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You know I don't understand......

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Tryful

Active member
Joined
Jul 20, 2002
Posts
44
I'm just your low time student pilot right now with a dream to become an airline pilot later down the road. I will become a professional pilot some how be it flying a piper warrior or a cessna 172. I don't care! I'm determined.

But I want to ask the guys who are already in the seats that I want to hopefully fill one day. Its depressing to read all this stuff on the airlines on the verge of collapsing, the regional and fractional pilots going at it with the mainline major pilots. I remember when I was little going up to that flight deck and going I want to sit in ATLEAST one of these seats one day for a living. I didn't think these men and woman were greedy, or selfish. I read all this stuff about the ALPA disputes etc. I looked up to these people ask for them for advice continually. Unfortenately the two I talk to on a regular basis are unemployed. Why becasue of this idiots that had to make a point by slamming our beautiful aircrafts full of innocent people into some buildings.

What I'm trying to get at is, please ladies and gents look at those who look up to YOU and admire you becasue you are a pilot like me. I've dreamed all my life to fly a DC-10 and I'm on my way there but almost everyday I read all this stuff about pilots bickering over pay etc. I thought most of the pilots that flew for the airlines fly becasue they love to, not for the money. Everyday my dream erodes just a little bit becasue I see all this nonsense and confusing union stuff. Please for us little guys just work this out.

Sorry if the spelling is off but honestly I started to get a little emotional writing this post.

Tyler
 
One flight at a time

Tyler,

Akin to what you've already written; fly each flight for its own sake and enjoyment. When doing a training flight, there are specific goals to the flight however, that doesn't mean that the flight is unenjoyable; some goals are or at least can be more challenging to master or demonstrate mastery of but the basic premise even on these flights remains as you already know; fly because you love it; fly because it is a joyful soul filling activity. The rest will come when it should.

The current conflict which exists within ALPA has been in the making for a long time, now the chickens are coming home to roost. As with any conflict, there are divergent viewpoints on what is correct and what is not.

In other threads you may see posts that state "it's only a job", "how fast can I ____" in which the poster neglects to mention that what they're presently doing is statisfying or enjoyable, but gives the reader the sense that they are only looking forward to the next thing, the next box to check, etc; don't let it discourage.

Long before there was an FAA or large jet aircraft or even airlines for that matter, man dreampt of flying.

Concentrate on being the best airman you can be, expanding your skill and knowledge. Rejoice that you can fly. Never ever forget why you started flying in the first place and subsequently you will not fall into the ugly traps as have some others.
 
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Flying - for its own sake

I believe, bottom-line, is that most people choose flying for a career because they love it. I did when I changed careers. I never really thought about making a six-figure salary from flying. I did care that I was paid commensurate with the skill and responsibility of flying for pay and revenue.

Management and pilots have never really seen eye-to-eye on pilots' value. Management feels that pilots are paid too much because there are so many pilots available for so few jobs. Management will not treat its pilots as well as it might because it knows it can always find more pilots. Pilots formed unions to counteract such abuses, and also to deal with safety issues, about which they and management also don't see eye-to-eye from time to time. Then, management will try to pit pilot groups against each other to get what it wants; a sort of divide-and-conquer strategy. That, I think, is prompting some of the arguing that you're reading and about which you're concerned.

I suggest that you read Flying the Line Volumes I and II by George E. Hopkins and Hard Landing by Thomas Petzinger, Jr. to gain a perspective of the employment issues facing airline pilots. Also, if you're still in school, see if you can take some courses on unions and labor relations.

Good luck with your training.
 
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Tyler,

I started flying when I was 15. And now that I have been flying for 14 years now, my aspect has not changed one bit on this proffesion.

I love to fly the same way I did when I took my first flight. But what changes is life, obviously. For me, I have invested alot, and with the amount of passion, hard work and struggling that has gone into it, I can see where some of these people on this board are coming from.

Things change, instead of the kid going around the pattern in a C-150 doing touch and goes, we are airline pilots now trying to stick up for what is right. THere is alot that is messed up with this business, there are companies out there that dont have the pilots in there best interest.

But with that being said, I would not change the proffesion that I am in, the view from my office is better than any corner office in any building.

The passion I have for flying is no different to when I was that 15 year old kid stepping into that C-150, whether or not I am making 6 figures or barely making it (which is my current status), but I am not alone. Maybe that makes the sting a little bit better.

I will add this, if you want to do this proffesion, do not let anything get in your way, there are many reward, and I still think this is one of the best lines of work you can get into, many good and talented people.

I have not lost sight, I am doing what I wanted to from the start.

Keep your sight focused, dont get discouraged from other peoples view, maybe I will see you in your jumpseat on that DC-10 someday. You will most likely be hualing freight, but thats OK too.
 

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