Where do kids get these ideas?

[xcr600]

I am planning on visiting the AVS100 class at the college I went to just so I can share my experience with the industry so far. I am not going to knock the college just inform the student what the career is really all about. If only I would have know back then.

 

[NEDude]

I guess I am lucky in some ways. About fifteen years ago I got a long lecture from a TWA L1011 captain about the ups and downs of this industry. Furloughs, pay cuts, many hours away from home, sometimes dirty/unsafe hotels and divorce. He also said that despite all the downside, when the doors were closed and the engines started up, he still enjoyed his work.

I am also a career changer so I am not one of these "the grass is greener in the real world" types. Career advancement, pay, time off and job security are issues you deal with in any indisutry. If you want decent money, you are going to spend a lot more than 40 hours at work. Most well paying salaried jobs in this day and age require 55-60 hours in the office, and usually several more hours doing work at home.

 

[pilotyip]

Check the old threads, there are many pilots who got out ofv flying and after a few years came back in. If you like to fly airplanes, you have to fly airplanes. Fly because you like to.

 

[jbDC9]

...instead of upgrading, I got furloughed so some off-the-street CAL flowback could take my job and bitch about it.

Being furloughed sucks ass, no doubt, but why the attitude towards the OTS flowbacks? It was in the contract, everyone knew about it... problem is, every wanted to flow thru, up to CAL. Flow back? Nahh, won't happen, no worries, just waiting for that quick upgrade...

 

[SkyBoy1981]

Being furloughed sucks ass, no doubt, but why the attitude towards the OTS flowbacks? It was in the contract, everyone knew about it... problem is, every wanted to flow thru, up to CAL. Flow back? Nahh, won't happen, no worries, just waiting for that quick upgrade...

The problem was, exactly as Time2Spare put it, Express guys getting furloughed so that OTS flowbacks from CAL could have jobs and be pissed off at the world for it.

 

[FCPhotography]

I strongly encourage people not to become pilots. I am hoping for a shortage in a few years.

 

[stb]

The money is not that bad! It beats working for a living. I have been on line at CAL for 2 weeks and have found 4 chics ready, willing & able (they are hot too!). Sure first year pay sucks, but oh well it gets better from here.......

I'm sure there were another 10,000 other pilots that thought the same thing until the furlough notices arrived.
As for the (they are hot too!), is that on a normal everyday female comparison or the typical everyday flight attendant comparison?

 

[SennaP1]

Why do we have to educate "them"? I knew what I was getting into, I talked to people, kept up on industry news, STILL I chose to do this.

Sure I had other opportunities, (more $$$), but I wanted to do this. And for all those complaining about it. Why don't you quit? Or at least start yourself towards another carrier. Quit complaining, its not only us (aviation) that has taken a hit financially or other-wise.

It's everywhere from you local grocer to Wall Street, that has been going "down-hill" , racing to the bottom or what have you...

If somebody believes that they will make $300K then let them believe it...BUT those people probably think that "TV Real Estate" is easy money too.

P1

 

[pgcfii2002]

I strongly encourage people not to become pilots. I am hoping for a shortage in a few years.

Smart comment though...fewer students entering the labor pool, creating a shortage....creating...GASP.... better wages!!!

 

[lovetba6]

Low time pilots

As a low time pilot that is intructing his way up to the coveted "airline job" I absolutley can not stand people that are always asking/ complaining about not being able to get multi time so they can get their quick jump into a regional airline position. I just do not understand why some of my fellow yonger pilots will not just suck it up and put in some work so that when you get to an airline you do not have to prove yourself to your captain that you deserve to be there! I am actually getting sick of the way that KIDS my age ruin the chances of of someone like myself having a chance at being respected by higher time pilots.

As I began in this industry almost 6 years ago, I was told about the 200-300K a year salaries and yes I was not very imformed about it. Then sept 11 happened and I still decided to keep flying, because flying an airplane is 100 times better than asking someone how they would like their food cooked or cleaning a toilet, or engineering a building, or staying in the same boring office day in and day out. I prefer my office to be cruising at altitude and looking down at the earth and realizing how lucky I am to fly, than being that guy in his office looking up in the sky wondering what it would be like to be us.

Just my two cents.

Thanks for reading.

 

[wrxpilot]

I told him the truth, but I fear kids only hear what they want to hear. Why would he believe me if he's been lied to all his life?

What amazes me is that none of these kids educate themselves. I have to admit, about 3 yrs ago I was looking at those infamous gloss ads in Flying magazine thinking that was the way to go. Then I did a little research and talked to some people in the know and realized what the deal was.

Why can't these people do the same? Most of them are young and therefore familiar with using the internet for research. Seems to me that if you are planning on getting into massive debt and dedicating a huge portion of time to a career you'd research it. Also, "because of all the girls" sounds very immature. This guy already has his commercial and still doesn't get it? Must be a moron!

 

[wrxpilot]

Its called the Instant Gradification Generation..........kids no longer want to work hard toward something...why should they???

I agree, I notice more of that. But it seems to be directly related to the kid's upbringing. People in their 20s that had to work for clothes, car, etc. in high school and for college are much more in tune with reality than those that have been living off the silver spoon.

Incidentally, anyone catch the column in this month's AOPA Pilot? Rather "interesting" article about a first year ExpressJet FO.

 

[pgcfii2002]

I agree, I notice more of that. But it seems to be directly related to the kid's upbringing. People in their 20s that had to work for clothes, car, etc. in high school and for college are much more in tune with reality than those that have been living off the silver spoon.

Incidentally, anyone catch the column in this month's AOPA Pilot? Rather "interesting" article about a first year ExpressJet FO.

I used to get that magazine....ended up cancelling. What is the story about???

 

[wrxpilot]

I used to get that magazine....ended up cancelling. What is the story about???

One of the writers, Thomas Haines, wrote about a pilot in his "Waypoints" column that went to Delta Connection Academy and is now "living the dream" as a 1st year FO on a shiny ERJ.

Here's where it gets weird: She (the FO) stays at a crashpad in Houston and flies back to stay with her parents on off days (ok, understandable). She is using the crashpad until the house that she's building in Houston is finished. Wow! I just don't see how somebody could go to DCA and then be building a house on 1st year FO pay. Also sounded like she had a lot of part time gate agent jobs amongst several "regular" jobs prior to DCA. Apparently gave up a very lucrative phamaceutical job offer to do the DCA thing.

I don't know what to think. I don't really like places like DCA being glorified, especially by AOPA. I may be very wrong, but I just got the feeling the FO was also "privelaged" and therefore able to act on a lot of opportunities unavailable to most of us. Perhaps just petty jealousy on my part, but it doesn't seems like an accurate portrayal of getting into professional flying (which is what I thought was the point of the story). Borrow somebody's March '06 AOPA pilot and see for yourself.

 

[1973Arrow]

I blame Kit Darby. And Leonardo DiCaprio. And all the ERAU recruiters.

Yep...yep...yep and yep

 

[pgcfii2002]

Well, AOPA Pilot and AOPA Flight Training are heavily biased as to how great these big academies are. I am sure they are not going to receive revenue from ads placed in the magazine and then write articles with negative comments toward the schools.