So you want to be an airline pilot..Not after watching this....

Sounds a little disgruntled, but hey I have 20 days off in Aug while making decent (granted, not wealthy) coin. Plus flying to good places and having a good time doing it.
 
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Rex Kramer said:
Sounds a little disgruntled, but hey I have 20 days off in Aug while making decent (granted, not wealthy) coin. Plus flying to good places and having a good time doing it.
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Sounds like me. But why am I considering giving it up for domestic?
 
Greg Bockelman said:
Sounds like me. But why am I considering giving it up for domestic?
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You must be f*cking crazy, that's why. They're going to have to use a crowbar to get me out of the 777.


:D


(or change the EWR flying :no:)
 
Thing is, I have been doing it for 16 years. Something is telling me it is time for a change.

Sad thing is, I will probably never be able to do as a Captain schedule wise what I am doing now as an FO.

Decisions, Decisions.
 
Greg, personally your gig sounds like it'd be interesting for a year or two and then be very boring. I'd go for the change.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
Greg, personally your gig sounds like it'd be interesting for a year or two and then be very boring. I'd go for the change.
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Are you looking for an adventure or looking for a schedule that keeps you home to watch your children grow up? I'll deal with BOM, DEL, HKG, NRT, PVG, PEK, TLV, SIN, FRA, and LHR if it means I'm home 20-24 days a month while providing for my family.

Believe me, there's plenty enough to do in those cities to keep you occupied. More entertaining than, say, eating at Subway in Omaha.

Just my opinion of course. The beauty of our airline and it's fleet/route structure is we have options. Can do a little bit of everything.
 
Rex Kramer said:
Are you looking for an adventure or looking for a schedule that keeps you home to watch your children grow up? I'll deal with BOM, DEL, HKG, NRT, PVG, PEK, TLV, SIN, FRA, and LHR if it means I'm home 20-24 days a month while providing for my family.

Believe me, there's plenty enough to do in those cities to keep you occupied. More entertaining than, say, eating at Subway in Omaha.

Just my opinion of course. The beauty of our airline and it's fleet/route structure is we have options. Can do a little bit of everything.
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Of course, and that's why I ultimately left my fun flying job to return to engineering and be home (almost) every night. Sounds like Greg's situation is a bit different there. I'm also looking at the boredom of the flight itself, and this is as someone who flies just as many hours in a day in a 310 instead of a 777. :)
 
Among the airport bums I hang out with are some ex and current line pilots. After hearing how their flying compares to what I was experiencing when I was active I think I made the right choice. Obviously my pay wasn't like the trans-oceanic big iron guys, but, as they say, variety is the spice of life. The variety of situations I got to experience were beyond price.
 
There's a lot of truth in the video. Is it all as bad, no. But it's closer to the truth than many professional pilots will admit.
 
Anyone listen to part 2 or 3. They are funnier then the first. I got a kick out of this as did my wife. This man needs to be a motivational speaker...lol..everyone would hang themself....ROFLMAO
 
Greg Bockelman said:
Sounds like me. But why am I considering giving it up for domestic?
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The variety? The money? :)

I am not an airline pilot but I have often gotten the "I would do your job for free" comment. Sure they would, for about a month.

I always tell prospective pilots that flying is going to be your JOB and if you approach it like that you will be less disappointed. There are good and bad points like any job. The main difference with the flying being that someone else is telling you to go and you can't refuse repeatedly unless there is a very good reason.
 
Everskyward said:
The variety? The money? :)

I am not an airline pilot but I have often gotten the "I would do your job for free" comment. Sure they would, for about a month.

I always tell prospective pilots that flying is going to be your JOB and if you approach it like that you will be less disappointed. There are good and bad points like any job. The main difference with the flying being that someone else is telling you to go and you can't refuse repeatedly unless there is a very good reason.
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My dad found the 6 months checks to be one of the less exciting parts of the job. It was interesting, one of my Dad's pilot friends at Pan Am said that he would pay to have his job as a Pan Am pilot, another of my Dad's fellow pilots said that he "hated" the job. Attitude and perspective can make a huge difference in whether or not you like your job. I think my Dad was somewhat in between his 2 friends as far as liking the job.
 
