Originally Posted by Porsche-O-Phile (Post 4665500)

I made just barely over $20k a year for flying cargo (usually sacks full of bank checks and cash for ATM deposits, as well as UPS feeder stuff). This was for being up before dawn every single day, out there in the weather (rain, sleet, cold, whatever) to preflight, load my own cargo and fly off to some god-foresaken corner of the world, then sit around there all day in some dumpy hotel or crappy company apartment, and in the evening do the opposite route finally getting home at about 9 or 10 at night, only a few hours before having to be back at the airport to do it again.

Often the flights were single-pilot IFR, in nasty conditions, in dilapidated, 40+ year old airplanes with torn seats, beat-up avionics and many, many cycles on them.

However, it was also the best job I ever had. I'd do it again in a heartbeat, because I loved the flying. Unfortunately the love of flying affords sleazeball businesses with a "carrot" to manipulate people with - exactly what happened to me and what happens to many others. The line they spew is, "think of all the valuable experience you're getting - that has a value that you should consider in addition to what your [meager] paycheck is..."

Yes, it's a stinkload of B.S. But there are people (like me) that will line up around the block for the opportunity because we LOVE TO FLY. I used to say (and still do) that a bad day flying was better than the best day sitting in an office somewhere. There are a lot of people who believe that and it allows the carriers to lowball their pilots and be "carrot danglers". The "carrot" is the promise of "someday" making it into the left seat of that commercial jet with the six-figure paycheck and the 10-day-a-month flight schedule because of all the "valuable experience" you're getting by eating turd sandwiches and working for less than an In-n-Out Burger employee today.

Most guys never make it that far. It's a tough, gritty, dirty, sleazy industry. But a lot of us put up with it because we LOVE TO FLY.

I will do it again in a heartbeat. Gladly. So maybe I'm the problem. Or maybe the industry's eagerness to exploit my enthusiasm is the problem. Or maybe both.

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy (Post 4665551)

Doctors are paid well because their profession requires constant training, has high stress, little room for error, and can involve life or death decisions. Pilots should receive the same respect. A bad doctor could potentially kill one person. A bad pilot could potentially kill 400+.

Jeff, I can't think of a better way to make a living. If I didn't have a family, I would seriously consider flying as a career.

Originally Posted by jyl (Post 4665698)

I think there is a demand/supply and economic aspect to this too.

Doctors have to go through college, then med school, then residency, then pass boards, this takes a decade or more of training (10-12 yrs?) and an investment of hundreds of thousands of dollars ($200-300K?), and I imagine a lot of the process is exhausting and mind-numbing. A pilot can do a couple years of flight school and be at least minimally qualified enough to reach for the first rung of the ladder (maybe it shouldn't be that way, but judging from this Colgan pilot, apparently it is). So the supply of doctors is more restricted than the supply of pilots. (Not a knock on pilots, I can hardly think of any profession with entry barriers like doctors.)

Further, doctors work in a very profitable industry, healthcare is growing more and has more pricing power than any other major economic sector. Airlines are just the opposite. So the economics that support doctor's wages are very different that that which supports pilots.

I'm neither a doctor nor a pilot, so sorry and please correct me if I'm mistating the situation.

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy (Post 4665596)

There's a HUGE push to simplify the cockpit and automate systems to reduce pilot workload, therefore increasing his focus on flying the plane. Dark cockpits, increased focus on ergonomics/human factors, system automation, it's all with the goal of making flying easier and safer. Here's one of our single pilot jets (a bit simpler than a WWII fighter;)).

http://www.flightglobal.com/airspace...er-cockpit.jpg

Pilatus PC-12NG interior (very nice) that was designed with help from BMW Designworks:
http://planesmart.com/clientuploads/...NG-25small.jpg

Originally Posted by 450knotOffice (Post 4666269)

Well heck, if you're going to show me yours, I'll show you mine. :p (which variant of Lear is that, btw?)

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1242434420.jpg

Originally Posted by oldschoollear (Post 4666277)

What "ram horned" beauty is that?

Originally Posted by old man neri (Post 4666315)

I am going to take a guess from what is written on the dash that it's an ERJ-140.

Originally Posted by oldschoollear (Post 4666277)

What "ram horned" beauty is that?

Originally Posted by Embraer (Post 4666336)

we call 'em pig tails! :eek:

Originally Posted by oldschoollear (Post 4666277)

What "ram horned" beauty is that?

Originally Posted by Snapper33 (Post 4666345)

Junglejet..........

Here's my old good time machine....

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1242436623.jpg

Originally Posted by oldschoollear (Post 4666354)

I have zero clue what that is, but it looks fun.

Originally Posted by Rikao4 (Post 4665675)

I had the privilege of being a crew-member with Helo Pilots that had 'it'
when your dangling below the Helo..
you got to trust them..
I did...
do it again in a heartbeat..

you don't strap in..you strap it on

Rika

Originally Posted by m21sniper (Post 4666387)

My sister was a Blackhawk medevac pilot in Iraq and Astan as well.