Would you trade me?

[Scope out RJ's]

Lets see you have been a member since June of 2006, I have been a member since 2001. I think I see posting envy,

Wow, that's it, you got me. Maybe I can become a management pilot at some ******************** hole outfit in some ******************** hole city and when I'm not firing guys for flying broke airplanes I'll post on FI!

I got a head start on you and you are jealous and can not contain yourself. BTW Didn't your mother, priest, Boy Scout leader tell if you can not say something nice, don't say anything at all?

Did your mentor tell you if you can't post anything smart not to post at.
You just can't fix stupid.

 

[PoorJetDriver]

Why not find a better job outside of aviation or retail (economy willing) and continue to fly on you own time? Don't think so narrowly of the choices. I have a wife and 2 kids and I wouldn't do this all over again and I wanted to fly more than anything since I was a child.

 

[cjdriver]

Why not find a better job outside of aviation or retail (economy willing) and continue to fly on you own time? Don't think so narrowly of the choices. I have a wife and 2 kids and I wouldn't do this all over again and I wanted to fly more than anything since I was a child.

Two questions for you, and the other 121 guys here:

1. What would need to change about your job to make you happy that you chose flying?

2. Did you want to fly as a kid, or did you want to be an airline pilot? There is a difference there, and I winder if the people that aren't happy flying most often answer the latter. Think about this seriously before answering.

This is not bait, but a serious, introspective interrogative.

 

[CA1900]

I finished my certificates and got into flight instructing in the mid-90's. I wanted to be an airline pilot, the industry seemed to be doing well, and getting to a major seemed an achievable, realistic goal. I instructed for a few years (loved it, but couldn't pay the bills), made it to a prop regional, and then the industry fell apart. My airline cut in half, and that was before 9/11!

Now the major jobs are few and far between, replaced by outsourcing to jet "regionals" that pay half as much, work twice as hard, and don't have nearly the quality of life.

I gave up on the airlines and went to a large fractional a few years ago. I was happy with the decision, and loved the work -- and now we're furloughing hundreds of guys. I didn't get caught in this wave, but if there's another, I surely will be. Then it's back to square one.

The biggest thing I miss in my life is some semblance of job security. I thought I had it, but this furlough has reminded me that there really isn't such a thing in aviation. While I enjoy the work, I don't enjoy the stress, nor the poverty. My average salary over the first 7 years of my airline career was under $30K. Flight instructing was even lower. Realistically, could you raise your family on that?

If I could go back twenty years, yeah, I'd totally find another line of work. As much as I enjoy the day-to-day, the overall experience just wasn't worth the tradeoffs. I chased that carrot only to find somebody else ate it years ago.