Why are people on here so against flying?
11-07-2009, 09:23 AM
#31
Line Holder
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Oct 2009
Position: C152 Left Seat
Posts: 35
When can I start!
11-07-2009, 10:51 AM
#32
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2007
Position: Dream within a dream
Posts: 1,306
I remember logging on to these forums a few years ago and being horrified by the negativity, too.
Last summer, I landed a paid internship at a very successful aviation technology firm in the greater Boston area. They do work for every major airport in the USA and contract work for the military, too. Their ranks are filled with engineers and computer scientists - very smart people. I redid their website and sat in on meetings they held with the FAA and other high-tech companies.
I'll never forget how the most senior engineer in the company took me aside one day and said: "Kid, take it from me, never go into science. I won't even let my kids follow in my steps. It's not like it used to be when I started out."
The point is, people are like this in EVERY industry - not just aviation. I can't count how many people on here have suggested to consider science or working with computers . . . well, here we have the opinion of someone on the inside. The grass will always be greener on the other side. Obviously, I'm sure there are plenty of people who are happy in science and aviation. Take what everyone says with a grain of salt, think things over twice, and always make your own decisions in the end.
Last summer, I landed a paid internship at a very successful aviation technology firm in the greater Boston area. They do work for every major airport in the USA and contract work for the military, too. Their ranks are filled with engineers and computer scientists - very smart people. I redid their website and sat in on meetings they held with the FAA and other high-tech companies.
I'll never forget how the most senior engineer in the company took me aside one day and said: "Kid, take it from me, never go into science. I won't even let my kids follow in my steps. It's not like it used to be when I started out."
The point is, people are like this in EVERY industry - not just aviation. I can't count how many people on here have suggested to consider science or working with computers . . . well, here we have the opinion of someone on the inside. The grass will always be greener on the other side. Obviously, I'm sure there are plenty of people who are happy in science and aviation. Take what everyone says with a grain of salt, think things over twice, and always make your own decisions in the end.
11-08-2009, 02:26 PM
#33
On Reserve
Joined APC: Sep 2007
Posts: 20
The facts:
If you want to be a family man (or woman) who wants to be there for all of lil' Johnny's B-days, soccer games, holidays, etc. most jobs in aviation prohibit it, as will long haul trucking, the military, or working on an Alaskan fishing boat.
If you rack up $200k debt to get a $20k job, it will take a very long time to get out of debt (think 20 year mortgage).
If you make a job out of your hobby, your hobby will become work (no longer much fun).
On the other hand:
If you are single (like me), want to stay single (me again), or at least don't want to be joined at the hip to your family, being away is far less painful.
If you can get your tickets without gaining a ton of debt, $20k is livable if you can live in a cheap city (especially if you can live in a cheap base) and drive an older car.
While my love affair with flying has ebbed somewhat, now that I have a little seniority and have found a niche that I like, flying still beats digging ditches.
I think the problem many of the new complainers have is their vision of a "pilot's life" were unrealistic. Kinda like the folks I worked with in the Navy who took the word of the recruiter as gospel. The older complainers (15 plus years) are saying the same sort of things the autoworkers, steal workers, and other heavy industry workers are saying: "We helped build the company, we gave back to keep the company afloat, management asks for more, and we see more of our work outsourced" (in aviation, the regionals).
My biggest complaint is not the pay: I knew what I was getting into. Nor is it that my upgrade time as greatly increased (my company does not drive the economy). My complaint is that my company treats me like a brain dead child, something none of my previous employers have done. Oh well, I'll stay here for a while (I am still eating and paying the bills), but the second a job comes along that better meets my needs, I will jump ship.... but I will still be flying.
If you want to be a family man (or woman) who wants to be there for all of lil' Johnny's B-days, soccer games, holidays, etc. most jobs in aviation prohibit it, as will long haul trucking, the military, or working on an Alaskan fishing boat.
If you rack up $200k debt to get a $20k job, it will take a very long time to get out of debt (think 20 year mortgage).
If you make a job out of your hobby, your hobby will become work (no longer much fun).
On the other hand:
If you are single (like me), want to stay single (me again), or at least don't want to be joined at the hip to your family, being away is far less painful.
If you can get your tickets without gaining a ton of debt, $20k is livable if you can live in a cheap city (especially if you can live in a cheap base) and drive an older car.
While my love affair with flying has ebbed somewhat, now that I have a little seniority and have found a niche that I like, flying still beats digging ditches.
I think the problem many of the new complainers have is their vision of a "pilot's life" were unrealistic. Kinda like the folks I worked with in the Navy who took the word of the recruiter as gospel. The older complainers (15 plus years) are saying the same sort of things the autoworkers, steal workers, and other heavy industry workers are saying: "We helped build the company, we gave back to keep the company afloat, management asks for more, and we see more of our work outsourced" (in aviation, the regionals).
My biggest complaint is not the pay: I knew what I was getting into. Nor is it that my upgrade time as greatly increased (my company does not drive the economy). My complaint is that my company treats me like a brain dead child, something none of my previous employers have done. Oh well, I'll stay here for a while (I am still eating and paying the bills), but the second a job comes along that better meets my needs, I will jump ship.... but I will still be flying.
Well said.
In the work force one must realize that they are a number and not a person. If you work for someone it is to make them money. You get a little bit of the rewards by getting paid.
Everyday you got to work you are flying a plane instead of digging ditched and turning wrenches you are flying..
Last edited by tomderekc; 11-08-2009 at 02:27 PM. Reason: added to
01-19-2010, 02:49 PM
#35
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2007
Position: 744 CA
Posts: 4,772
Now for those that are smart the new model looks like this, DONT CFI, FLY JUMPERs, find a dropzone with a C182, get to 1000 hours in that, do what ever it takes to let them let you fly it, even if you gotta learn to pack and do that to start. After 1000 hours if your dropzone does not have a turbine, go fly at a 182 op with turbines, once you get 1200-1500 hours get checked out in the turbine, now get turbine time, once you have another 1000 hours of turbine time, get corporate job in kingair, keep getting corporate time, find good job in corporate flying as pic, make solid money by 30, be happy
as to the OP.... if its what you want to do... jump in.... but do so with your eyes wide open.
01-19-2010, 06:50 PM
#36
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Aug 2008
Position: forever fo
Posts: 2,413
Ya but how many have 500+ hours of KA90 time? There cant be that many because I constantly see ADS for places hiring pilots for KA90s but with x amount of hours in type, so either im missing something or you are.
01-20-2010, 05:25 AM
#39
Flying Farmer
Joined APC: Jul 2006
Position: Turbo-props' and John Deere's
Posts: 3,160
Right or left seat? Right seat that would be high, but left seat I would say it depends on your company and locale, potentially $35,000 as a first year salary and goes up to $50,000 within 2 since your Time in Type and PIC time should be high enough for the insurance. I don't have access to NBAA numbers though.
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