Any airline pilots that still flies GA?

[hindsight2020]

this is my pet theory so take it for what it's worth. A lot of professional pilots make jack for money for a long time. Some make jack for money their entire working lives. as such, the proposition of PAYING for the privilege of breaking ground is viewed with hostility, to outright indignation, especially when they operate heavier and higher performing equipment at work.

Even when they do make some money, theyre so behind/burdened by a life built on the promise of future pay (after all, that trophy wife wasnt gonna wait for you to afford the lifestyle she wanted without the crutch of credit) that there isnt space in their mind for paying for flight even in a household that approaches or exceeds 250k. its a socioeconomic dynamic as much as a personal one.

i find the burnout argument specious as well, as monitoring an airliner is very procedure laden and canned acitivty, sanitized from much of the things that define flight at the light piston level. its simply not the same activity in the least. To me thats like saying im burnout of riding a boat on the weekends because im always driving my car to and from work on the week.

the day my job cures me from flying avocationally, is the day i quit my job. to each their own.

 

[455 Bravo Uniform]

@CC268 dont sell that plane unless you plan to not replace it or get something new/newish. You are working out the bugs and will have it how you want it soon (unless something unforeseen and huge comes up).

 

[CC268]

@CC268 dont sell that plane unless you plan to not replace it or get something new/newish. You are working out the bugs and will have it how you want it soon (unless something unforeseen and huge comes up).

It's been a complete nightmare...mechanically the plane has been great, but avionics wise it's been a **** show. The panel is very nice in terms of the layout. But the avionics themselves are old re-serviced (I guess the technical term is "serviceable") avionics. Two KX170Bs, old 201C VOR/LOC, 211C VOR/ILS, etc. So far my dad and I have replaced two attitude indicators, the bottom VOR/LOC (which we had to replace twice, because the first one they sent didn't work), the analog clock, and now the latest has been the top VOR/ILS that we just can't seem to fix. We bought a serviceable 214C VOR/ILS and it wasn't working at all when the avionics guy installed it yesterday. Now were wondering if it is a combination of both a bad KX170B and VOR/ILS indicator.

My dad and I have been trying to replace these old avionics with yet again cheap old avionics and I think we are starting to realize that it is causing more grief in the long run to do that. On the other hand it is tough to swallow the pill of putting 6-8k for new radio and indicator when the plane is only 30k. This is a rich man's hobby and we might be out of our league at this point. Sad to say, but it is the truth.

I could have had my instrument rating done back in December and it probably would have cost me less as well to just do it at the Part 61 school I did my PPL at. Oh well.

 

[CC268]

this is my pet theory so take it for what it's worth. A lot of professional pilots make jack for money for a long time. Some make jack for money their entire working lives. as such, the proposition of PAYING for the privilege of breaking ground is viewed with hostility, to outright indignation, especially when they operate heavier and higher performing equipment at work.

Even when they do make some money, theyre so behind/burdened by a life built on the promise of future pay (after all, that trophy wife wasnt gonna wait for you to afford the lifestyle she wanted without the crutch of credit) that there isnt space in their mind for paying for flight even in a household that approaches or exceeds 250k. its a socioeconomic dynamic as much as a personal one.

i find the burnout argument specious as well, as monitoring an airliner is very procedure laden and canned acitivty, sanitized from much of the things that define flight at the light piston level. its simply not the same activity in the least. To me thats like saying im burnout of riding a boat on the weekends because im always driving my car to and from work on the week.

the day my job cures me from flying avocationally, is the day i quit my job. to each their own.

Well you seem to have a pretty doom and gloom mentality towards airline pilots in general. I just wish I was you, cause you seem to have it all figured out. I have to admit it is posts like that, that make me think maybe I am better off sitting behind the corporate desk for the next 45 years. Hey, I'll enjoy my weekends I guess?

I guess I just don't by that broad stroke view...but hey who am I? Everyone likes to think they got it all figured out and if you don't follow their career path your a fool...

 

[Everskyward]

Years ago I lurked on some of the airline pilot forums. No way I would want to go to the airlines and end up sitting next to some of those people,

But it's probably not really like that. I'll never know, though.

 

[hindsight2020]

Well you seem to have a pretty doom and gloom mentality towards airline pilots in general. I just wish I was you, cause you seem to have it all figured out. I have to admit it is posts like that, that make me think maybe I am better off sitting behind the corporate desk for the next 45 years. Hey, I'll enjoy my weekends I guess?

