What's still good about major airline flying?

[FLYLOW22]

This job is about 3 things: chics, money and time off.

Anyone that tells you that they do it for "their love of flying" hasn't really done any (real flying) and probably lists a Cessna in their profile.

Oh, did I mention it's just a job? Remember that, and you will never worry about 99% of the crap on this board.

Hey now!!

 

[Archie Bunker]

New Flash...Hot chicks don't dig 50 yr. old balding FOs even if they are making almost 100K/yr with two whole weekends off/month! Its over.

Do they dig 50 yr old balding FOs that make close to $200K, that have at least half a month off?

 

[ABXbooger]

At a Major you are allowed to take the soap and shampoo from your hotel room.

So that's pretty good cause' you never have to buy soap or shampoo, and if you have room you can take the toilet paper too (Both rolls).


YKW

I used to fly with a guy would only pack the bare mins so he could carry ome all of the TP and soap, etc, no kidding. He washed his uni shirts with his epaulets on also, made the black/gold combo look almost silver...

 

[rcbullock]

you know there are crappy work rules (although still better than a regional)

Ahem. ExpressJet has pretty good work rules IMHO. Plus we have tons of FOs right now.

 

[Bavarian Chef]

What is wrong with loving to fly Cessna's? I have got over 2,000 hours flying the Cessna's I have owned. I loved every minute of it. Stuff like landing on boats, low level night time ASW ops and flying in Vietnam don't count either I guess. But I loved every minute of it. But then I guess I have not done any real flying in my 12,000 hr, 41 year career.

cessnas suck. so do pipers. and mooneys. and boeings. and airbuses. even hyundais (sp). sarcasm doesnt though.

BUT, i was never one to see what new airplane i could put in my logbook. i have better things to do on my days off than, uh, ew ... fly airplanes.

 

[pilotyip]

Too bad, enjoy your job

cessnas suck. so do pipers. and mooneys. and boeings. and airbuses. even hyundais (sp). sarcasm doesnt though.

BUT, i was never one to see what new airplane i could put in my logbook. i have better things to do on my days off than, uh, ew ... fly airplanes.

too bad, I fly with whole bunch of airlines pilots who spend their days off flying C-47's, B-25's and B-17's. Those guys really like to fly, it is not a job it is an adventure. Enjoy your other hobbies.

 

[Freight Dog]

Yip... you sound like a helluva guy! 41 year marriage - I admire you just for that alone. What good is a career if you don't have solid family backing. Sadly, good, supportive women like your wife aren't a norm anymore. In that aspect, you are a very blessed man, and ultimately that's what matters.

Having said that, I watch you talk about 100k in aviation. Well, that's a bit arbitrary, isn't it?
Looking at Ypsilanti real estate or rentals, it's 50-70% cheaper than SoCal (my home) or Hawaii (my domicile). For me to maintain the same economic standard of living as you, I need to make 200-250k a year simply due to my location.

Think about it... 100k in YIP vs. 100k around LAX vs. 100k around JFK vs. 100k in FLL vs. 100k ATL vs. 100k in ORD.

Not quite the same, is it?

 

[jke406]

Looking at Ypsilanti real estate or rentals, it's 50-70% cheaper than SoCal (my home) or Hawaii (my domicile).
For me to maintain the same economic standard of living as you, I need to make 200-250k a year simply due to my location.

Think about it... 100k in YIP vs. 100k around LAX vs. 100k around JFK vs. 100k in FLL vs. 100k ATL vs. 100k in ORD.

Not quite the same, is it?

That's the great part about this country and this industry--you can CHOOSE to live where the cost of living is astronomical, or you can CHOOSE to give up some time at home by commuting from a less costly locale.

Either way, the choice is yours. No sense in getting prickly about your money not going as far, when you've chosen to live where you are.

 

[Freight Dog]

That's true... however, when currently the only domicile my airline offers is HNL, it's not quite the same as say your airline that might offer a couple of domiciles on each coast, plus a couple in the midwest.

My commute is 5.5 hours right now as is, and it's a one-legger because I live in SoCal, and at the time I was hired at my airline, no other legacy or major was hiring.

Either way, my point is that 100k is not the same in all places, and there's nothing wrong with putting an upward pressure on wages.......

The only way to make the 100k argument stick is making it like in the military where you get your 100k base pay PLUS BAQ/BAH/COLA allowances based on where you're domiciled.

 

[jke406]

The only way to make the 100k argument stick is making it like in the military where you get your 100k base pay PLUS BAQ/BAH/COLA allowances based on where you're domiciled.

I agree that such a system would be a good idea.

 

[Murphy]

I enjoyed military flying more than 121 flying. I enjoyed the military TDYs more than the 121 layovers. But I like the fact that in the 121 world I just fly. No other jobs when I am not flying, little to no paperwork, and when I am off, I am off. I don't have to worry about the call out of the blue to solve some crisis. I like the time off and the flexibility to adjust my schedule.