Originally Posted by
Douglas Bahada
A typical day in the office would start ridiculously early, after poor quality sleep, in a strange bed / hotel room which is paid from a low salary.
"Aww bless"
The captain arrives and spends the first 10 minutes using body language / verbals which create a clear hierarchy for further interaction that day (notable exceptions here, some people have excellent emotional intelligence).
" The Captain meets someone looking like a sack of spuds who doesn't want to be there, cannot download the flight paperwork and is more interested in finishing reading some social media garbage on the latest icock phone".
You will spend the bulk of the day listening to war stories which typically involve superior crosswind landing skills, on his part, and you will learn the failings of all other FO’s at your base. As you approach ToD you try to brief the skipper who doesn’t really care what you say, as the descent, approach and landing will be done his way anyway. Unless you balls it up, at which point it is made clear that you did it your way.
" You will spend the bulk of your day monitoring and mitigating the non performance of a pre Madonna with 2 to 3 years of inexperience who cannot accept advice and who sulks when not given the attention they think is their due. Their self esteem is damaged when no praise is forthcoming for just doing their job".
At the end of the day you can turn your phone back on to find that your friends / family have been out for walks, to the pub and played cricket in the sun, as it’s Saturday. Thankfully your time with his highness has now finished so you download your roster to find out which exciting destination awaits you next.
"At the end of each sector rather than prepping for the next takeoff in 25 minutes our hero has his face buried in his icock phone whilst thumb typing drivel and sending trout lip selfies to Instagram highlighting his success in life".
Just holding up the mirror the 1917.
Having been in the Airline industry for almost 4 years (Just been made redundant as the big regional airline failed) and 10 years in another industry, I can tell you there are good and bad in both seats.