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.

 

[Lostdog65]

I got into it because someone told me there were hot women and cold beer. Since I've been in I've found all the woman and most of the beer have been flat.



Seriously...it's in my blood. I have other hobbies that could be turned into careers but at 40, I'd be starting over at the bottom of the barrel and with a mortgage and two kids to put through school....I'm kinda stuck here. But it's a nice place to be stuck, aviation...not my current job...if you have to be stuck somewhere. Where else is someone going to pay me to do what I like to do??

Eric

 

[PastFastMover]

We all know it's not the money.

I went into the military to fly fighters because of my love of flying. I was "fortunate" to get in and to fly fighters, not that easy of a thing to do. I got out of the military and into the airlines specifically for the money. The airlines are still a great job if you are with the select few but I have to admit not what it was when I transferred over more than 30 years ago.

 

[Gulfstream 200]

The view that my office came with...

View from FL510

I see someone has been playing with thier new toy (camera not airplane..)

nice pic!

CAAM, dont discard the money completly. There are much harder ways to make an OK paycheck....You wont get rich, but you can certainly make 100K+

a decent paycheck and the opportunity to check out the world on someone elses dime is OK for now.

dont get me wrong, I bitch the entire time Im doing it, but thats just SOP.

imp:

 

[pilotyip]

Oh my Gad!, Did I see G200 say a $100K is an OK salary? You can live decently on $100K and do a job you really enjoy, few people ever get to do that. Start flying, have a plan to move to better jobs, and plan on paying your dues for about 10 years. Fly becasue you like to, and you will enjoy this job.

 

[81Horse]

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

My grandfather made me. Eventually, I learned to like it.

 

[Gulfstream 200]

Oh my Gad!, Did I see G200 say a $100K is an OK salary? You can live decently on $100K and do a job you really enjoy, few people ever get to do that. Start flying, have a plan to move to better jobs, and plan on paying your dues for about 10 years. Fly becasue you like to, and you will enjoy this job.

No yip,...I said 100K+ (PLUS!)

The old 100K success mark is now 200K.....sign of the times.

dont forget to tell the kid to go to college.

 

[pilotyip]

I have given up the no college thing for the next 5 weeks.

 

[Purpledog]

Why are you flying for a living???

The million $ question. I flew because it was fun (fighters). Now it's just a job, not an adventure. Make a lot of money elsewhere and go buy an Extra to have fun in. With two kids having to go to private school and then college, that 120k doesn't go too far. Definitely don't do it for the money!

 

[Gorilla]

A job is not an end in itself, it is a means to an end. Use the job (whatever it is) to finance your happy life. Time off is where it's at. Family, friends, creative hobbies, these will make you happy, not getting to wear some monkey suit at a big company flying big hardware.

If it was fun, you'd do it for free. Imagine crew schedule calls and says "We have a trip for you over the holidays. And oh yes, it is unpaid. Want to go flying!?" Chances are excellent you'd laugh at them and stay home. By definition, then, it must not be fun, otherwise you'd jump all over it.

It is a better job (and a worse job) than many. In the end, it is another variation on a job. On your death bed, you will not be thinking about that three-day LGA trip - you'll be thinking about loved ones.

Sorry to sound like some bitter old dude. Like I said, it's a job, and can be a fine one, but there are more important things to focus your life's energy on.

 

[mcjohn]

I have been making 30-40k a year go a long way and that's combined income with my wife. Give me 120k and I'd live like a king and send my kids to private school and college as long as I live in an affordable city/town.
I am perpeptually a little unhappy b/c I'm so freakin poor but my creadit's good and we're not accumulating debt. How can I make 30-40k/yr go a long way:
Don't finance a vehicle! Take the time to save the cash and buy a realiable beater.
My nissan pick-up = $3300 w/ 86k miles on it.
My wifes subaru = $2700 w/ 90k miles on it.
Buy a house! Great safety net and provides stability when your broke.
Hurry up and commit to a decent woman! If you don't you'll spend 40-50 bucks when your at the bars trying to meet one.
Make friends who are as poor as you are! So you don't get dragged out to restaurants and bars that you can't afford all the time.

So as you see it's a little depressing and QOL is down the tubes for a while as I wait to slowly inch my way toward that next aviation job.

