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Why do they still come?

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pilotyip said:
negative vibes, it is still a great carrer. Where else can a HS grad plan on making make close to $100K by the time they reach their mid 30's. Planes will always be flying they will need pilots. I feel anyone who really likes to fly airplanes can make this a great career.

not many people end up making 100K by their 30's. i know i'm not and i started flying right after college. maybe those mesa or flight safety boys that jumped into the regionals when they were 21 but i went to college and got a regular degree i can fall back on in case this industry gets worse than it is already.
 
I GOT IT! I know what the industry needs!

You know that show on the Discovery Channel... "The World's Deadliest Catch". We need something like that with a focus on airline pilots. Call it "The World's most misunderstood Salaries!"

Get a bunch of camera crews and follow around half a dozen crew members for a year. Get a broad spectrum: the broke and heavily in debt yet stupidly optomistic college kid, the flight instructor risking his life for $20,000 a year, the regional FO living on food stamps, the regional CPT who is stuck making $60,000 for the rest of his career while spending 18 days away from home every month, the 30 year FO at USAirways who is going to retire next year with nothing because the company took everything and his ex-wife took half of everything else, and then finally the 777 Captain at American who is 1 month from retirement. The guy that everyone else wants to be, the guy that 80% of us probably will never be after putting up with all the crap this industry has to offer.

I don't know... I think theres at least one season of material there to make a TV show with. Show us commuting to work and stressing because all the D A M N E D flights are full. You could show the regional FO sleeping on the floor of the crew lounge because he can't afford the hotel room. You could show us waking up at 0330 to go fly for 16 hours in just NASTY weather. How about showing us going for 12 hours without a meal break and then flying ANOTHER approach to minimums. You could follow us around on Thanksgiving and Christmas day living in a hotel and starving because all the restaraunts are closed for the holidays to let their workers spend the time with their families. And best of all, you could show us getting Junior Manned to fly another 24 hours when we finally think we are going to go home and play with our badly neglected families!

Tell me again why I do this stupid job!!!
 
Career choices

I made the career choice to enter the “World of Professional Aviation” a long time ago. Times certainly have changed since then. I still have not changed my mind on the choice I made. Flying an RJ for $70K is not a bad career. I would rather be in a 747-400 crossing the “pond”, but life doesn’t always deal you the correct hand. I am content with my position and $70K surely pays my bills. It is about being happy, not the money. There are those out there that will get the cards in their favor and I’m happy for them. There are also the ones who will complain even if making $400K per yr with 20 days off per month. It is all about the choices we make and if we are happy with those choices. A final note, everyone at one (or more) times in their life gets pi$$ed off at their jobs.
 
pilotyip said:
negative vibes, it is still a great carrer. Where else can a HS grad plan on making make close to $100K by the time they reach their mid 30's. Planes will always be flying they will need pilots. I feel anyone who really likes to fly airplanes can make this a great career.


The days of any pilot making 100K by his thirties are gone. The rapid upgrades of the regionals were largely fueled by guys leaving to go to the majors. That isn't happening much now. Plus the regionals are starting to shrink a little, just like the majors. Upgrades at both the regionals are majors will be a long time coming in the future. I would not go into this career today. Heck, I would not have gone into it 15 years ago if I had known where it would end up.
 
Why do they still come? No boss looking over your shoulder, not sitting in a cubicle all day. Lot of reasons.
You could leave the industry and go down the road I just left. The military is hiring. Your wage will be close to regional pay. Small differences though. You now serve a cause that is not based around your wants or welfare. Self-sacrifice becomes away of life. You would tear your body up to the point after 20 years not much you could do. I only speak of the military because that is all I really know. You ask why do they still come? This profession is not physically demanding. I had major back surgery, reconstructive surgery on my right leg and face, and I can do it. I'm not condoning the Q/L and pay in the industry. But when you ask why do they still come? Well I think its a no brainer......
 
J32driver said:
the flight instructor risking his life for $20,000 a year,

That's a little optimistic, how about $10,000-$13,000/year.

Another person they could follow is an RAA grad trying to pay his $140,000 student loan on first year FO pay ($800/mo payment). You know, follow him from his last day at the academy through the first year of flying at a regional and watch live on television his illusions of this career become a nightmare.
 
J32driver said:
I GOT IT! I know what the industry needs!

You know that show on the Discovery Channel... "The World's Deadliest Catch". We need something like that with a focus on airline pilots. Call it "The World's most misunderstood Salaries!"

I don't know... I think theres at least one season of material there to make a TV show with.

That's the best idea I've heard in a long time! Instead of Bon Jovi and "Dead or Alive", they could use another kick-a$$ song like Pink Floyd's "Learning to fly." It's always been been frustrating to know that the public has all these wrong ideas about the life of the airline pilot. Call your Cable or Satellite providers folks!

MM
 
J32driver said:
...You could follow us around on Thanksgiving and Christmas day living in a hotel and starving because all the restaraunts are closed for the holidays...
Dude...I put the money in the little red bucket, I can't help it if you can't find your way to the soup kitchen! :nuts:
 
How about the look on peoples face when you tell them your a pilot? At least you get respect (from most people) when the look at you like your superhuman and know something they dont.
 

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