I guess I just don't by that broad stroke view...but hey who am I? Everyone likes to think they got it all figured out and if you don't follow their career path your a fool...

spot getting all umbraged just because people say things you dont agree with or that you dont want to hear. i didnt make a single assertion to what i think you should do with your life. the scope of my comment dealt with why i think some pro pilots dont like to pay for their own airplanes, it is not an indictment on professional pilot work, or airline work. i couldnt care less if you become a professional pilot or not, and my comment doesnt deal with any of that in the first place. you re barking up the wrong tree.

 

[mscard88]

i find the burnout argument specious as well.

In my case, it was not the jet or the flying. Other things, management, regulations/SOPs, scheduling, etc. It was time to go.

 

[CC268]

spot getting all umbraged just because people say things you dont agree with or that you dont want to hear. i didnt make a single assertion to what i think you should do with your life. the scope of my comment dealt with why i think some pro pilots dont like to pay for their own airplanes, it is not an indictment on professional pilot work, or airline work. i couldnt care less if you become a professional pilot or not, and my comment doesnt deal with any of that in the first place. you re barking up the wrong tree.

Oh come on man...your posts about the airlines are always the same. I’ve even seen some of them over on APC (or maybe it was APF). I’m just saying that you do paint other careers with a rather large stroke of the brush. You have to admit that. It’s a rather easy thing for me to say all engineering is boring and sucks, but I choose not to because I know that isn’t always the case. I’m not trying to be confrontational, but not everyone will pursue the same career that you’ve chosen and not everyone that makes a career out of flying is doomed to crap pay, a divorce, and top ramen for dinner.

I have learned (although not always easy), that you have to take everyone’s word with a grain of salt. If I followed everyone’s advice I’d probably have no idea what to do.

 

[jordane93]

Living the dreammm...so how bad does your QOL go down when you become Captain? Do you commute?

I'm getting closer and closer to finishing up my ratings at ATP...just scared to make the jump ha

There’s going to be about 15 captains below me. Reserve for at least a year. I live in base so I don’t really care if I sit reserve. It’s not really an issue. I’ll be going from 15-22 days off to 12 days off. The reserve captains get used a lot also so I won’t be able to sit at home and collect a paycheck unfortunately. I’ll actually have to work lol.

 

[CC268]

There’s going to be about 15 captains below me. Reserve for at least a year. I live in base so I don’t really care if I sit reserve. It’s not really an issue. I’ll be going from 15-22 days off to 12 days off. The reserve captains get used a lot also so I won’t be able to sit at home and collect a paycheck unfortunately. I’ll actually have to work lol.

Sounds horrible...you ought to switch careers ASAP Something more traditional like ditch digging. Just kidding!

 

[jordane93]

I think this is really cool. I'm about to pull the trigger on a flying club that has a couple of 182s and a 172, and was thinking about getting back into instructing on a limited basis. Gotta hit the books and do a bunch of flying first though!

Yea it’s fun man! Go for it. Or you can find a rich guy who owns a brand new SR22 who lets you fly it whenever you want. Ask me how I know

 

[Everskyward]

In my case, it was not the jet or the flying. Other things, management, regulations/SOPs, scheduling, etc. It was time to go.

This. The company I worked for went from a mom and pop where the pilots had quite a bit of autonomy, to a micromanaged mini-airline; lots more rules and SOPs. Yes, I understand it was mostly in the name of safety. When I had the opportunity to gracefully exit, I did. I could have gone elsewhere, but the whole industry is going that way and I wanted my new and different life.

 

[jordane93]

Sounds horrible...you ought to switch careers ASAP Something more traditional like ditch digging. Just kidding!

It’s a tough life. I may consider using my economics degree haha

 

[kayoh190]

But it's probably not really like that. I'll never know, though.

It's definitely not. I mean there's gonna be the 2% at any airline that are going to be tough to fly with, but most are generally great, or at least not terrible.

 

[hindsight2020]

Oh come on man...your posts about the airlines are always the same. I’ve even seen some of them over on APC (or maybe it was APF). I’m just saying that you do paint other careers with a rather large stroke of the brush. You have to admit that. It’s a rather easy thing for me to say all engineering is boring and sucks, but I choose not to because I know that isn’t always the case. I’m not trying to be confrontational, but not everyone will pursue the same career that you’ve chosen and not everyone that makes a career out of flying is doomed to crap pay, a divorce, and top ramen for dinner.

.

