storm glider
12th Jun 2012, 03:44
MY BACKGROUND:
29 years old.
4 & 1/2 years in the US Air Force (non-flying related, more along the lines of radar programming stuff).
I will complete my university bachelor’s degree this winter (Dec 2012).
I had a dream of becoming an airline pilot but after a little online research I found that:
-If you leave your airline you lose all your seniority and have to start all over again at other airlines from the bottom (this almost seems like it’s in place just so the management at airline A can abuse it’s employees because they know the employees can’t really go to airlines B or C for fear of losing all the years of seniority at airline A).
-Furloughs are not only inevitable, but quite the norm.
-No pension plans.
-The starting years really suck because of lack of finding work, if you’re lucky enough to find a job or instructor position, it’ll most likely be a low ~$20k/yr job.
After browsing forum after forum and reading more and more of what I just wrote above, I was quite heartbroken :( . I would prefer some kind of job security and somewhat of a decent paying job so that I might be able to support a family (don’t have one yet but would like to have one within the next 3-4yrs) and trying to find that in the world of being a pilot seems like a crap shoot (more so for the early years).
Getting joy out of what I choose to build my career out of is far more important to me than simple monetary compensation for crunching numbers or whatever else. Which leads me to…
MY CURRENT SITUATION:
So, if not a pilot, then what? I’ve been trying to figure that out for myself for a while now and not many alternatives have come to mind…
BUT!!! On one of my recent flights I had the good fortune of sitting next to “Jane” whose sister recently became a captain for Quantas and talking with Jane has given me new hope for my dream of becoming a pilot! :) I wasn’t thinking quite as globally before so now it has also raised some new questions. I am in the process of connecting with this recent Quantas captain so I can get all my questions answered from the source, and have my fortune read ;). But in the meantime I would like to run some things by all of you beautiful people of the forum community and get your input. So here we go…
QUESTIONS:
-The negative points that I brought up above, are they indeed true? I think they pertain more to the US and European airlines, is that correct? Supposedly things are a little better for Airlines “down under” (Australia/NZ area), can anyone confirm this for sure? How about Asia or the Middle-East?
-I want to go to a top-notch, well-respected flight school for training. Massey in NZ has been suggested. What other internationally respected options are there? I tried an online search but there’s just so many that it’s hard to separate the good ones from the mediocre ones. I will complete my university degree by winter so I’m not necessarily looking for a degree granting program.
-I want to move to an area where I can build my early hours easily. This will be difficult in the US. Supposedly the economy’s a little better in the “land down under” so prospects there should be better. Any other global suggestions where I can build my early hours?
-If there is any incorrect information in this post, I apologize, and please correct me. Also, if there is any other information you feel would be useful for me, please do share!
Thanks everyone! :D
29 years old.
4 & 1/2 years in the US Air Force (non-flying related, more along the lines of radar programming stuff).
I will complete my university bachelor’s degree this winter (Dec 2012).
I had a dream of becoming an airline pilot but after a little online research I found that:
-If you leave your airline you lose all your seniority and have to start all over again at other airlines from the bottom (this almost seems like it’s in place just so the management at airline A can abuse it’s employees because they know the employees can’t really go to airlines B or C for fear of losing all the years of seniority at airline A).
-Furloughs are not only inevitable, but quite the norm.
-No pension plans.
-The starting years really suck because of lack of finding work, if you’re lucky enough to find a job or instructor position, it’ll most likely be a low ~$20k/yr job.
After browsing forum after forum and reading more and more of what I just wrote above, I was quite heartbroken :( . I would prefer some kind of job security and somewhat of a decent paying job so that I might be able to support a family (don’t have one yet but would like to have one within the next 3-4yrs) and trying to find that in the world of being a pilot seems like a crap shoot (more so for the early years).
Getting joy out of what I choose to build my career out of is far more important to me than simple monetary compensation for crunching numbers or whatever else. Which leads me to…
MY CURRENT SITUATION:
So, if not a pilot, then what? I’ve been trying to figure that out for myself for a while now and not many alternatives have come to mind…
BUT!!! On one of my recent flights I had the good fortune of sitting next to “Jane” whose sister recently became a captain for Quantas and talking with Jane has given me new hope for my dream of becoming a pilot! :) I wasn’t thinking quite as globally before so now it has also raised some new questions. I am in the process of connecting with this recent Quantas captain so I can get all my questions answered from the source, and have my fortune read ;). But in the meantime I would like to run some things by all of you beautiful people of the forum community and get your input. So here we go…
QUESTIONS:
-The negative points that I brought up above, are they indeed true? I think they pertain more to the US and European airlines, is that correct? Supposedly things are a little better for Airlines “down under” (Australia/NZ area), can anyone confirm this for sure? How about Asia or the Middle-East?
-I want to go to a top-notch, well-respected flight school for training. Massey in NZ has been suggested. What other internationally respected options are there? I tried an online search but there’s just so many that it’s hard to separate the good ones from the mediocre ones. I will complete my university degree by winter so I’m not necessarily looking for a degree granting program.
-I want to move to an area where I can build my early hours easily. This will be difficult in the US. Supposedly the economy’s a little better in the “land down under” so prospects there should be better. Any other global suggestions where I can build my early hours?
-If there is any incorrect information in this post, I apologize, and please correct me. Also, if there is any other information you feel would be useful for me, please do share!
Thanks everyone! :D