cynic
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2004
- Posts
- 1,541
So I've been telling friends and family I have killed my long term goal of being an airline pilot and I’ve turned down the opportunity to work for a regional. I explain that the starting pay is about 20K a year, if I'm lucky. Then I explain that after about 4 years I will pass 30K a year and if I'm lucky and the industry holds out; in 6 to 10 years I might find myself at or above 50K, and then if I'm lucky again; I can crawl towards a major airline. Of course I'm 30 now, so I might find myself at a livable wage by the time I'm 40. IMHO, a livable wage is 40K a year or more.
They have all responded in disbelief and most say something to the effect of "Well I'm never getting on a regional jet again, what kind of people do you get for those wages?"
The whole industry reminds me of the Moron Factor. Lets make milkshakes out of horse dung and ground up pig butt and whoever drinks the most gets the job. Why? Well that’s the guy that stuck out the worst for the longest (AKA paying dues). And that is what is most important. Ability, intelligence and everything else is second at best.
Ah well, good luck to those who can stick it out! There’s one less pilot clawing at the few descent jobs left. I’m off to the fantasy world of a university and I suppose I'll have to be happy flying around my own little Cessna Cardinal. I’m actually not in the least bit bitter, if I had to do it all over I would. I instructed and flew a Baron for a little over a year and it couldn’t have been more fun, although the pay made eating difficult….. I still love flying, but perhaps flying for a living just wasn’t meant for me!
To those of you entering the industry here is my advice…..
I thought for a long time that no matter what I wanted to be a pilot. I was 100% positive that was my career and you’d have been hard pressed to convince me otherwise. Fortunately, over the last 10 years I obtained a BA and a Masters degree and worked to maintain a plan B that I was sure I’d never use.
Now that I’ve changed my mind I realize that having a plan B left me with the OPTION of not taking the next job.
My advice in short is… you don’t ever want to be in a position where you have to fly for a living and it’s the ONLY option you’ve got.
They have all responded in disbelief and most say something to the effect of "Well I'm never getting on a regional jet again, what kind of people do you get for those wages?"
The whole industry reminds me of the Moron Factor. Lets make milkshakes out of horse dung and ground up pig butt and whoever drinks the most gets the job. Why? Well that’s the guy that stuck out the worst for the longest (AKA paying dues). And that is what is most important. Ability, intelligence and everything else is second at best.
Ah well, good luck to those who can stick it out! There’s one less pilot clawing at the few descent jobs left. I’m off to the fantasy world of a university and I suppose I'll have to be happy flying around my own little Cessna Cardinal. I’m actually not in the least bit bitter, if I had to do it all over I would. I instructed and flew a Baron for a little over a year and it couldn’t have been more fun, although the pay made eating difficult….. I still love flying, but perhaps flying for a living just wasn’t meant for me!
To those of you entering the industry here is my advice…..
I thought for a long time that no matter what I wanted to be a pilot. I was 100% positive that was my career and you’d have been hard pressed to convince me otherwise. Fortunately, over the last 10 years I obtained a BA and a Masters degree and worked to maintain a plan B that I was sure I’d never use.
Now that I’ve changed my mind I realize that having a plan B left me with the OPTION of not taking the next job.
My advice in short is… you don’t ever want to be in a position where you have to fly for a living and it’s the ONLY option you’ve got.
)