Warrior said:
My dad found the 6 months checks to be one of the less exciting parts of the job. It was interesting, one of my Dad's pilot friends at Pan Am said that he would pay to have his job as a Pan Am pilot, another of my Dad's fellow pilots said that he "hated" the job. Attitude and perspective can make a huge difference in whether or not you like your job. I think my Dad was somewhat in between his 2 friends as far as liking the job.
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One thing I will say about the checks is that when you or your company is paying the training center they are not trying to wash you out unless you are truly hopeless which may be different than the airlines. That's not to say you can't fail. I have seen people fail but they just get more training and come back the next day or maybe even the same session. I don't particularly like the checks but you get to know the people at the training center and they get to know you too. That's another thing I miss in a way.
 
The guy who made that original vid has some serious anger issues with the union. I have had significant issues with unions in the construction industry, on behalf of clients, but in the airline pilot context, I have a hard time seeing the industry succeed without them (and the presence of the unions in the marketplace still helps the pilots at the few non-represented carriers).

That said, I have an acquaintance who is a career guy with a substantial carrier, says the union can kiss his backside (his language was a little more colorful), but then again, his employer has two separate and completely independent seniority lists many years after a putative "merger." Maybe the *next* merger (pending) will fix everything... heh.

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Greg: If you go domestic, you'll become a reasonably senior Captain, right? What kind of schedule can you then hold, what domicile can you manage (is IAH available to you yet?) and, if you don't like the way it works out, you could easily go back to what you're doing now, couldn't you?
 
As a guy who has been on both sides of that fence for many years, I'm comfortable that the training folks are trying to accomplish the required training while making it as interesting and appropriate as possible for the trainees/

As with most IP's my first question when a crew arrived for recurrent training was "anything in particular you want to see this time or anywhere you want to train?" If a crew needs to concentrate on Gunnison, Aspen and Vail due to upcoming seasonal trips, there's no reason for me to set the sim at JFK.

Everskyward said:
One thing I will say about the checks is that when you or your company is paying the training center they are not trying to wash you out unless you are truly hopeless which may be different than the airlines. That's not to say you can't fail. I have seen people fail but they just get more training and come back the next day or maybe even the same session. I don't particularly like the checks but you get to know the people at the training center and they get to know you too. That's another thing I miss in a way.
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SCCutler said:
Greg: If you go domestic, you'll become a reasonably senior Captain, right? What kind of schedule can you then hold, what domicile can you manage (is IAH available to you yet?) and, if you don't like the way it works out, you could easily go back to what you're doing now, couldn't you?
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Those are questions I don't really have answers to yet. I am looking at the 737 and as you know, or don't know, Legacy United does not have 737s. I will have to wait until the merger is complete before I can even figure out where I sit seniority wise, much less what schedules I can hold.

My domicile options are Chicago, Houston and Denver. Which one I choose depends on relative seniority and the schedules available.

I COULD hitch my wagon to the Airbus fleet, but I have reasons for wanting to stay with Boeing. And none of them have to do with the Airbus itself because I think it is a fine airplane.

Needless to say, a move is not imminent.
 
wabower said:
As a guy who has been on both sides of that fence for many years, I'm comfortable that the training folks are trying to accomplish the required training while making it as interesting and appropriate as possible for the trainees/
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I can agree with that. Also, if the instructor says someone is not ready for the checkride in the scheduled time they will not let them take it until they are. Of course the pilot or employer needs to come up with money for extra time, I guess. I once had a sim partner in the Lear 35 who was on an extra week of training for his type. By the time I flew with him he did fine and passed on the first try. A lot has to do with the pilot's prior background. Someone coming from a small piston twin to a Lear 35 is in for an eye-opener.
 
I suspect its all a matter of personal satisfaction. I know two 777 pilots with Continental ( United) who live in the Philly area who love the international route and would not give it up. I have one friend from NJ, who flies for United Legacy who flew the Asia Route in 47s and gave it up to fly the guppy domestic, He was young married no kids but just like the lifestyle better. I have another friend who flies for US Air Domestic out of PHL, he has a lot of seniority and just likes the domestic as well. I'm sure there are many like Greg who like certain parts of each world and will figure it out as time goes on.
 
