Why do they still come?

[pilotyip]

Irish, Exactly! That is why you become a pilot.

 

[Papa Woody]

How come nobody mentioned the stews?

It burns when I pee.....is that normal?

 

[atlcrashpad]

PHXFLYR hit it on the Head

PHXFLYR,

You hit it on the Head with the word "Passion". If you do not have passion for your job, it's just a job. I look forward to working everyday, I have passion for my job. The pay is not too bad (7 yr Capt) and I have ARNG gig on the side. Minus deployments (OIF) it's not too bad either.

 

[k2774]

I'm pretty sure the average age of those responding is <26. As you get older priorities change and you will begin to realize that 50-60K is not a lot of money, ESPECIALLY if you have a family. And let me tell you, there are plenty of jobs out there where you don't have to sit in front of a computer....where the salaries are pretty good.....and that you could enjoy. You just have to searh and be flexible.

Has anyone thought about pursuing graduate degrees in the sciences and engineering, or going to college for that matter. Plumbers, Electricians, AC/Refrigeration, Carpenters, etc. have the opportunity to make loads of money, but you have to be willing to WORK. Railroad Engineers/Conductors top out at 90-100K and there is massive hiring at the railroads. Has anybody thought about being entreprenuers(sp)?

I know flying is a love or hate thing....believe me, I was there. You couldn't tell me ten/fifteen years ago that i wouldn't be flying a B757 for Delta, but things have changed. I hope you realize that if you hve spent 50-80K, even 35K on flight training, and have to suffer though MANY years of making 20K plus/minus a few thousand, you have not gotten a good return on your investment. Don't do this at your parents/wife/husband/love one's expense. THINK....THINK.....THINK. BE OPEN TO OTHER POSSIBILITIES.

It bothers me to see my friends in their early to mid thirties not being able to live off of their salaries. Something has to change.

 

[Papa Woody]

Don't do this at your parents/wife/husband/love one's expense.

...But my parents/wife/love one's might have S3C travel bennies on Delta!

Whoop da doo!

 

[pilotyip]

$100K is good pay

$90-$100K is a good annual salary, I do not know many people, except major airline Captains, that make more than that number. My brother, master's in business, has been in General Motors management for nearly 30 yrs. He is a GM-7.5 or something like that, just below where you get a company car. He does not make over a 100K. These fairy tails of $150-$200K salary jobs just laying around waiting for someone to pick them up are over blown. In fact the guy who I know who makes the most money is my brother -in-law, a high school grad who runs his own muffler shop. If you like to fly and can live on $100K this is a great career. All of our pliots who have been at USA Jet for 10 years can exceed that number if they want, so flying for a living can still make those numbers.

 

[BR549]

$90-$100K is a good annual salary, I do not know many people, except major airline Captains, that make more than that number. My brother, master's in business, has been in General Motors management for nearly 30 yrs. He is a GM-7.5 or something like that, just below where you get a company car. He does not make over a 100K. These fairy tails of $150-$200K salary jobs just laying around waiting for someone to pick them up are over blown. In fact the guy who I know who makes the most money is my brother -in-law, a high school grad who runs his own muffler shop. If you like to fly and can live on $100K this is a great career. All of our pliots who have been at USA Jet for 10 years can exceed that number if they want, so flying for a living can still make those numbers.

Randy, the ONLY way someone at USAJet can make $100K is to be a total whore and fly their a$$ off. You will have no outside life as you will be working all the time to make that kind of money. The whole point is to make that kind of money and more without having to bust your a$$ to get it. It's not worth it to be gone 25+ days a month.

 

[Tram]

The whole point is to make that kind of money and more without having to bust your a$$ to get it.

Doesn't that sound a bit like "I want to make lots of money, but I don't want to work hard for it?"

If your looking for a way to "make lots of money and not bust your a$$ for it" i think you'd going to be sorely disappointed..

 

[wheelsup]

Doesn't that sound a bit like "I want to make lots of money, but I don't want to work hard for it?"

If your looking for a way to "make lots of money and not bust your a$$ for it" i think you'd going to be sorely disappointed..

I'd rather work 1/2 less and be paid 2x more than work 2x more and get paid 1/2 less. I think that's where they were coming from.

Anyone having a decent wage can make $100k/yr, they just have to work 18 hour days 7 days a week. What kind of a lifestyle is that? I don't like working at all, let alone 30 days a month!

~wheelsup

 

[NYCPilot]

I believe that most of the negative responses about ones present airline career come from younger pilots who went into aviation at an early age. Someone who probably got their ratings young and may or may not have gone to college. This person has probably not worked in any other field other than aviation and now that they've been in it for awhile are seeking greener pastures. Tired of aviation and looking for something better.

On the other side are those who seem more optimistic, more content with making a career at the regionals and a salary that is between 50K - 80K at this level. Most of these pilots are those who are a little older and HAVE worked the other jobs that the former group of pilots want to get into, to make better money and have a better QOL.

I happen to fall into the latter group.

Those of us who have worked in offices especially corporate ones, really dread it in comparison to flying. The money is good, the benefits are good and the QOL is very acceptable. But it sucks, even with all the perks that come with it. You’re just not happy being in this environment. You begin to question it all. Sometimes it takes a few years of working in this world to really appreciate what its like to be flying for a living. After making some money, you realize that happiness has a greater value and so you aspire to maybe one day fly for a living. I think most guys who have, are a little older and have worked other jobs, are more content with the lifestyle of a professional pilot and more willing to stick it out.

