the opportunity to work until you die? Could it be for money? Illusions, Mr. Pilot, vagaries of perception, temporary constructs of a feeble aviator intellect trying desperately to justify an existence that is without meaning or purpose. And all of them as artificial as the Fare-trix itself. Although... Only a pilot's mind can invent something as insipid as ALPA.
You must be able to see it, Mr. Pilot, you must know it by now. You can't win, it is pointless to keep fighting. Why, Mr. Pilot, why, why do you persist?

F/O-Neo:
Because I choose to.

 

[pilotyip]

Because I like to fly airplanes and consider myself one of the luckiest guys in the world to have really lived out a childhood fantasy. How many people get up and can not wait to go to work? Then get paid to do something you really like. I got out for five years, and came back because this is the career for me. What do I do in my free time? I hang around airports, airplanes and pilots and talk about flying and airplanes. Has it been easy, maybe not, but what in life is easy? Looking back I would change very little other than investments. What other reason do you need?

 

[Phaedrus]

Me too Yip! That's why I like that dialogue so much. The answer is so simple yet so profound.
It probably hasn't been easy for any of us. Yet we overcome, readjust, dig in, keep trying. Why? Because we choose to.

 

[Big Beer Belly]

Flying brown crap all over the world is just a job for me ... nothing more. It pays the bills and allows me to pursue hobbies *WHICH* I do enjoy. The time off affords an opportunity with your family most 9-5 working stiffs envy.

The best I can honestly say is that I don't mind flying. As much as my seniority will allow, I bid trips with good layovers (Honolulu, Sydney, Singapore, Hong Kong, etc..,) If I achieve my financial target for retirement tomorrow I'd be out of here yesterday.

The only true "joy" I've felt in aviation was while flying in the USAF. The jets are flown much more aggressively and I found the whole nature of the diverse missions far more challenging/rewarding. To me, 121 flying is boring. A 1000' stabilized approach requirement definitely makes for a safer operation (supported by FDR data) but turns all approaches into a slight variation of a straight-in ILS ... no overheads, no tactical approaches, no formation, no low-levels, no air refueling, no landings at airports that "don't exist" ... just drone for hours followed by a snoozer of an ILS. I comply because I don't own the brown airplane I'm flying and the owner has the right to dictate how he wants his jets operated. Quite simple really.

I'm rather pragmatic in my view of flying nowadays. It simply pays the bills and affords me time with my family, friends and gives me the opportunity to pursue hobbies.

To each his own I guess. If you guys are truly eager to go to work each day and that work compensates you adequately, then you are "blessed" (I'm not a particularly spiritual guy, but couldn't think of another word that fit better.)

R/

BBB

 

[Phaedrus]

BBB: I agree with your take on mil v. 121. However, there are still times when I'm flying that I look out of the window and just grin from ear to ear about the sunrise/set, full moon, awesome lightning show in the distance, etc. I think we're closer on perspective than you'd imagine. I still say that this job is better than working for a living.
Peace, and be wild.

 

[bubbers44]

Had a wonderful career flying most corporate jets and airliners. I was thinking today about the interview with United in 1966 and how happy I am they did not hire me. I would have missed out on some of the most interesting flying and learning how to handle situations without dispatch being involved.

I loved every challenge and know going the hard route made me a better pilot. The one time I was flying from MIA to BAQ and BAQ and the alternate went below minimums at the same time and the company radio didn't respond it just made life easier because we got the Panama City weather and went there on our own telling Columbia if they could contact our company thats where we would be in 45 minutes.

Common sense fixes almost everything when the computer system shuts down. That is how it is done all the time flying the old way.

 

[Fins Up]

I can't imagine doing anything else for a living. I'm sure commercial flying (if I get the call I'm waiting for) will be even less interesting than lumbering the P-3 around, but that's okay. There is something very freeing about being up there.

During an interview, I was asked what I liked most about flying. Before I even had a chance to think about it I blurted out, "Take-offs and landings." Why? It's not rocket science and it's not the Olympics. But a takes brains and finesse that a lot of folks can't put together (no coupled auto-pilot on my planes). Mabye an engine-out PAR down to mins is why I do it. I'm not really sure.