AdamZ said:
I suspect its all a matter of personal satisfaction. I know two 777 pilots with Continental ( United) who live in the Philly area who love the international route and would not give it up. I have one friend from NJ, who flies for United Legacy who flew the Asia Route in 47s and gave it up to fly the guppy domestic, He was young married no kids but just like the lifestyle better. I have another friend who flies for US Air Domestic out of PHL, he has a lot of seniority and just likes the domestic as well. I'm sure there are many like Greg who like certain parts of each world and will figure it out as time goes on.
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I agree Adam. I have a friend who is a retired Continental/United pilot who flew 777s from Newark to Asia and Europe. He had his retirement flight to Rome scheduled then got a reprieve from the age 65 reg. He canceled his retirement and worked another five years. When he retired last December I congratulated him but he didn't seem enthused about retiring and his wife said he was bummed about it. A couple months ago he called me and asked if I knew a DPE who could reinstate his CFI since he gave it up in the 90s. I didn't know anyone but had a friend who did. They went up in an Arrow and got it done. That must have been interesting going from a 777 to an Arrow. Coincidentally I was in the car with him when we heard about the 777 accident.
 
That vid was very likely put together by a twenty-something year old that never had a job in the outside world. Try going and coming home every day at the same time as everyone else and having the same two days off as everyone else. For me that would get REAL old REAL quick. I flew at a regional for four years and did see some of what they're talking about but the people and the flying more than made up for it.
 
Art VanDelay said:
That vid was very likely put together by a twenty-something year old that never had a job in the outside world. Try going and coming home every day at the same time as everyone else and having the same two days off as everyone else. For me that would get REAL old REAL quick. I flew at a regional for four years and did see some of what they're talking about but the people and the flying more than made up for it.
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Oh it's super terrible. Your life naturally fits together with all your family and friends and you can attend about any event you want without scheduling problems. You can also book things a year out with concern.

Man, it sucks so bad.
 
jesse said:
Oh it's super terrible. Your life naturally fits together with all your family and friends and you can attend about any event you want without scheduling problems. You can also book things a year out with concern.

Man, it sucks so bad.
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Since being on the widebody aircraft all of the above is easily attainable and I can travel to those events if they are far away for free. Of course if all my in-laws show up I can always still use it as a very convenient fake excuse as well.
 
jesse said:
Oh it's super terrible. Your life naturally fits together with all your family and friends and you can attend about any event you want without scheduling problems. You can also book things a year out with concern.

Man, it sucks so bad.
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I lived in the Sacramento CA. area for many years. I would drive across town to work everyday. To be at work at 7 am I had to be on the road at 5 am. This was a 30 mile drive.
I would get off work at 5 and be home at 7. Not much time left for family. 5 days a week. I moved 5 miles from my work, the area was not the best but my commute was better.

As for this video, my wife and I got a kick out of how this man was so negative about everything. Nothing positive about anything.

As life goes on he will wish he did not sweat the small stuff so much and be thank full he could do what he does. He has not come to that point in his life yet.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
Of course, and that's why I ultimately left my fun flying job to return to engineering and be home (almost) every night. Sounds like Greg's situation is a bit different there. I'm also looking at the boredom of the flight itself, and this is as someone who flies just as many hours in a day in a 310 instead of a 777. :)
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What, not enough room in the 310 cockpit for a laptop?:D
 
This was hilarious listening to on the way to the pizza store from my house I saw on YouTube there was a second one . Some driving home material.
 
marcoseddi said:
This was hilarious listening to on the way to the pizza store from my house I saw on YouTube there was a second one . Some driving home material.
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I believe there is three of these. I laughed so hard listening to this as did my wife.
 
There must be some out there, but I don't recall ever hearing an airline pilot say or write exactly WHY they thought it was a great job.
 
gismo said:
What, not enough room in the 310 cockpit for a laptop?:D
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Oh, plenty for that! I should see about adding an MFD so I can watch movies. ;)
 
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