career change, opinions wanted
12-12-2007, 07:56 PM
#11
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: May 2006
Position: 737 CA
Posts: 2,576
It depends who you fly for. UPS and FEDEX are good companies, but there are bad (worse) cargo companies too.
Keep your current job and go to college at night or part time. Get the degree (not an aviation degree). Learn to fly now while you have an income. Get your Private pilot certificate and see how you like flying. I got hooked on it and never stopped. I love my job (I fly passengers by the way). There are many good and bad flying jobs out there, but they are all better than most non-flying jobs to me.
Keep your current job and go to college at night or part time. Get the degree (not an aviation degree). Learn to fly now while you have an income. Get your Private pilot certificate and see how you like flying. I got hooked on it and never stopped. I love my job (I fly passengers by the way). There are many good and bad flying jobs out there, but they are all better than most non-flying jobs to me.
12-12-2007, 08:18 PM
#12
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Aug 2007
Posts: 193
, is this line of work really as bad as some people make it out to be? i have about a million more questions but these will do for now. sorry about the typing i dont type very often. also can any one elaborate on the(pilot shortage)? i just received my private license and am fixing to start on my instrument so any advice would be greatly appreciated.
You are exactly what the industry is interested in as far as future airline pilots are concerned. Many nay sayers took a much longer route to the job. They think since they did it, you should have to do it. I fly with guys with very diverse backgrounds. A former car painter would think the job is heaven where a MIT grad who turned down an opportunity to get in on the ground floor of Google (after consulting with his peers who went to Google) is so upset about the pay decline I would not leave the flight deck to use the lav. (I'm not kidding). He will never be happy with the job. It's all about expectations.
http://www.airlinepilotforums.com/sh...ad.php?t=15705
Good luck!
12-13-2007, 08:17 AM
#13
Self Employed.
Joined APC: May 2005
Position: Corporate Pilot
Posts: 7,119
Expectations
Do not take this the wrong way. It's intended as encouragement not a slam.
You are exactly what the industry is interested in as far as future airline pilots are concerned. Many nay sayers took a much longer route to the job. They think since they did it, you should have to do it. I fly with guys with very diverse backgrounds. A former car painter would think the job is heaven where a MIT grad who turned down an opportunity to get in on the ground floor of Google (after consulting with his peers who went to Google) is so upset about the pay decline I would not leave the flight deck to use the lav. (I'm not kidding). He will never be happy with the job. It's all about expectations.
http://www.airlinepilotforums.com/sh...ad.php?t=15705
Good luck!
You are exactly what the industry is interested in as far as future airline pilots are concerned. Many nay sayers took a much longer route to the job. They think since they did it, you should have to do it. I fly with guys with very diverse backgrounds. A former car painter would think the job is heaven where a MIT grad who turned down an opportunity to get in on the ground floor of Google (after consulting with his peers who went to Google) is so upset about the pay decline I would not leave the flight deck to use the lav. (I'm not kidding). He will never be happy with the job. It's all about expectations.
http://www.airlinepilotforums.com/sh...ad.php?t=15705
Good luck!
He is absolutly right. If you expect to be respected, have a good family life and to earn a real living then you have a lot of pain ahead.
SkyHigh
12-13-2007, 08:20 AM
#14
Banned
Joined APC: Jan 2006
Position: A-320
Posts: 6,929
12-13-2007, 08:25 AM
#15
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Sep 2006
Position: 737 FO
Posts: 148
Bingo. Pretty soon all airline pilots will be ex toilet scubbers that went through an accelerated 100 hr pilot program(soon to be FAA approved). These people will think that being away from home for 18 days a month and $60,000 a yr will be great. I'll add that when an emergency happens the family members of all onboard are automatically notified of the deaths, because their survival chance will be 1:1,000,000,000.
12-13-2007, 08:25 AM
#16
Self Employed.
Joined APC: May 2005
Position: Corporate Pilot
Posts: 7,119
12-13-2007, 08:27 AM
#17
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Sep 2006
Position: 737 FO
Posts: 148
12-13-2007, 08:48 AM
#18
Self Employed.
Joined APC: May 2005
Position: Corporate Pilot
Posts: 7,119
Time invested
It takes someone 2000 hours of classroom supervision to become licensed to cut peoples hair and 90 days and possibly as little as 100 hours to become a commerically rated pilot.
Just last night on Mythbusters they proved that a novice could land an Airbus with very little instruction. The Simulator teacher told the camera that modern airliners could virtually fly and land themselves.
Yesterday I read on the internet that airline pilots were among the "top ten most overpaid professions". Even after the cutbacks of 911 they still claimed that airline pilots are overpaid.
Companies will lower minimums before they raise pay. Modern Jets do not require much in terms of skill. Some regionals, I have read on this forum, are considering opening thier own cadet programs.
The future is bright for those who merely wish to fly a plane but miserible for anyone who intends to make a living and have to a life while doing it.
Skyhigh
Just last night on Mythbusters they proved that a novice could land an Airbus with very little instruction. The Simulator teacher told the camera that modern airliners could virtually fly and land themselves.
Yesterday I read on the internet that airline pilots were among the "top ten most overpaid professions". Even after the cutbacks of 911 they still claimed that airline pilots are overpaid.
Companies will lower minimums before they raise pay. Modern Jets do not require much in terms of skill. Some regionals, I have read on this forum, are considering opening thier own cadet programs.
The future is bright for those who merely wish to fly a plane but miserible for anyone who intends to make a living and have to a life while doing it.
Skyhigh
12-13-2007, 08:59 AM
#19
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2007
Position: SAABster
Posts: 639
Not to be sarcastic but what do you mean by, "A good job"
I'm 42 and on my second career: I spent 15 years as a construction electrician and ...........Money isn't everything
I fly for a regional and have never been happier.........
Working for an airline is, like most things in life it is what you make of it.
I'm 42 and on my second career: I spent 15 years as a construction electrician and ...........Money isn't everything
I fly for a regional and have never been happier.........
Working for an airline is, like most things in life it is what you make of it.
12-13-2007, 09:02 AM
#20
Self Employed.
Joined APC: May 2005
Position: Corporate Pilot
Posts: 7,119
Honestly
All logic and rational thinking will lead you to the eventual conclusion that this career is foolish and can not even afford to pay for itself let alone support a middle class family life. (SWA, UPS and FedEx pilots are of course exempt from this statement.
) Resist and prosper.
SkyHigh
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