Too good to be true?

[CaptBuzzard]

Well two weeks ago today I was offered a job with a 135 operator. I rushed up for an interview and rushed back up a couple of days later for ground school. I had to take unpaid days off at my current job. I instruct and work for a major airline on the ramp. I have been in contact with the chief pilot of this company and this week I thought I would be doing the flight training. Well, here comes the twist. I have worked my a$$ off to get to where I am today only to be assigned a relief pilot position. I know there are some of you out there that would be thrilled to have even a relief position. Basically I was led on to believe I would have a full time run. I would more than likely take the job if I could afford it. My instructing has been very minimal due to lack of business. My ramp job that I have had for six years is keeping my wife and I afloat. I would have to quit that job so I could be on call with the 135 company. I would not have a set schedule and would at times fly only once a week, or have a line for two weeks. Can't do that with a part time job. I guess I am a fool. I got so excited about this just to be dissappointed once again. I'm still going to see what they expect me to do. If I quit my ramp job, I would have to work at least 10-14 days a month along with the not so busy instructing job to even make ends meet. Since there is no guarantee of how many days I would fly, and since I would only be getting paid for the days I fly, this doesn't seem reasonable at all. I am still paying off my flying debt. I'm 27 years old and I didn't come this far for a part time job. It's a good thing that I still have my two current jobs and didn't quit. I wasn't going to quit there until I was 100% sure I would be flying full time.

Well, sorry for being so long. This just wasn't the happiest day of my life. I still have it pretty good, but it would have been better if it had worked out the way I believed it would. Good luck to everyone who is looking for that good job.

P.S. don't quit your current job until you know things are going to work out. I'm glad I didn't


See Ya,
Captbuzzard

 

[TXflyer]

Quit flying, and go to law school. $125,000 a year at age 26 is a much better deal for me than $14,000 a year instructing ham-handed morons. Now I have more money than I know what to do with, and I can buy my own plane.

 

[CaptBuzzard]

I wish I could.

 

[AZaviator]

Quit flying, and go to law school. $125,000 a year at age 26 is a much better deal for me than $14,000 a year instructing ham-handed morons. Now I have more money than I know what to do with, and I can buy my own plane.

So, you got your ATP rating, 737 type, and over 8,000hrs before the age of 26, decided to quit flying, went to law school to become a lawyer, and are now making over $125k a year?

Care to explain this one more in depth????

 

[TXflyer]

Yes the claimed 8000 hours is obviously BS, I was just kiddin when I wrote that...I voluntarily washed out of 737 school to go to law school and am now making more money that I know what to do with. Buying my own plane next month, a twin Cessna.

 

[TXflyer]

P.S. Go Boilermakers! My best friend's hot sister was an Alpha Chi Omega there...

 

[350DRIVER]

I voluntarily washed out of 737 school

now that was "funny"- l o l

C H E E R S

3 5 0

 

[TXflyer]

Yeah "funny"...you know what else is "funny"? Making $125000 a year at age 26 and buying my own plane while you cash in your food stamps.

 

[bobbysamd]

Law school v. Flying

I've kind of been on both sides of the desk. There are a few similarities to the legal profession and aviation.

There are entry-level attorney positions that pay six figures. A few big-name firms in Denver pay that kind of bread to new associates; however, there aren't too many jobs like those available and you have to graduate virtually at the top of your class. Neither I or my wife, who has been a law librarian for twenty-eight years, can believe these outrageous salaries for first-year associates.

Although you don't have a Kit Darby proclaiming a lawyer shortage, the similarity to aviation is you have more people in the middle or end of the bell curve who are trying to get the few jobs available at lesser firms for far less money. The profession doesn't always absorb all these people. I know of licensed attorneys who work as paralegals (which makes it tough for someone like me to find work; there is no paralegal shortage, either). I knew of one licensed attorney who was working in the fileroom of my wife's firm. She needed that job to make ends meet with her family and she would never be considered for an attorney position with my wife's lawfirm. She left the fileroom for a job at a smaller firm doing miscellaneous duties. She hoped to get her chance as a lawyer; last I heard this gal had receptionist added to her duties!

Also, don't forget, law school isn't cheap. Just like other professions, you might graduate with a major debt to pay off.

Frankly, if it were me, at age 27 I'd give aviation a few more years before hanging up the helmet and goggles. If you were offered one 135 job, someone must have thought that you were qualified and so will someone else. Also, consider what you would enjoy more. Law can be extremely interesting, depending on the specialty. But, you can find yourself putting in countless hours cooped up in an office with dozens of urgent deadlines all screaming for your attention, not to mention irate clients and d*ckhead insurance adjusters and opposing counsel. When trial comes, you spend hours and hours preparing, worrying and going crazy. Bottom line: Flying is fun and you're not cooped up in an office all day.

I realize that I am a paralegal and not an attorney. But, I see it every day with attorneys I work with. I have to deal with much of the same things as they do. Just a little food for thought.

 

[FL000]

Don't get me wrong. Money is nice and all, but I can't think of anything more dreadful than waking up every morning and having to go practice law for a living. If that's for you, great. Flying obviously wasn't.