Mrsmith42e

Stap Weining girlyman!

I am in the Air Force stuck in a cublicle. I cant even quit my job to go and follow my passion and fly due to my commitment to the Air Force. You can ALWAYS quit your job! I cant or I go to jail!

Plus, there are tons of opportunities in aviation. Just look for them!

cbire880

I like what I do. I don't like the headaches, but having done other forms of work that supposedly pays well, I can say that no matter where you go there will be frustrations with pay and management. My biggest fear and complaint with this industry is that nasty effect of our seniority system. If you lose your job, you go back to the bottom with respect to pay and schedule. If I lost my engineering job at Boeing, there is a good chance I would have landed another job paying similar or more (for my experience gained at the last job). In this world, none of that experience matters. That is what scares me. I see where you are coming from SAAB.

JoeyMeatballs

I appreciate the insight of a guy with your experience. I am going to ask my girlfriend of 5 years to marry me soon, and the thing is we talk about all these plans, and the future, and in the back of my head I am thinking "Sweety for all you know I could be an F/O at another regional, making 20k or even be without a job when our first kid comes, and here we are talking about private vs public school". My girlfriend makes a lot of money, but I don't want to be the bum husband ya know?

and to the comments about entry level jobs, here in the NYC Metro area, you can get a sales/marketing job with your personality alone, making way more to start then any regional guy out there. I just feel like I am wasting my talent sometimes. I am very personable and know if I worked for a corporation I would bust my A** and move up within the company, or with another company, (all under your control) each time making more and more money. In the airlines (WE HAVE ALL WITNESSED THIS), It does not matter how good of a person/pilot you are), your Seniority dictates everything. Look at the SCABS at CAL, or I know here at Express, there are a few pilots that literally banged a wingtip with a 10kt crosswind, and guess what???????????? They are over at CAL now..........

Just figured I would throw this stuff out there for discussion the more guys I talk to/fly with share the same feelings, Interested in what you guys thought

Airborne

Saab-
I feel your pain, we all have had those same thoughts at one time or another. I appreciate your honesty, the truth for many of us is that if we could all go back in time maybe many of us would have taken a different career path. It will get worse before it gets better but maybe after a coup;e more years the sun will shine through on this industry for all. Currently though, yep, would not recommend this career to any one.

BoredwLife

HOLY CRAP ARE WE TWINS!?!! Its like looking in a mirror. Been at a regional now for about 3 years. Just got engaged to my girlfriend of 5 years. Minus the fact that mine makes crap for money its kind of weird.

Timmay

I can't wait to be the bum husband. My wife finishes up her nursing degree in the fall. I told her from then on, the family's income is on her, I'm just going to work for the flight benefits, haha!

SharkAir

My wife is almost done with her teaching credential. Soon I can drop my schedule down and start working the ramp for UPS. Maybe.

reevesofskyking

my wife makes me look like a bum too.

But this is one of the reasons I try not to ***** too much about my life.
we bought our house in college, our debt we do have is very well managed.
she makes life at a regional liveable.

I do feel for some that cannot afford first year pay by themselves. I for one could not have done it without my wife.

But that is how QOL goes for two different people within the same company though.

Reeves

SPDBOILER

So I guess this is the thread that we all **** and moan about our choices. I just got off a 16 hour duty day waiting out a line of thunderstorms...in a Shorts you can blast through and take your chances(I'm too old for that stupidity) or you can wait and make a long day longer(still think I'm too old for that stupidty). Yes I am a low time pilot flying cargo in a Shorts. Been doing it for 4 months. Strange thing is I had a pretty good sales job, worked for a company for ten years making good money(not great but good) and working about 30 hours a week(included time spent at bars or golf courses with customers). For some reason I decided to quit and get a job flying. Guess I was bored. Not bored anymore. Tired, underpaid, and treated like a dog by my company. Why do any of us choose this profession? Guess I'm not too old for stupidity.

SharkAir

For what it's worth, I'm generally happy. I'm cognizant of reality, and that tempers the happiness somewhat, but overall I can't complain.