The Pilot's Graveyard

[PHX767]

You have to do what's right for you. I made some choices based on a wife and family that I had at the time. I commited to them and got out of the service, they eventually left, and I was not real happy.

So I started flying a bit later than most - age 39. Did all the ratings, CFI, regionals, yadda yadda - eventually ended up at the dream job. Even while furloughed right now, I am still happy because I am doing what I want - fulfilling my dream, my destiny, my desire.

I will be able to look back and say, it was hard but I had a great 2 careers.

Lemme tell you, there is nothing like pushing the levers up and hearing those Rolls Royces howl for you.

 

[hyper]

The wives usually leave, the jobs come and go, but the planes are always there. I tend to go for the "sure" thing (tongue in cheek).
P.S. Don't tell my wife I wrote this

P.S.S. I'm very fortunate to have watched the shuttle launch from 6000ft, descending into JAX from the Northwest as the sun was rising. That should keep me from bitchin' for the next few months.

 

[peepsmover]

Fly Lips Off

First your spouse has to be supportive to pursue any dream, if not, tell her CYA. Keep in mind that you may not even achieve your ideal pilot job. So long as you are prepared for that reality but heck there are no warranties in life, you know what the "pilots graveyard" has to offer. Still don't forget that there are numerous other pilot jobs that have more pluses than minuses, like Customs, FBI, Forest Service, Lifeguard, Military, etc. Finally, I have been privledged to fly with guys who were just months shy of retiring from 30 plus year careers, and they still loved the job...even though they had been forloughed for stretches of time totaling 10 years. As for me I am glad that my "desk flying" days are gone...for the moment at least! ha! Being able to fly a challenging mission and then relaxing in some cool watering hole afterwards talking with a fun crew, or or checking out some neat sights, certainly makes up for those long day/short layover trips from hell. "The road less traveled" says it all.

 

[dsaviation]

It is all about having a life. I was in the military for 9 years then did a few years of corporate while waiting for a job with the majors. Got the majors job and then got furloughed. During this furlough I have been able to keep busy with contract flying. Here is my two cents.

The military got too beaurocratic as you gained rank. You couldn't just keep flying and then retire. They wanted you to "broaden" your career (read desk job).

At the airline you are just a number. Just like you were saying, guys "grumble about contracts and unions." There are people out there that have no fun at all flying and don't have any concern about getting fired because they won't get fired for being a bad pilot. You only get fired for "normal" company things (late for work, drinking on duty, stealing from the company, etc.), the union will get you out of everything else.

I've been lucky to keep just busy enough (9-10) days of work per month. I can say, "no," when I want and still make enough to rent that Warrior once in a while when the weather is too good to pass it up. We'll see how long this lasts and I don't know what I'll do when the airline gets around to recalling. I could live like this forever.

 

[TurboS7]

I had a 12 minute notice the other day to go to Kuwait. I ran home packed and left a love note to my wife. It said, Gone to Kuwait will call from New York. Five days later I am home with some great memories of a beautiful night over London. An intercept over France by a Mirage, and 8 inch shrimp for lunch in Crete. I love it all , the good the bad and the ugly.

 

[Twotter76]

It sounds cliche but I have to say it - the absolute worst long crappiest, most legs, IFR to minimums day is so much better than any other job that i've ever had that I cant ever compare the two. Whenever I have a week that I dont fly I start itching to call ops and see if they will give me something. Seeing the northern lights go bright red and cover the entire sky and bathing everything around us in a red hue was just one of the amazing experiences I actually get paid for.

I think that flying is one of those few things that just grabs people and wont let them go. Its like crack in that respect (so I would assume), and I wont ever be able to get enough. Family is important but so is your own happiness. If you are doing something that you know you dont want to do now, how are you going to feel about it in 5 years? 10? 20? No thanks, I love what I do and believe strongly in having no regrets. Oh yeah and I dont know any pilots anywhere that dont bitch about pay and hours, I know I do .

 

[bobbysamd]

Bad cliches v. flying career

You hear the one about men wearing their grey suits, leading lives of quiet desperation? I didn't get that exactly right, but you get the idea.

Better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all?

You only go 'round once in life, go for the gusto (apologies to Schlitz).

Think of it in those terms. Now, I'll put it in my terms.

I had loved airplanes since I was a child and had always wanted to learn to fly. I put it off for years because I had unstable work situations and no money. Finally, just over twenty years ago, at age 31, I started.

I found that I really enjoyed flying and I pursued ratings because I wanted to be a good pilot. In 1987, at age 36, I heard about a pilot shortage. I always thought that a guy like myself could not be a professional pilot. However, two guys I knew who were sharp people but still very ordinary people had gotten commuter jobs. One was a career changer, just like me. The other was gifted in many ways but was meandering through life until he started to fly. I thought that if they could do it, I could do it. A good regional airline job is all I ever wanted.

I tried, but the best I ever did was to flight instruct. Do I regret that I tried? Not for a minute. No way. Absolutely not.

I look at it this way. I was paid to do something that I wanted to do and enjoyed - fly airplanes (although my students did most of the flying). I did something that many people only dream of doing. I gained a great deal of satisfaction in doing my job; I have students who went on to fly for regionals and majors, and maybe I influenced their success in some small way. I came away with some very rich experiences. Perhaps I fell short of my aspirations - but, I got to do it!

Another cliche: You'll never know unless you try. Good luck with your plans.

PS-I like Twotter76's comment above about how flying grabs you and never lets you go. It's true. Keep that in mind.

 

[TurboS7]

If you are a pilot you fly, you get a job flying and that is what you do. It will take you all over the planet so tell your wife to keep her bags packed.

 

[Jepp2Jet]

Elrey says....

This is JAD speaking to you....

The other 50 people that applied for your same job, who are re-fueling the same jets they once flew, might not have much pity for your plight. I on the other hand do..lol, just remember the 3 year wing clip and set your priorities for the goals that you first intended to accomplish.. and watch out for the high speed low flying marshmellows..

 

[nightrider]

I feel your pain

I got married a couple of months after I graduated from college. The next year we added another mouth. A little girl. I didn't make much money, but I still couldn't afford to take the pay cut to go to the commuter (where all my friends had all ready gone). I guess I sort of felt cheated, in ways. I didn't think I had a chance to make it to the majors. I stuck with it, and six years later I started class for my first choice major.

I don't like to give advice, but I would say don't add a family unless you can be happy in the place you are in.

Good luck