Don't Follow Your Passion
10-13-2015, 08:19 PM
#261
On Reserve
Joined APC: Oct 2015
Position: C152 CAPTAIN
Posts: 14
If you are pursuing aviation, JUST because you think it is an easy gig or guarantees you high pay and a great QOL down the road, get out now.
I have to ask, did you ever have a passion for aviation or a real desire to fly? Is someone expecting you to do this for a living? Airline pilot is no longer a great job, it is a job of which you may get the chance to get good pay, and a lot of time off, or you very well may not. Over half of all domestic flights are flown by regionals. All of the regional airlines are a far cry from being even close to a job at the majors or even carriers like JetBlue or Virgin. Ask yourself, do people pursue a career in major league sports without having a passion for it? That is the kind of gamble you are taking. This career is dependent on so many factors out of your control: oil prices, war, economy, bankruptcy, whipsaw, union, mergers, your health, your aptitude, and things like your ability to live meagerly (for perhaps years), desire to have a family etc. In a word SACRIFICE, this career demands it to often a high level. Putting off buying a new car, eating a decent meal, accepting poor housing, inability to buy a house, to start a family, keep a girlfriend, see friends and family, esp. on holidays, not to mention the financial outlay are part of the life.
Just quit now, if you don't really have the passion for it. Don't throw away good money after bad; cut your losses. Otherwise, you'll quit later after a lot of regret and wasted money.
I have to ask, did you ever have a passion for aviation or a real desire to fly? Is someone expecting you to do this for a living? Airline pilot is no longer a great job, it is a job of which you may get the chance to get good pay, and a lot of time off, or you very well may not. Over half of all domestic flights are flown by regionals. All of the regional airlines are a far cry from being even close to a job at the majors or even carriers like JetBlue or Virgin. Ask yourself, do people pursue a career in major league sports without having a passion for it? That is the kind of gamble you are taking. This career is dependent on so many factors out of your control: oil prices, war, economy, bankruptcy, whipsaw, union, mergers, your health, your aptitude, and things like your ability to live meagerly (for perhaps years), desire to have a family etc. In a word SACRIFICE, this career demands it to often a high level. Putting off buying a new car, eating a decent meal, accepting poor housing, inability to buy a house, to start a family, keep a girlfriend, see friends and family, esp. on holidays, not to mention the financial outlay are part of the life.
Just quit now, if you don't really have the passion for it. Don't throw away good money after bad; cut your losses. Otherwise, you'll quit later after a lot of regret and wasted money.
02-27-2015, 06:07 PM #110 (permalink) bedrock
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2012
Position: ERJ, CA
Posts: 587
The fact that pilot's wages are lower is just an indicator in the slip of the dollar. A family in the US used to be able to survive on one income, that is rare these days. Massive inflation caused by bad policy has destroyed the old living standard, now our living std is just based on debt. The regional game has made it purposefully very difficult to get ahead, they bankrupt airlines to cut labor costs, and lack of job mobility exacerbates the problem. The longer the majors can keep you poorly paid at a regional, the better it is for them. ALPA goes along with this. The airline career, like no other, is largely out of the control of the participants. If you get in at the right time, IF you can upgrade, IF your airline doesn't go bankrupt, IF your (regional) doesn't lose the contract(s), IF your health stays good, IF there isn't a major crisis somewhere, IF you don't get furloughed, IF, IF, IF. In other fields, you can actually quit and find another job w/o taking such a huge loss, and have more control over your advancement and schedule.
So for someone who put up with the BS for a certain amount of time, then realized the cons weren't worth it, is he wrong to state so? Barry Schiff, Sully and other notables have even said they wouldn't recommend the career anymore.
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I think this is by far the most accurate description of the industry currently. There have been talks year after year about the USDollar losing its position as the world reserve currency, Hyper inflation, due to quantitative easing (printing trillions of dollars, borrowing money from China), WW3, etc.
Bedrock, I'm sure you have extensive pic turbine time... You are marketable for majors overseas, (and double the pay) if sh*t hit's the fan here in the US. As for the newbies like myself.. I feel like this and next year might be my last chance to squeeze in, if it isn't already too late.
