Why did you become a pilot?
06-07-2012, 09:05 AM
#53
Self Employed.
Joined APC: May 2005
Position: Corporate Pilot
Posts: 7,119
I became a pilot
I became a pilot because they were highly paid respected professionals who lived at the very top of society along with doctors, executives and business owners. Pilots enjoyed lavish retirement plans and considerable time off to enjoy life. They were backed by strong unions that fought for the rights of each other and for the causes of everyone else in the industry. If the baggage handlers had an issue then so did the pilots.
It was a sacrifice to get there and in pilot school they told us that the job itself was a lifeless exchange of rote memorized repetitive actions, but that is why they earn so much. I imagine that being an accountant or dentist is similar. People did if for the significant return that was given in exchange for selling your best days to a company that appreciated and respected every professional on its payroll.
The lifestyle was great too. You can live anywhere. Bid Anchorage in the summers and Arizona in the winters. Commute in first class even with competitors because pilots all respected each other and their common profession. In my home town pilots drove the newest European cars to the country club and lived in the best neighborhoods. It was common for an airline pilot to take as much as three months off at a time for vacation. Their families lived exotic lives of world travel and adventure. When summer break was over the children of airline pilots commonly stunned the class with pictures from their summer travels of Greece and Germany.
Aside from that I was naturally good at flying. It was my calling. I never had to study. The information somehow stuck in my brain. All of my training was accomplished in the minimum time. I ever flunked a check ride and have a two inch thick pile of letters of recommendation from everyplace I have worked. I was blessed with 20/20 vision. A fit and handsome lad if I say so myself.
It was what I was meant to do. The life of an airline pilot is the ultimate of satisfaction that comes from the perfect union of natural ability, sacrifice and reward.
Skyhigh
It was a sacrifice to get there and in pilot school they told us that the job itself was a lifeless exchange of rote memorized repetitive actions, but that is why they earn so much. I imagine that being an accountant or dentist is similar. People did if for the significant return that was given in exchange for selling your best days to a company that appreciated and respected every professional on its payroll.
The lifestyle was great too. You can live anywhere. Bid Anchorage in the summers and Arizona in the winters. Commute in first class even with competitors because pilots all respected each other and their common profession. In my home town pilots drove the newest European cars to the country club and lived in the best neighborhoods. It was common for an airline pilot to take as much as three months off at a time for vacation. Their families lived exotic lives of world travel and adventure. When summer break was over the children of airline pilots commonly stunned the class with pictures from their summer travels of Greece and Germany.
Aside from that I was naturally good at flying. It was my calling. I never had to study. The information somehow stuck in my brain. All of my training was accomplished in the minimum time. I ever flunked a check ride and have a two inch thick pile of letters of recommendation from everyplace I have worked. I was blessed with 20/20 vision. A fit and handsome lad if I say so myself.
It was what I was meant to do. The life of an airline pilot is the ultimate of satisfaction that comes from the perfect union of natural ability, sacrifice and reward. Skyhigh
Last edited by SkyHigh; 06-07-2012 at 09:20 AM.
06-07-2012, 10:58 AM
#54
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2012
Position: Left Seat
Posts: 505
Everybody knows its about the motion in the ocean. 90 Percent of FBOS don't charge for papers. We have expense accounts for stuff like that if they want that on their flights. But thanks for sharing your "not so needed" comments.
06-07-2012, 02:32 PM
#55
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2009
Posts: 124
Back in my day being a pilot was the road to eventually becoming an astronaut. Never made it to orbit or the moon but found this incredible joy of being a pilot.
Started in the small stuff and retired from the majors and had fun flying every airplane I was in (except for checkrides).
To those complaining about pay and benefits: The world can be a lot tougher when outside of the life of an airline pilot. Someone posted about looking at your W2. A lot of people would be envious of that kind of money with that many days off.
Yes, I get that junior pilots or those flying for the commuters do not do that well. I was there at one time.
Started in the small stuff and retired from the majors and had fun flying every airplane I was in (except for checkrides).
To those complaining about pay and benefits: The world can be a lot tougher when outside of the life of an airline pilot. Someone posted about looking at your W2. A lot of people would be envious of that kind of money with that many days off.
Yes, I get that junior pilots or those flying for the commuters do not do that well. I was there at one time.
06-08-2012, 01:19 AM
#56
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Aug 2006
Position: Mostly Herks. Soon to be Guppys and FRED
Posts: 280
06-08-2012, 07:20 AM
#57
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2006
Position: 767A (Ret)
Posts: 6,248
06-09-2012, 08:16 AM
#58
Self Employed.
Joined APC: May 2005
Position: Corporate Pilot
Posts: 7,119
The master plan
My master plan to financial independence involved using my aviation career as a cash generator to fund a growing real estate portfolio. A career as an airline pilot was a perfect partner to those ends. Surplus income, more control over your life and the time off to work the real estate business. In addition banks love to see a generous W-2 along with assets and capital gains. Altogether it was a magnificent plan.
In actuality my ailing real estate portfolio ended up supporting my under performing aviation career. Flying was supposed to be a cash generator but became a financial anchor. In addition constant moves for the career made it difficult to get much real estate momentum going. Reserve made it nearly impossible to do much outside of sitting on the couch waiting for nothing to happen. Airline trips filled up the whole month with little time off. Ironically things were not going all that well until I was laid off after 9-11.
As it turns out all I had to do was to amputate the loosing part of the plan. I still miss that part, but it obviously was septic to my overall goals.
Goals: Family unity, financial independence and a better life than if I had stayed working at the gas station.
Skyhigh
In actuality my ailing real estate portfolio ended up supporting my under performing aviation career. Flying was supposed to be a cash generator but became a financial anchor. In addition constant moves for the career made it difficult to get much real estate momentum going. Reserve made it nearly impossible to do much outside of sitting on the couch waiting for nothing to happen. Airline trips filled up the whole month with little time off. Ironically things were not going all that well until I was laid off after 9-11.
As it turns out all I had to do was to amputate the loosing part of the plan. I still miss that part, but it obviously was septic to my overall goals.
Goals: Family unity, financial independence and a better life than if I had stayed working at the gas station.
Skyhigh
06-22-2012, 06:15 AM
#59
Self Employed.
Joined APC: May 2005
Position: Corporate Pilot
Posts: 7,119
Why fly?
In the 1970s a pilot could earn enough in a month to buy a new Cadillac. Today a new Cadillac costs around 50K that pencils out to 600K per year. Now that is why I spent so many wasted days as a CFI.
Skyhigh
Skyhigh
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