Aviation MegaThread!!!!

[Flying-D]

I've certainly seen what both of these guys are saying. I've often thanked doG that I went into ATC, even though for years afterward I still considered going into the cockpit. Furloughs, layoffs, decreased benfits, retirements stripped away...I have lots of friends who have suffered through one or all of these things.

...and honestly, ATC isn't what it used to be either. The good news is that if you're only marginally capable, you can make a career out of it, since we now are more concerned with controllers feeling good about themselves rather than keep the system operating efficiently.

Aviation as a whole just ain't what it used to be, or what it looks like from the outside looking in...

[Beamer Pilot]

Originally Posted by Flying-D

I've certainly seen what both of these guys are saying. I've often thanked doG that I went into ATC, even though for years afterward I still considered going into the cockpit. Furloughs, layoffs, decreased benfits, retirements stripped away...I have lots of friends who have suffered through one or all of these things.

...and honestly, ATC isn't what it used to be either. The good news is that if you're only marginally capable, you can make a career out of it, since we now are more concerned with controllers feeling good about themselves rather than keep the system operating efficiently.

Aviation as a whole just ain't what it used to be, or what it looks like from the outside looking in...

Were you part of that massive firing a few years back; if so must have been a real downer!!!

And regarding flying jobs, I also hold a valid Instructor Rating. I trained my daughter under the condition that she would put a degree of some sort on the wall and not follow in the family footsteps, not to mention that even today women have it really rough on the flight deck...no matter what you hear about job equality and sexual harassment. And guess what most F/As will hate your guts!
Also remember that your job depends partially on the praps or reviews you get from the Captains you fly with whether you are competent or not is not necessarily the issue. The saying "I'll take the ugly one Captain" comes to mind. Kiss ass and get along is part of the routine.
Did I mention check rides every six months…Fail too many times and back to charter flying you go.
Your doctor comes out of university and never has to re-qualify yet routinely holds your life in his hands…
Done for now!

[Heyload]

Originally Posted by Beamer Pilot

Were you part of that massive firing a few years back; if so must have been a real downer!!!

And regarding flying jobs, I also hold a valid Instructor Rating. I trained my daughter under the condition that she would put a degree of some sort on the wall and not follow in the family footsteps, not to mention that even today women have it really rough on the flight deck...no matter what you hear about job equality and sexual harassment. And guess what most F/As will hate your guts!
Also remember that your job depends partially on the praps or reviews you get from the Captains you fly with whether you are competent or not is not necessarily the issue. The saying "I'll take the ugly one Captain" comes to mind. Kiss ass and get along is part of the routine.
Did I mention check rides every six months…Fail too many times and back to charter flying you go.
Your doctor comes out of university and never has to re-qualify yet routinely holds your life in his hands…
Done for now!

I'll add that you always have the thought that you are one flight physical away from ending your career, too.

[Beamer Pilot]

Originally Posted by Heyload

I'll add that you are always have the thought that you are one flight physical away from ending your career, too.

Totally, a critical point that I missed...given the fact that I have seen more than a few pilots change careers over blood pressure.

[Flying-D]

Originally Posted by Heyload

I'll add that you always have the thought that you are one flight physical away from ending your career, too.

Amen! I never really thought about it until I got to be in my forties, but I get pretty nervous these days (49 now). I've seen more than one controller end his career at the doctors office too...

[jackd]

Originally Posted by Beamer Pilot

Totally, a critical point that I missed...given the fact that I have seen more than a few pilots change careers over blood pressure.

Well boys, all is not lost - you can always go wrenching..... No physicals, and you only pee in a bottle when you hire on. We have one fellow who suffers from dementia who they are milking through till he retires in a few years. We just watch what he does closely and refuse to sign his work. I thought most pilots had loss of license insurance? I know of many pilots who have been off for various issues (heart attacks, cancer, mental collapses, etc.) who have returned to the line and have not suffered from loss of pay for the duration. The mechanics they hound back to full duties at the nearest opportunity - there's nothing like changing out main landing gears with a partially healed back injury....

[Beamer Pilot]

Originally Posted by jackd

Well boys, all is not lost - you can always go wrenching..... No physicals, and you only pee in a bottle when you hire on. We have one fellow who suffers from dementia who they are milking through till he retires in a few years. We just watch what he does closely and refuse to sign his work. I thought most pilots had loss of license insurance? I know of many pilots who have been off for various issues (heart attacks, cancer, mental collapses, etc.) who have returned to the line and have not suffered from loss of pay for the duration. The mechanics they hound back to full duties at the nearest opportunity - there's nothing like changing out main landing gears with a partially healed back injury....

Go wrenching…Go wrenching…Never.
Got kicked out of the hangar by Roger Guay the chief engineer as soon as he found out I was a pilot, threw a broom at me after he overheard my conversation with Tim the chief pilot over finishing my AME (A&P in your world I guess) before taking the pilot position on the L19 on remote sensing. The broom Roger said would be the only thing I would ever work on in his hangar. God rest his soul. Seemed like every pilot he trained left as soon as licensed
.
Went flying…did manage to lose a “bird” (remote antennae on a wire that flies behind the a/c, the operator in the back seat reels it in up to the cradle located on the belly) in the trees a week later, C/P then asked how I liked wrenching in case I lost another bird…
End of wrenching career and not about to try again…

OK boring…more pictures please…!!!