10-13-2015, 08:29 PM
#262
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2012
Position: ERJ, CA
Posts: 718
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02-27-2015, 06:07 PM #110 (permalink) bedrock
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2012
Position: ERJ, CA
Posts: 587
The fact that pilot's wages are lower is just an indicator in the slip of the dollar. A family in the US used to be able to survive on one income, that is rare these days. Massive inflation caused by bad policy has destroyed the old living standard, now our living std is just based on debt. The regional game has made it purposefully very difficult to get ahead, they bankrupt airlines to cut labor costs, and lack of job mobility exacerbates the problem. The longer the majors can keep you poorly paid at a regional, the better it is for them. ALPA goes along with this. The airline career, like no other, is largely out of the control of the participants. If you get in at the right time, IF you can upgrade, IF your airline doesn't go bankrupt, IF your (regional) doesn't lose the contract(s), IF your health stays good, IF there isn't a major crisis somewhere, IF you don't get furloughed, IF, IF, IF. In other fields, you can actually quit and find another job w/o taking such a huge loss, and have more control over your advancement and schedule.
So for someone who put up with the BS for a certain amount of time, then realized the cons weren't worth it, is he wrong to state so? Barry Schiff, Sully and other notables have even said they wouldn't recommend the career anymore.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I think this is by far the most accurate description of the industry currently. There have been talks year after year about the USDollar losing its position as the world reserve currency, Hyper inflation, due to quantitative easing (printing trillions of dollars, borrowing money from China), WW3, etc.
Bedrock, I'm sure you have extensive pic turbine time... You are marketable for majors overseas, (and double the pay) if sh*t hit's the fan here in the US. As for the newbies like myself.. I feel like this and next year might be my last chance to squeeze in, if it isn't already too late.
02-27-2015, 06:07 PM #110 (permalink) bedrock
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2012
Position: ERJ, CA
Posts: 587
The fact that pilot's wages are lower is just an indicator in the slip of the dollar. A family in the US used to be able to survive on one income, that is rare these days. Massive inflation caused by bad policy has destroyed the old living standard, now our living std is just based on debt. The regional game has made it purposefully very difficult to get ahead, they bankrupt airlines to cut labor costs, and lack of job mobility exacerbates the problem. The longer the majors can keep you poorly paid at a regional, the better it is for them. ALPA goes along with this. The airline career, like no other, is largely out of the control of the participants. If you get in at the right time, IF you can upgrade, IF your airline doesn't go bankrupt, IF your (regional) doesn't lose the contract(s), IF your health stays good, IF there isn't a major crisis somewhere, IF you don't get furloughed, IF, IF, IF. In other fields, you can actually quit and find another job w/o taking such a huge loss, and have more control over your advancement and schedule.
So for someone who put up with the BS for a certain amount of time, then realized the cons weren't worth it, is he wrong to state so? Barry Schiff, Sully and other notables have even said they wouldn't recommend the career anymore.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I think this is by far the most accurate description of the industry currently. There have been talks year after year about the USDollar losing its position as the world reserve currency, Hyper inflation, due to quantitative easing (printing trillions of dollars, borrowing money from China), WW3, etc.
Bedrock, I'm sure you have extensive pic turbine time... You are marketable for majors overseas, (and double the pay) if sh*t hit's the fan here in the US. As for the newbies like myself.. I feel like this and next year might be my last chance to squeeze in, if it isn't already too late.
10-13-2015, 09:01 PM
#263
Banned
Joined APC: Jan 2015
Posts: 516
That's ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous.
What required milestones? Have you ever worked in aviation outside of an airline? There are many more ways to make a living in the cockpit, than in an airline seat, and many more ways to gain aeronautical experience.
"Rich kids" may have an initial advantage in finding funding, but after that, it's up to each person to make their way, and it becomes a matter of personal initiative and hard work.
In this industry, no one owes you a living.
What required milestones? Have you ever worked in aviation outside of an airline? There are many more ways to make a living in the cockpit, than in an airline seat, and many more ways to gain aeronautical experience.
"Rich kids" may have an initial advantage in finding funding, but after that, it's up to each person to make their way, and it becomes a matter of personal initiative and hard work.
In this industry, no one owes you a living.
10-14-2015, 02:30 AM
#264
Disinterested Third Party
Joined APC: Jun 2012
Posts: 6,261
Not enough flying jobs for everyone? Really?
Career outcomes? You're at the end of your career or well enough established to be able to look back and say that?
Few jobs pay well enough? How do you know that?
If you don't like an aviation job and it doesn't pay well enough, then why take it? Take a different one. There are a lot of jobs.
We can see how well quitting benefitted skyhigh, the resident martyr. He quit, and now returns for years on end to to moan and wail about his departure. That's success, if ever there was one, right?
