Quote:
Originally Posted by romad
One: airline pilots are still one of the highest paid professions
Two : for the rest of us Flying and Porsche's and or racing are exclusive. Generally you chose one or the other.
Three: Not many of these airline pilots (and I know many)*****ing about the current state of the profession would ever quit.
Four: Its going to be a couple of more generations that would board a aircraft with out a pilot.
Five: Regardless of now ****ty they think its getting, it is still the best job in the world ( for those of us with that inkling) and they know it. I'll change places with you in a heart beat.
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Yeah, I was a tad pessimistic in my first post. It is a great job and the stews are one of the bright points of the day. The camaraderie of a crew is one of my favorite things. 33% pay cut in 2005 was a shock but luckily my wife and I save money and don't live extravagantly. The pay cut came in large part from stupid, arrogant union leadership--part of the way pilots make life harder on themselves than it need be. Oh, and airline pilots don't up and quit because yes, it is a often good job once you get away from all the bulls*it (get up in the air), but also because we have too much invested in the job and narrow skillsets to walk away and do something else. (If I could walk into Goldman-Sachs and start stealing money and getting away with it I would!) Lastly, I tell grumpy captains that there are thousands of guys who would slit our throats in a dark alley to get into our seats and that usually shuts-up old grumpy-ass. Most airline captains are grumpy because they think of themselves as CEOs but know they are actually labor.
So if the OP wants to pursue a career in the airlines then go for it. Aside from the stuff we can all complain about it's a great job. Just don't get the idea that it's like it was 15 years or 30 years ago. Those days are gone. My advice? Save your money. Marry one woman and stay with her. Don't make the "million dollar mistake" and leave your wife for a stew you slept with on a layover. One of those women is going to get all your money so make sure it's worth it.
As for the freight haulers, I hear they are working hard on automating the flight deck. Cargo will fly without pilots up front, people probably won't. Keep that in mind when you apply to FedEx and UPS.
Over and out.