Want to be an airline pilot, read this!!

[bigD]

Yet another perfectly good career ruined by marriage. DTB and go have some fun.

My girlfriend once said to me, "You seem so apathetic towards the subject of marriage. Seriously, what does marriage mean to *you*?"

"It means that I'm likely never getting blown again."


Yeah, that was the wrong answer.

 

[bigD]

On a serious note, I appreciate this thread. I'm still on the bottom rung and am working my way up, and at the moment I have a great job that I love, but threads like this are a reminder that it can be taken away in a heartbeat. If nothing else it prompts me to never rest on my laurels, and always be thinking about a Plan B.

 

[funky]

The real estate advice is a good one. My wife currently makes all of the $$$ (I used to in a engineering field, until i quit), and we saved up and bought (built) our first house this year. We have already made $70k off of it, and we just closed on the house. Each year we live in this house we are making roughly $50k just from the appreciation. Its a beautiful place to live, pool/jacuzzi out back and life is good. But it took me 7 years to figure this out, while I was in the meantime in 11 different apartments along the way.

Real estate (the right kind) makes life much easier. Find a place that is new and up and coming, and go. Then fly for the love instead of for the $$$.

I think if you do ANYTHING for $$ it will eventually wear itself out. At least that is what I have come to realize from chasing the dream. I intend to CFI part-time and use the time to meet people and do what I love doing, flying. I realize that I will have to make decisions along the way to keep my life at a slower pace -- someone will always want you to work harder and more time for more $$. Just don't do it. Put your money into real estate and watch it grow. And do what you love.

Great post. I enjoyed reading it. Have you ever read "Rich Dad, Poor Dad?" I think you'd enjoy it. Real estate investing might be a road for you to pursue on your time off.

onetheless, good luck to you (and everyone else on here). Only time will tell what the best course of action is for everyone.

-Neal

 

[BluDevAv8r]

We have already made $70k off of it, and we just closed on the house. Each year we live in this house we are making roughly $50k just from the appreciation.

Just be careful...past history is not an accurate indicator of future performance. Just because you have made 70k so far doesn't mean you will continue to see gains like that. If you do, great...but don't plan your life around that expectation. If you do, you will find yourself up sh-t's creek one day.

-Neal

 

[funky]

Just be careful...past history is not an accurate indicator of future performance. Just because you have made 70k so far doesn't mean you will continue to see gains like that. If you do, great...but don't plan your life around that expectation. If you do, you will find yourself up sh-t's creek one day.

-Neal

ahhh sh-t's creek...don't we all end up there eventually?

 

[darkvw]

been there so often I have a time share now, love to watchthe waves roll in

 

[Goose Egg]

A CFI's comments...

Great thread, very interesting reading.

All I can really speak from is my own experience. I currently have the "worst" job in aviation (flight instructing), and even though the pay completely sucks, I enjoy what I do and I look forward to (almost) every day of work. I don't get to buy all the nice golf stuff and surfboards that I want, but I can pay my bills and I don't go hungry. I'd say that my QOL, all things considered, is pretty high. I really don't want to be doing anything else right now. And that's not to say that once I get enough time, I won't be looking to move on, but I'm happy with where I am for the moment.

Speaking of moving on, my path in life may lead me to a regional job. If that's what life gives me, then so be it. Will aspects of it completely suck? Yeah, I'm pretty sure, but I'm aware of that beforehand--my expectations are realistic. And I think that's really the trick to being happy in life, to have realistic expectations. It will take years of hard work and sacrifice to have a successful flying career. I've put in years already, and I'll put in years more. That's my expectation. Is the definition of success a job at a major? A good corporate job? Something else entirely? Could be any of those. I'm staying flexible. And though my goal may be somewhat ambiguous, it doesn't relieve me of the duty of working hard towards it. I'm sure that the days of working my butt off are far from over.

Example: I might never have a single digit handicap, but I'm sure as hell not going to quit playing golf because of it.

There are plenty of examples of families "ruined by aviation." There are plenty more examples of perfectly happy families where the spouse flies for a living. You get out what you put in. It's all about expectations--hard work and flexible, realistic expectations. If the truth will be told, I personally know more happy aviation families than unhappy.

Now, with all that said, the regional job that I thought would partially suck may actually completely suck. If that happens, I'll look for other flying options--there are plenty out there, and I'm absolutely sure that I can find something that I'll be happy with.

But then again, regional flying might be the time of my life. The only way to find out is try it, evaluate it, and if it's good ride it to the end.

And I'm off the soapbox...

-Goose

 

[FurloughedAgain]

I dont believe that any of my expectations were unrealistic. But, you're new to the profession so I'm happy to let you take a few years to bounce around in this industry and then report back to us.

Hope that "hard work" and those "flexible, realistic expectations" work out better for you than they did for me.

 

[bobs98tlr]

I know you guys are pouring your hearts and headakes out on this post but this is really depressing. I cant rememeber when i first knew i wanted to be a pilot but i think it was when i was 4 or 5. I havent wanted much since. However i never really factored in what the life style would do to me and my family (when that happens). Im currently engaged and she is totally aware of this life style. Im just starting to think what i could do to stay happy in this carreer i havent started yet so i dont have this same discouragement down the road like most of you. I know its out of my hands really and no one can plan out a future when your a pilot.

 

[Goose Egg]

I dont believe that any of my expectations were unrealistic.

Never said that they were. I was speaking for myself only.