I just know I never want to do anything else.

 

[Mooseflyer]

The time off affords an opportunity with your family most 9-5 working stiffs envy.

YGBSM,
I'm sure at Brown your schedule is pretty decent (maybe that's why everyone wants to work there or FedEx these days), but I don't think the typical pax carrier pilot schedule would make too many working stiffs envious these days (at least not those with families). I know all of my 9-5 working stiff friends think I'm nuts for following this career. Then again, most of my military buds still on active duty are envious. Probably a case of the "grass is always greener" syndrome. Either that or aircrew just aren't happy unless b1tching about something....

 

[YourPilotFriend]

Even if you love your job, you have to earn a living. This isn't fantasy land.

 

[Phaedrus]

Even if you love your job, you have to earn a living. This isn't fantasy land.

Thanks Jack Handy. I can't remember anyone saying that you don't have to earn a living. Enjoying it, on the other hand, is what seems to make the difference.

 

[Skyboy722]

Phaedrus-

I like your attitude. Hold on to it dearly; I believe it is worth more than any paycheck...

 

[Phaedrus]

Sky, thanks. Sometimes it's hard to hold a positive attitude. You get immersed in the ordinary. Finding that one moment that makes you feel like a kid again is what keeps me going.
I remember flying with a student once. He was struggling but he was giving everything he had to perform well. On our last practice approach, about 5 miles outside the FAF, the student locked on instruments, I look up and see an awesome sunset out his window and on my side the a full moon on the horizon. I took the aircraft and asked him just to take a look and enjoy. It was the first time I saw him smile in the jet. During the debrief we talked about that simple moment and others like it for what seemed like forever. After that he began to have some fun in the airplane and his performance improved as well.
Now that the corny-meter is pegged I'll shut up.

 

[wil]

Big beer- just saw 2 f/18 at KILM do over-head approaches and they looked stabilized by 1000'.

Go back to fighters and leave the 121 flying to civilians who will appreciate it, douch-

 

[Fins Up]

Go back to fighters and leave the 121 flying to civilians who will appreciate it, douch-

Thanks for lumping all us military guys together. Besides, I doubt "big beer belly" could fit into a Hornet anyway.

 

[pilotyip]

Fins up Wil is just jealous

 

[Fins Up]

Yeah I don't know why I pay attention to any of this crap anyway.

 

[Phaedrus]

just saw 2 f/18 at KILM do over-head approaches and they looked stabilized by 1000'

Surely you jest else your ignorance is astounding. I suppose you sat in on their debrief as well. HORNET 01: "Well the mission started off really well. Your walk-around was fraught with peril, but you handled it nicely. You're going to need to work on flying that RNAV departure though. I noticed also that you didn't even read one section of the newspaper during cruise."
HORNET 02: "Thanks Mav. I'll endeavor to meet standards on the next harrowing mission."

You were just stirring the pot, weren't you?

 

[wil]

Phaedrus- Ok, you busted me! Just busting chops, ha,ha. I appreciate the service, not the chest beating! (ha,ha,again) And, seriously, they did an overhead but looked stabiled by 1000'

Yip- Why would you think I would be jealous? I never wanted to fly in the military. I did my time out of Willow Run and you can have it!

 

[pilotyip]

Wil, that is why I said maybe, becasue I wasn't sure. But this is great thread, upbeat, a positive view of why we are in this profession, and a lot more in common than not

 

[bestpilot]

Sky, thanks. Sometimes it's hard to hold a positive attitude. You get immersed in the ordinary. Finding that one moment that makes you feel like a kid again is what keeps me going.
I remember flying with a student once. He was struggling but he was giving everything he had to perform well. On our last practice approach, about 5 miles outside the FAF, the student locked on instruments, I look up and see an awesome sunset out his window and on my side the a full moon on the horizon. I took the aircraft and asked him just to take a look and enjoy. It was the first time I saw him smile in the jet. During the debrief we talked about that simple moment and others like it for what seemed like forever. After that he began to have some fun in the airplane and his performance improved as well.
Now that the corny-meter is pegged I'll shut up.

Duude!

I'm freaking crying now, my brother from another mother!

You had me at Hello, Phaed, you had me at hello!