Once again, the quoted above is your perception of my post; and im telling you i said no such thing. Stop misatributing an entire position to my posts just because i said something critical of airline work. i have zero dog on whether you get your current vocational frustrations appeased via airline work or not. i wasnt offering you career advice. But ill keep calling bs on you trying to paint me as the airline hater guy by misquoting and adding your own slant to my actual stated opinion, with that stalkery admission to lurking posts of mine in other forums.

Get this through your skull: i have never stated my vocational choices are the only legitimate way of going about profesional aviation. You said that, i didnt. Stop building straw men out of my posts and misrepresenting my position.

 

[Everskyward]

Maybe if you read what you wrote, you will see why some think you are critical of airlines, or at least of airline pilots.

Even when they do make some money, theyre so behind/burdened by a life built on the promise of future pay (after all, that trophy wife wasnt gonna wait for you to afford the lifestyle she wanted without the crutch of credit) that there isnt space in their mind for paying for flight even in a household that approaches or exceeds 250k. its a socioeconomic dynamic as much as a personal one.

I think the real answer is that airline pilots, as well as the population in general, have different views of the cost (and effort):fun ratio.

 

[CC268]

Once again, the quoted above is your perception of my post; and im telling you i said no such thing. Stop misatributing an entire position to my posts just because i said something critical of airline work. i have zero dog on whether you get your current vocational frustrations appeased via airline work or not. i wasnt offering you career advice. But ill keep calling bs on you trying to paint me as the airline hater guy by misquoting and adding your own slant to my actual stated opinion, with that stalkery admission to lurking posts of mine in other forums.

Get this through your skull: i have never stated my vocational choices are the only legitimate way of going about profesional aviation. You said that, i didnt. Stop building straw men out of my posts and misrepresenting my position.

In all honestly, I could sit here and quote post after post of yours that show this type of "perception" towards both engineering and flying professions. Maybe then you would have an inkling as to why I said what I did. That said, you obviously don't like those who share a difference of opinion. I'm sorry you feel that I have "misattributed" your posts, but it doesn't take much to read them for what they are (I think others would agree with me). In fact, I posted something over on APF several years ago (this was before I got my PPL) and I think you basically went off on the same airline rant (or it might have been an engineering rant actually). Whatever though - no hurt feelings. Everyone is entitled to an opinion.

I respect your opinion and maybe YOU ARE RIGHT - maybe the flying profession isn't what it is cracked up to be. I don't know. I don't have the first hand knowledge. But I think most around here would agree that the typical anti-airline banter (whether it comes from you or someone else) gets old. Just as it does for those of us who are working engineers (and I can agree with many of the points/opinions that you have made about the engineering profession).

I hope that we can move forward without anymore nasty posts.

 

[mscard88]

Ahh WTF needs those ****ing engineers anyway!

I kid!

 

[455 Bravo Uniform]

Well you seem to have a pretty doom and gloom mentality towards airline pilots in general. I just wish I was you, cause you seem to have it all figured out. I have to admit it is posts like that, that make me think maybe I am better off sitting behind the corporate desk for the next 45 years. Hey, I'll enjoy my weekends I guess?

I guess I just don't by that broad stroke view...but hey who am I? Everyone likes to think they got it all figured out and if you don't follow their career path your a fool...

I’m not in aviation as a career. But when I was your age (25 years ago), I made a career decision that I could have recovered from if it ended up being a turd. But I would likely not have an opportunity to take that turd-risk in the future if I didn’t take it then. Turned out it was a diamond. In your case, you can do the aviation career any time or possibly go back to engineering any time. So why not try it now while you’re excited about it? And I’m sure there are other roles in the airline industry other than pilot, should the pilot idea not work out. Broaden your horizons and see what’s out there.

 

[CC268]

I’m not in aviation as a career. But when I was your age (25 years ago), I made a career decision that I could have recovered from if it ended up being a turd. But I would likely not have an opportunity to take that turd-risk in the future if I didn’t take it then. Turned out it was a diamond. In your case, you can do the aviation career any time or possibly go back to engineering any time. So why not try it now while you’re excited about it? And I’m sure there are other roles in the airline industry other than pilot, should the pilot idea not work out. Broaden your horizons and see what’s out there.

Yea I definitely resonate with your post and agree with it. Original plan has been to pay for my ratings with my engineering salary...but of course it will take me longer to get the ratings done this way. But I wouldn’t have any debt. Other option is to take a loan and get it all done very quickly. I still haven’t decided how I want to go about it...but for now I’ve been sticking to the original plan. Now if we could just get our airplane avionics to cooperate...