But, you're new to the profession so I'm happy to let you take a few years to bounce around in this industry and then report back to us.

I'd be happy to. As I said, it may suck completely, but I have allowed for that possibility. If I hate flying, I'll do something else. No whining, no threads on flightinfo, I'll just do something else. I'll actually be pursuing a graduate degree to allow myself an "out" if needs be.

I honestly don't know if I'll like flying for an airline or not. But I do know that for each of you guys that think it sucks there is another that thinks it's great. Which kind of person am I? There's only one way to find out, and I'm sure as hell not going to take your guys' word for it! I ain't no sheep. Call it PIC authority over my own life.

Hope that "hard work" and those "flexible, realistic expectations" work out better for you than they did for me.

I dunno, you've got a pretty good thing going (my first choice, actually.) I'd say that it worked out fine for you. And you are right, that job may come to an end prematurely. But there's no sense worrying about it now. Save some cash for a rainy day and cross that bridge when you come to it.

-Goose

 

[JAFI]

A while back I was at an FBO on a weekend flying with some friends when a young man approached us and asked if any one of us was a CFI. Being the only one who was I said I was a CFI but not for the FBO, but I would answer any question that I could. The young man (around 16) with parents in tow told me he "wanted to be an airline pilot" then asked me, with puffed out chest, "what is the most important license I should get"? I thought about the question for a second, remembered my friends in the industry and the trials of employment in aviation today, then said "In today’s industry you will be laid off or go bankrupt more than once in your career, the most important license you can get is Real Estate, Plummer, Electrician, or any trade because you will most likely need it more than once." The young man looked at me like I was insane, turned and walked away.

When I tell this story to young pilots I am told how cruel I was. When I tell the story to my pilot friends on the street or those who left aviation, they all shake their heads and agree that what I told the kid was sad, but true.

It is some what a matter of perspective, luck, and timeing. If you are senior, hired at some magical point that now is above the lay off point, or if your company is still going strong, then life is good and my comment is cruel. If you are not at a good place, I am correct.

Like any flight, always have a back up plan, or better yet - PLANS...........


JAFI

One bad plan I have heard over and over again is "Well I can always get a job with the FAA". Currently there are over 5000 pilots/mechanics/dispatchers laid off (ball park figure I heard somewhere) for 86 FAA Inspector positions open this year (a figure released by an Inspector General Audit last week).

 

[FN FAL]

FFL - Free Fire License - - means he can shoot anywhere he darn well pleases

SOT - - Shoot Other Things - - means not restricted to paper targets. He can shoot at animals and people when the situations present themselves

Class II SOT - - better than a Class I (restricted to animals less than 18" tall, children under 36" tall, and bad guys that are running towards the shooter) but not quite as good as the Class III (unlimited - animals of any size, good guys or bad guys anywhere if it's necessary) Class II restricts the carrier to any adults, any animals, and only children that present an immediate danger to the shooter

NFA - - Not Forced Around - - people in this community rarely, if ever, are forced to do things they don't want to do. Once they show the FFL and Class II SOT, most guys run away.

Heh heh heh... You forgot the the LEO's v. Libras!

 

[flyboyzz1]

1. You don't want to hear about it because you're currently working the WORST job in the aviation industry, CFI'ing. I feel your pain- I instructed through college and can't even imagine how much fun I missed because I was stuck CFIing every day of the week on top of my classes. When you hear someone that has your 'dream job' expressing dissatisfaction with this industry's QOL, you get thinking that maybe he's right and it's not going to be all sunshine and b.lowjobs...but you haven't got 'there' yet. I bet you're one of those guys that thinks once you get a regional and 'get' to wear that stoopid uniform that now you're 'living the dream'. But guess what, after that first paycheck comes in and you're making 19.02 an hour the stress of realizing what you can;t do while living off less than poverty wages, the buzz of 'being able' to tell people you're an 'airline pilot' is gonna wear off really quick. (I tell people I meet I'm a garbageman.) The point of this thread is- if you want to have a stable family and get happiness from the things that really matter in life, stay away from being an airline pilot.

(2) whaaaaat?

(3) We can't stand people that walk around with the perma-grin pretending everything is rosy every friggin day. You're probly the same type that would vote for a paycut in exchange for 'growth', bend over to take any reaming mgmt will give you, cross a picket line, etc. I bet you also think that doing an ILS to mins while in moderate or greater is 'fun'...done that yet?

(4) Come back and let's talk in a couple years.

-Barn

Nope I think you got it all wrong. Im 20 years old... what other job would be better. I get paid twice the wages my friends get.. work at a nice University that cares for those that work there... work part time... and have fun. So although some CFIs complain about what they got not me. I have no problem that some people dont like their current jobs flying all Im sayin is keep it in your own head or call your momma I bet she wouldnt mind hearing you complain and bitch. As for my job im not looking to get rich and I know the pay sucks balls at first so bring on those checks baby... Go ahead and quit just makes me one spot closer!

 

[flyboyzz1]

And another thing this was this jokers first post. Way to start out positive bro!

 

[pilotyip]

JAFI, that is some great advice. A skilled trade is something you can fall back on, it is much more valuable than a college degree. The value of an unused college degree is greatly overrated. There is no such thing as a permanet job in flying. I know someone is going to come up and say, "I have never been laid off", but for everyone of those there are probably 3-4 who have spent time between jobs. So if someone comes up and says "I was never laid off", just add the word yet.