Instructing and part-time bellman = $20k/yr if I'm lucky
Next I'll fly for Ram Air or Flight Express = $20k plus if I'm lucky
Then maybe a regional = $20k plus if I'm lucky

O.K. Now I got myself all upset!:bawling: and I have to go jogging to make myself feel better. WOE IS ME

 

[Gulfstream 200]

I have been making 30-40k a year go a long way and that's combined income with my wife. Give me 120k and I'd live like a king and send my kids to private school and college as long as I live in an affordable city/town.
I am perpeptually a little unhappy b/c I'm so freakin poor but my creadit's good and we're not accumulating debt. How can I make 30-40k/yr go a long way:
Don't finance a vehicle! Take the time to save the cash and buy a realiable beater.
My nissan pick-up = $3300 w/ 86k miles on it.
My wifes subaru = $2700 w/ 90k miles on it.
Buy a house! Great safety net and provides stability when your broke.
Hurry up and commit to a decent woman! If you don't you'll spend 40-50 bucks when your at the bars trying to meet one.
Make friends who are as poor as you are! So you don't get dragged out to restaurants and bars that you can't afford all the time.

So as you see it's a little depressing and QOL is down the tubes for a while as I wait to slowly inch my way toward that next aviation job.

Instructing and part-time bellman = $20k/yr if I'm lucky
Next I'll fly for Ram Air or Flight Express = $20k plus if I'm lucky
Then maybe a regional = $20k plus if I'm lucky

O.K. Now I got myself all upset!:bawling: and I have to go jogging to make myself feel better. WOE IS ME

what you are missing is that MOST of the time in order to make better money you have to live in more expensive areas...or drive 5 hours to work - no QOL.

Please tell us where you own a home on 30-40K/yr.

I read that as 25K/yr after taxes and ZERO savings or retirement money being saved. I also read that as $2200 cash a month.

 

[mcjohn]

Cost of living where I live (Asheville) isn't that cheap. I just happened to buy a house on the side of an interstate.
Wife and I saved ~$6000 and were able to buy a house doing the 80/15/5% down thing. 1200 sq ft for $128k 30 yr fixed @6.5%. ~$1000 a month including the 15% home equity loan. Some states give you grants to buy your 1st home.

Ahh that was a nice jog

 

[NTXPilot]

The old 100K success mark is now 200K.....sign of the times.

Yup and 30 is the new 20....sign of the times as well.

 

[Swaayze]

what you are missing is that MOST of the time in order to make better money you have to live in more expensive areas...or drive 5 hours to work - no QOL.

Please tell us where you own a home on 30-40K/yr.

I read that as 25K/yr after taxes and ZERO savings or retirement money being saved. I also read that as $2200 cash a month.

mcjohn is spot on. In many places you can afford to live comfortably (but far from extravagantly) on 40k and own a decent home IF you are smart with money and you don't buy stuff you can't afford (like new cars, fancy furniture, a Treo phone, etc).

We have an income equivalent to about a $45-50k gross and I'm (barely) able to have a beautiful new home in Fort Worth while the wife stays home with the kids. Our fancy vehicle is a 9 yo Olds minivan (loaded and in very good cond w/ less than 90k miles purchased used) and my truck is a 20 yo Ford F150 (ditto the details of the Olds save milage). We struggle only because we did buy too much home on the come and we eat out too often, but other than that we'd get by just fine because we have a cash cushion and we have ZERO DEBT other than our mortgage!

Take care of your money and your money will take care of you.

Sorry, I just enjoy talking personal finance......trying to figure out how to make that a nice second income is what I should be doing right now I guess!

 

[pilotyip]

Swaayze, would you then fit in that category that feels $100K/yr is a good salary?

 

[RichardRambone]

Dear God someone pay me 100K please. Thats an insane amount. Try 24K.

 

[Rip Vanwinkle]

I do it because they said I was too stupid to haul garbage. but too smart to be furniture.

- I get to fly the latest airplanes, with the newest technology.

- 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;

- A/C Flown: PA28, M20F, C310, BE90, C525A

If you're going 500mph in those small metal tubes, you won't be alive for long. Time to update the A/C Flown list?

Incidently, I can't speak for Ram Air, but if you don't net a fair amount more than $20k/year at FLX, you're not trying very hard.

 

[tracearabians]

Great Pic

Great Pic Falcon Capt. !!

The view that my office came with...

View from FL510

 

[pgcfii2002]

I tried to be a professional breakdancer....wasn't very good, so I decided to fly instead.

 

[mcjohn]

Incidently, I can't speak for Ram Air, but if you don't net a fair amount more than $20k/year at FLX, you're not trying very hard.

That's good news. Thanks