When you’re a young pilot you see things differently and have high hopes of making quick upgrades big money and a great QOL. When you realize it’s not coming to that you become disillusioned. Those of you who have started young and become that 23 year old captain, you’re lucky. Many people wish they could have done that.

I don’t doubt that those who drop out of the flying and work some office job or whatever, after a few years away will regret leaving. Maybe the money is a little better, but don’t expect to find happiness in a few extra bucks. Being happy and enjoying your job is something that you will realize is paramount.


HEALTH, HAPPINESS & MONEY (In that order)

 

[DwayneWorthless]

Why? I'll tell ya. Me and my ole pal Kit Darby figured out that there is going to be a Shortage of Pilots in the near future. So, Hang in there and soon you'll be flying that "Heavy Iron" across the pond. Salaries should start around $60K for 1 yr F/O and top off around $450K for senior Capt's. Oh yeah, one other thing... PAY YOUR DUES.......

 

[pilotyip]

BR549. It is their choice, I know one of our $100K plus pilots flew near 100 hours in August, sold 10 days, 16 hours of hot crew, took home close to $20K for one month. He then took the whole month of Sept off, and still got his $7K guarantee. How many feel $27K for 31 days work out of 60 is that bad of a deal?

 

[F16fixer]

Wow, I fly a minimum of 100hrs a month right now and make about $1200 a month. (freight) Sign me up!

I work well with others, very empathetic, like to drink Jack Daniels on occasion. Is this a good enough resume?

 

[Hpilot]

9 to 5

I'd have to agree with NYCpilot. I have a degree in business and worked in middle management for a while. As a second year AWA FO($60/hr) I do make slightly less yearly than the management job($70k). Would I want to go back to a 9-5 job? !!@##$*$!! No. All the office politics and BS. Plus looking up at the clock and thinking "aaahhhh cr@p 5 more @$@$@ hours until I can leave. NOOOOO THHHAAANKS. If I lost my job yeah I'd do it to support my family, but I'd have no passion in doing it. My dad was a computer programmer(9-5) for the last 30 years and hated his job. It showed and it carried home. A pilot friend quit aviation and used his engineering degree. Now he's back in aviation flying captain at a commuter. For some people maybe it is an enjoyable job(9-5), but for those of you that haven't done it, don't be surprised if the grass isn't greener. You may jump the fence and land in a pile of manure.

 

[Paul R. Smith]

Where else in the job market can you be at work for 16 hours and get paid for 3 hrs?


Go ahead flame away..I gotta trip tommorow so you all can bash me for 4 days.

Enjoy.

 

[Superpilot92]

3.75 you know that!!!

Besides thats not an everyday happening.

Enjoy your trip. I just got done with mine.

Go ASTROS

 

[PHXFLYR]

[quote=BR549 The whole point is to make that kind of money and more without having to bust your a$$ to get it.



In other words you want to NOT fly and get paid for it. Sorry... It doesn't work that way.


PHXFLYR

 

[BR549]

Yeah it does.

 

[tuna pimp]

9-5 jobs suck. The only reason why I didn't become a pilot 10 years ago was because my eyesight sucked and LASIK as a new, unknown and generally frowned upon procedure by the FAA & airlines. Not worth the risk at the time.

Now I'm stuck in a 9-5 I hate, have 20-20 uncorrected vision again and want to fly professionally. I know there's a ton of BS involved in flying, crappy pay, lousy schedules, less control of my schedule but it can't be worse than sitting in a cube working on a spreadsheet 40-50 hours a week.

Having said that, the grass is always greener on the other side. Then you get to the other side and you notice you just stepped in dogsh*t and some bum is pissing on your leg.

 

[Clyde]

I have flown 4 times in the last two months on two separate trips. One of them was an afternoon turn. I'm about to start 2 weeks off this weekend. Spent a total of 4 nights in hotels over a 40+ day period.

I'm not flaming or being a smart-alec, but it is still possible to get paid good money and not fly a lot in the process. Sometimes the pendulum swings the other way and I fly a lot, but I'm on track to fly maybe 200 hours this whole year.

Given, I live in domicile and bid reserve, and that is a big part of it. Some people bid a fleet because of a particular airplane. Not me, I bid my aircraft because it offers me the best opportunity to make the least amount of trips to the airport. Am I lazy? No, I just don't feel like going to work a whole lot. I want to spend time doing other things.

 

[pilotyip]

Real world

Notice in this thread a college graduate working in a non-aviation management job making $70K/yr. That is the real world of non-aviation jobs. So a HS grad making $100K in his mid-30's flying an airplane is a good job. Even if you have to work for the money sometimes.

 

[Clyde]

Notice in this thread a college graduate working in a non-aviation management job making $70K/yr. That is the real world of non-aviation jobs. So a HS grad making $100K in his mid-30's flying an airplane is a good job. Even if you have to work for the money sometimes.

I have a degree. I'm not saying I'm smart, but I do possess the piece of paper which makes people think I are.

 

[pilotyip]

clyde we will keep it a secret so you won't end up making $70K in a management job.