10-15-2015, 06:46 PM
#265
Banned
Joined APC: Mar 2014
Position: C-152, Left
Posts: 70
I thought this next decade was gonna be one of the best times to get into the airline industry??? That's not why I chose aviation as a career, I chose it because I really like to travel, planes really fascinate me and I've never felt this way about an career before. I just have my doubts about it because I keep hearing from everyone on the forums that this career is a death trap unless you like to fly for 24 hours a day non-stop. I mean what other career options are there in the aviation industry besides an airline pilot that pay well? I also here that countries over seas pay airline pilots like triple what us pilots make. Is it possible to work thee for 5 years to build time and then come back to the US and get on with a major? Just wondering.
10-15-2015, 09:14 PM
#266
Disinterested Third Party
Joined APC: Jun 2012
Posts: 6,261
If you're hearing everyone complain about the industry and about the job, you may be listening to the wrong people.
10-16-2015, 06:36 AM
#267
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2009
Position: Airbus 319/320 Captain
Posts: 880
I see that the FAA is going to require more controller's in the near future, perhaps this will be a field to consider? Have the Federal benefits suffered any decline in the last few year's or have they remained relatively untouched?
10-16-2015, 01:13 PM
#268
Banned
Joined APC: Mar 2014
Position: C-152, Left
Posts: 70
There are numerous other avenues in a flying career other than the airlines. Certain utility flying pays well, as does a good corporate job. Fractional operators are another avenue alternate to the airlines. Certain government contract work pays well, too.
If you're hearing everyone complain about the industry and about the job, you may be listening to the wrong people.
If you're hearing everyone complain about the industry and about the job, you may be listening to the wrong people.
10-16-2015, 03:23 PM
#269
Disinterested Third Party
Joined APC: Jun 2012
Posts: 6,261
No kidding all I ever freakin see on this forum is how bad an airline career is, I have yet to see one positive comment about being a pilot. I mean for goodness sake!!! There are plenty of jobs worse than being a regional pilot! And once you move up to the majors it sounds like a pretty good lifestyle. Free travel, decent to great salary, get to the see the world from 30,000 feet, and you get to fly a 737! What's better?!? Enough of the complaining!
Regionals are an entry level job which is an extended, longer term job for many. There are a lot who went to the regionals, thinking it would slingshot them into a 737, and there they still are, ten or more years later. Had they sought experience rather than the fast track, they might be more marketable, but with one job and one kind of flying behind them, they have become a cookie cutter dime-a-dozen model. To some extent, we all are.
It's good to broaden horizons. Keep an open mind when it comes to avenues in this business. Locking one's self into a singular model, aiming for a solitary goal without any consideration for other paths or directions, works for some, but in my opinion, is unwise.
Passion for the industry is very nearly as essential motivation to press through; those who lack it are the ones doing the complaining. Bear in mind that many of them would be complaining if they were poolside, paid to be there, with a plethora of scantily clad servants attending their every whim. Some people are never satisfied, and in the day of gotta-have-it-all-right-now, impatient, too.
10-16-2015, 05:16 PM
#270
Banned
Joined APC: Mar 2014
Position: C-152, Left
Posts: 70
You may or may not ever move into a major airline.
Regionals are an entry level job which is an extended, longer term job for many. There are a lot who went to the regionals, thinking it would slingshot them into a 737, and there they still are, ten or more years later. Had they sought experience rather than the fast track, they might be more marketable, but with one job and one kind of flying behind them, they have become a cookie cutter dime-a-dozen model. To some extent, we all are.
It's good to broaden horizons. Keep an open mind when it comes to avenues in this business. Locking one's self into a singular model, aiming for a solitary goal without any consideration for other paths or directions, works for some, but in my opinion, is unwise.
Passion for the industry is very nearly as essential motivation to press through; those who lack it are the ones doing the complaining. Bear in mind that many of them would be complaining if they were poolside, paid to be there, with a plethora of scantily clad servants attending their every whim. Some people are never satisfied, and in the day of gotta-have-it-all-right-now, impatient, too.
Regionals are an entry level job which is an extended, longer term job for many. There are a lot who went to the regionals, thinking it would slingshot them into a 737, and there they still are, ten or more years later. Had they sought experience rather than the fast track, they might be more marketable, but with one job and one kind of flying behind them, they have become a cookie cutter dime-a-dozen model. To some extent, we all are.
It's good to broaden horizons. Keep an open mind when it comes to avenues in this business. Locking one's self into a singular model, aiming for a solitary goal without any consideration for other paths or directions, works for some, but in my opinion, is unwise.
Passion for the industry is very nearly as essential motivation to press through; those who lack it are the ones doing the complaining. Bear in mind that many of them would be complaining if they were poolside, paid to be there, with a plethora of scantily clad servants attending their every whim. Some people are never satisfied, and in the day of gotta-have-it-all-right-now, impatient, too.
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