SkyHigh

If you already own a home, have all your college loans paid off and can generally afford to live as you wish then flying must seem quite tolerable. The rest of us have to depend upon it for our total livelihood and for it to provide for our entire future security.

Given that perspective it is a miserable black hole of uncertainty that can not even afford to pay for the cost of the training it took to get there let alone support a family to a standard that is much above what seems like poverty when compared to other similar professions.

This profession is best served as a working hobby.

Skyhigh

XJPILOT1

OK then...I love my 'working hobby'

SkyHigh

You should love it then. However I hope that you understand why everyone else is so upset about the profession. Our gripes are justified. You are a voyeur playing airline pilot while professional pilots are facing financial annihilation.

As a hobby pilot you probably can not relate to the pain those who are resting their entire financial hopes on this ill fated career are experiencing.

SkyHigh

Airbum

I think the fact that making (is it really almost 1/2?) what the same job paid 30 years ago demonstrates the decline. At UPS captain pay only last year equaled what UPS paid captains in 1998. pay scales through their current contract only match inflation for 12 year and above captains. It amazes me to say that a net zero inflation adjusted income in 12 years is a success.

And currently UPS/FedEx is at the top. The long term future for pay/ working conditions does not look great for the average pilot.

TonyMontana

Can you imagine a "hobby M.D.", who had to work on his days off at Wal-Mart just to be able to feed his family? Compare airlines in the Glory Days to the airlines now-it's disgraceful and embarrasing.

Flying a Pitts for fun is my hobby now-quality of life and pay is exponentially better.

TonyMontana

Oh, and one more tidbit-Pretty much everybody flying the line right now has just taken a 5 year "shot in the shorts" senority wise.


"And the hits just keep on coming"-poor bastards.

XJPILOT1

Alright...last response to you professional cry babies...I could care less about all those suffering so called professionals. Crying on this forum serves no purpose. You will NEVER stop the horrific decline (sarcasm) of this inferior career by whining on this or any other forum. I'm glad you hate it...I'm glad I will NEVER have to share a flightdeck with you. Have fun building homes or whatever you want people to think you do.

It amazes me how many people have lost control of there lives to the point of hopelessness. They come together on this forum, as a last resort, to find the few who really care. I, for one, don't care. I paid my dues like all the rest (CFI, 135). It cost me the same amount of time and money as any other 121 pilot. You don't like what's going on, call your union. That doesn't work, put up with it or quit (that is my attitude, no one is holding a gun to your head). I don't care what you think of me. Diapers...highschool..and all the trash talking...cute. It really explains why those crying on there computer keyboards over the injustice, post what they do...professional.

"You are a voyeur playing airline pilot while professional pilots are facing financial annihilation."

Really...? Annihilation...I can't stop laughing at this!!!

Then all you "professional pilots" quit, step aside so this "voyeur pilot" can get ANNIHILATED!!!!!!!! I want your job so work hard or quit. So many guys/girls who really want to be here, will take it too...don't worry.

Yep that attitude is whats ruining this profession!!! That's how we all got hired, with that attitude, or did ya forget about those days?

Whatever...you see it's this chronic attitude that prevails in all the sad individuals that bash this industry through these forums that overflows into alls aspects of their lives.

Financial problems, divorce, their kids hate them.....it's not the job that makes the man. Not an "Airline Pilot" ...either...

de727ups

"It amazes me to say that a net zero inflation adjusted income in 12 years is a success"

Well, it works for me....

By the way, nobody answered my questions about what percentage of the population makes over 200K and what other professions have kept up with inflation over the last 20 years? I'll guess professional athletes have exceeded inflation. By the way, 5 of the last 10 years, I flew less than 100 hours block time...

SkyHigh

It would be nice if you could even try to empathise with the poor and married guys who desperately need the money and have a young family left at home alone. Most will never reach the levels of career satisfaction that you have.

It is amazing that you have the nerve to come onto these forums and write stuff like that. For every guy who made it to a job like yours there is at least 1000 who didn't. Are you just trying to make the rest of us feel bad or are you trying to inspire others to throw their lives away on a slim chance.?

You are unarguably at the top of the pile of the aviation industry. There is no one who has a better situation. Even you must acknowledge at times the incredible luck that must have gone your way to make your happy story happen. How many UPS check airmen are there anyway?

It is like a big lottery winner professing to the world how great it is to be instantly rich.

Skyhigh

SkyHigh

The difference is expectations. I expected to make a better living than if I hadn't tried at all. I like flying but not enough to do it for free or for less than humanly livable conditions. I also will not throw my life away on a thin promise of a better future.

It sounds like you are financially well off. Perhaps your wife is rich or you made a bundle on your businesses. Most pilots bet their entire financial lives on this dead end. I hope you can understand why they are so upset.

So go on. The airlines love guys like you. They like to hire retired military, policemen, firefighters and financially independent people. They go home with a smile on their faces while the rest return to unpaid bills and a financially unfulfilled life.

Hobby pilots and second career guys are a huge part of the undermining of the profession. Why do they care about union actions? In every new hire class there are a few hobby guys who are diluting the seniority list. In time I am sure that most new hires will be either fat old retired guys or high school kids since they are the only two groups who can afford to live on the wages being offered.

One day I hope to return to flying as a hobby pilot too however I will have more sensitivity to those who are trying in vein to make a living at it.

SkyHigh