As I was driving back with my fiancé after a week with her family we drove past the approach end at KLIT and I saw an RJ taxing to the hold line. My first thought was realizing how important spending time with my family has become. Without knowing the people sitting on that jet, nor having a clue what kind of seniority they hold at their carrier, I felt for them and wished they could go see their loved ones soon.
No kidding as soon as we pass the runway I look left and there was this huge banner that read " XXX Trucking: $54,500 STR. SALARY, 98% WEEKENDS HOME" ....and it hit me. I tell my fiance "if they [trucking ind.] get it, why can't these motherf$%ers [the airlines] do the same!?" Of course she chuckles and proceeds to leave me to my talk-to-myself-during-12hr-drive rants, but it really hit home for me. The airline industry is not for everybody, and somebody's pros can be somebody else's cons.
What I do take exception with is the cop-out of "love of flying". The working presumption is that if you do not find the flying profession in its current form attractive, or even suitable, then it must be because you are not truly passionate about flying. The fact of the matter is that one shouldn't have to starve to fulfill one's passion, and those who buy into that bowl of sh$t need to get their priorities straight, or stop being disingenuous. I do not mean to suggest becoming a trucker was the point of my epiphany, but rather the realization that working today for a plate of food tomorrow is not OK for me and my family. If you can live in-base, don't mind the lack of pensions, lack of lateral career progression in the profession, the job security issues that accentuate the lack of lateral options problem, and can sidestep or accept the constant pay regression in your 30s or 40s, then my friend go for it. If that does not hold true in some or all accounts, then forgive me for not being "passionate" enough about my passion in life.
To the original poster, I'm also a Reservist, and brother let me be honest in suggesting that in spite of my early stage in the mil flying business I can confidently say that if mil flying wasn't available to me I don't think I would have been able to go through the financial and personal hurdles that the civilian professional job environment presents, specifically regarding having to choose that "career" to feed myself and my family. My point with that is that you have a HUGE buffer with the reserves, and if you didn't have the benefit of a mil career behind you and a backup flying job of the govt cheddar flavor (sweeeet) with all the retirement perks the civilian jobs lack, nevermind the common military mindset of "failing to attain the goal is not an option", you'd think very differently about the prospect of the 121 gig. Skepticim may be frowned upon in the military, but a small dose of it can save your a$$ in this line of work, FWIW. I used to think the same about this board, what a bunch of whiners, but guess what, then I talked to real people, and sans the literary flair you may see here, the theme commonality rang many of the plights and "bitching" to be no-sh$t true. I know I've read and heard enough to stay away from an airline job for the time being, as the conditions don't appeal to me, and if I can say that without even being qualified yet for a major job, then those who are currently qualified for one can exercise the same thought process and look at the conditions of employment and how that stacks up with their individual situation, rather than pawning it off to the "well, if you love flying.." mantra. Best of luck to all in this new year.
P.S. To the 100K entitled poster.... I disagree, 100K is good money...now if that 100K took 3 paycuts (including some of the 50%+ kind) then I agree with you it's chump change. Plan accordingly. Flying may be fun but I can think of less painful ways of attaining 6 figures, academically speaking of course lol.
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