Why are you flying for a living???

[Clear-&aMillion]

From someone who's never seen the commercial aspect of flying, what is it that made you want to fly for a living?

We all know it's not the money. So then, what is it? Most pilots are required to have a degree, and that means most pilots are plenty smart enough to apply themselves in some other area, perhaps making alot more money. But still...you still decided to fly, even for lower pay. Whay is this?

So lets here it. I'm torn between fully applying myself to become a commercial pilot, or simply going elsewhere and only flying for fun. I don't need to be making a sh*tload of money. I just want to do something I enjoy.

We've all heard the same old sob-stories about this business, but c'mon...what are the things you enjoy about being a pilot????

 

[banned username 2]

The view that my office came with...

View from FL510

 

[Clear-&aMillion]

Falcon Capt that's what I'm talking about. Good stuff.

 

[Swaayze]

I think many of us who've been flying professionally for a while feel locked in. It gets in your blood and the major airlines and good corporations still offer good jobs (though not necessarily great careers like they used to). There are many in this category who are contemplating leaving professional flying in exchange for time at home and some security, but those jobs are harder to find in many cases than one would expect.

The other group, the new folks (in for just a few years or less), just don't realize it's not that great anymore, especially once you have a family. Flying is still new and cool to them, they're typically single or at least w/o kids to find time for, and let's face it, you can tell a person something's not all it's cracked up to be but they're not really gonna believe it until they experience it. Then by the time they start to realize it they've progressed to the category of pilots discussed above.

I still enjoy the actual flying part of the job but being gone all the time and putting up w/ crappy schedules for low pay really has me "over" being an airline pilot. I just can't seem to make myself get out of the business since the right opportunity hasn't yet presented itself.

Some days I wonder what the heck I'm doing in this business and some days I wonder why I'd ever want to do something else (usually while at FL370 at sunset on a short day with a great crew and a long overnight upcoming that has a complimentary happy hour: IOW not too often!)

 

[mcjohn]

It's not flying that's important. It's wearing this uniform and feeling like your better than everyone else that makes it all worth it!

Nah, just kidding, I'm a wet CFI who has to wear an airline pilot uniform so I had to say that.

I don't know what else to do and I love flying so I fly. I hope to make a decent living at it in the future.

 

[FN FAL]

...what is it that made you want to fly for a living?

Because nobody would pay me 45K a year to beat up punks 3 days a week?

 

[Workin'Stiff]

The view that my office came with...

View from FL510

That's pretty much the coolest picture I've seen in quite a while...

 

[Dufus1]

It really depends on what you are looking for. $250K and 20 days off a month? If that is your goal, go somewhere else. Those jobs are gone and you will be pissed that you are not there while making crap with 10 days off.
I love it because I live in base and feel like I am always home with my wife and son. There is still the potential (for now) to make a decent living while having a decent schedule. I counted up the time I didn't work last year (not including days on reserve I didn't get called) and it was the equivalent of 7 weeks of vacation at a normal job with weekends off. Not to shabby. Granted I didn't make a very livable wage, but the prospects are there.
Aside from the low wages in the first few (few can mean a variety of things) years, I believe it is all about your attitude.
This industry is cyclical anyways....right!?!

 

[mcjohn]

http://www.clear-and-a-million.com/viewtopic.php?t=1991

 

[User546]

Here's the way I view my job:
- I got one of the best office windows anywhere (see Falcon's pic)
- I get to fly the latest airplanes, with the newest technology.
- I work 10-12 days a month and get paid a full months salary.
- Everytime I go to work, it's like going on vacation. Might not be the most exotic place, but atleast I'm not driving to the same ole office building everyday.
- I get to occupy my "office" with someone whose often well-educated, competent, and entertaining individual.
- When at work I get paid to stay in nice hotels I wouldn't normally stay at, and eat food I normally couldn't justify to pay for.
- Get to see Mother Nature in all her glory - both beautiful and ugly.
- And theres just something that makes you feel alive about flying at 8 miles above the earth, at 500 mph in a small metal tube; then to descend into your destination and to use your skills to blindy fly towards the ground at 150 mph not to break out until 200 feet above it.

Everytime my wife comes home from work and complains about her co-workers, office politics, and never getting enough sleep at night, the reminder of why I'm a pilot comes back.