[jackd]

No, I'm an AME....

I've seen the full range of treatment to pilots by engineers and vice versa. There's only a few of the former that I have no time for - the majority are non egotistical good guys. I tend to tease them to cut the tension and they have known me for many years of working together. I hate to say it, but I find pilots more entertaining and with it than mechanics. Oh I've had my fun in the industry but those days are getting fewer.

Bring on the pictures.

[vspeed]

Originally Posted by DakarNick

I applied at Sallie Mae for a loan to get my training through ATP (Airline Transport Professionals). Waiting to hear back.

The training is private through comm multi with CFIs and guarantee you a job as a CFI to gain hours for an airline career.

I just don't know if I can do the training (10 days a month) with my current job and then take a 50%+ hit on salary at the airlines.

I've been in the flying business since 1986. I'm one of the lucky ones who found their way to a major airline. I didn't take an easy or quick route to the job I have now, and nobody ever told me it would be easy (and it wasn't). Sure as hell nobody ever guaranteed me a job, much less a career. Luck and timing and economics play as large a part in the success of your flying career as anything else.

If you want to fly for a living you should go for it. It has to be a "calling" for you though. If you're doing it in hopes of big paychecks, glamour, prestige, impressing your friends, or any reason other than it's the only thing you've ever wanted to do, then you should save your money.

[Hardware02]

I looked hard at the industry a couple of times over the years. IMO, the closest to a "secure" career in aviation would be in the military. That has its own separate hockey-sock of issues...

[pwrtrippin]

Originally Posted by jackd

Well boys, all is not lost - you can always go wrenching..... No physicals, and you only pee in a bottle when you hire on. We have one fellow who suffers from dementia who they are milking through till he retires in a few years. We just watch what he does closely and refuse to sign his work. I thought most pilots had loss of license insurance? I know of many pilots who have been off for various issues (heart attacks, cancer, mental collapses, etc.) who have returned to the line and have not suffered from loss of pay for the duration. The mechanics they hound back to full duties at the nearest opportunity - there's nothing like changing out main landing gears with a partially healed back injury....

I do hear that.

[dorkpunch]

So anyways... Airplanes...



Sorry. Best I gots.

[pplassm]

And I like it. Not too many of us free-flighting anymore.

[The Other Allan]

Originally Posted by pplassm

And I like it. Not too many of us free-flighting anymore.

If you ever read the September, 2003 issue of Model Aviation, there is a story in there called, "The One That Got Away."

Somewhere east of Belgium, WI, there is a set of stainless steel wire landing gear at the bottom of Lake Michigan. That's probably all that is left of my 48" Wakefield FF.

[oldmanb777]

I' flying as capt for a major airline. Many of the first officers I fly with were capt's at their previous airline. The guy i'm flying this trip with actually flew the plane we flew yesterday, as a capt at the previous airline. Now he is starting over, again. Reserve duty etc. I've been there. Senority controls EVERYTHING in your life, so starting over is really bad. Imagine a lawyer or DR giving 20 yrs experience for new hire status and wages. I've watched as the airline carreer has gone down the toilet. The pilots have taken the biggest hit, but the techs have been butchered as well. I am also a an A&P/IA. So during the furloughs i worked as an A&P. I learned early in the 1980's that my future was in perrill. So we lived well under our means, and I always worked a second job. that way when mgt screwed up and i had to pay for it, i had something to fall back on. I actually have done better financially in realestate, and autos. So with the loss of my retirement, I still have built a nest egg. The lifestyle is a mixed bag. Looks good until you live it. I'm sitting here, in the middle of the night, can't sleep (body clock wrong) listenening to the elevator haul the drunks up form the bar under my room. They turned the music up about 10:00 pm to make sure i couldn't sleep. Guess i had better fumagate all my stuff when i get home, I just got bit by something I think wasn't a bed bug.
Missed many fo my kids birthdays, most Christmass, and Thanksgiving and other hollidays. Had to call in "well" to be at the graduation. Got nasty letter in my file for that. Sure is fun to get a check ride from a check pilot who didn't get laid last night, and plans to take it out on you. All while cuts in pay and bennefits are the normal order of the day. Oh and I love the diciplinary drug and achohol tests. Refuse to fly something you think is unsafe, and you get some of these, fly something that IS unsafe and the fines start at $10,000.

Rethink your future. If you put the same energy into something else, you could be the guy sitting in the back of the private jet, drinking a martini with the blond on your lap, instead of the guy schlepping unruly deadbeat drunks on thier freeby frequeint flyer miles. Oh by the way, when you use your miles, be nice to the staff @ the airline. Those miles were bennefits that the staff earned, and were promised to the staff by the airline, but givin to anybody they could get to take them.