Arrowhead:
"but the views and stress are much much better"
- Views, yep I agree with that. But stress.... I am sorry to say that once again displays your utter ignorance of aviation. For example, the ever present prospect of losing your job to the medical, the sim check, ill health, any number of random incidents etc etc. Or not seeing your family for ever second important day, like that birthday, or indeed birth, the day they're sick, Christmas, Easter, first day of school etc etc etc. Ever heard of AIDS - Airline Induced Divorced Syndrome? Or dealing with crewing who don't want to know? Or living from a suitcase semi-permanently? Or being pressured into accepting semi-u/s aircraft? Or dealing with an LVP approach into some sh1t-hole on low fuel? Etc etc etc etc etc. Stress, my friend, stress.
"Job/Income/Security - perhaps I already have enough assets and security and just want a job flying jets...? Ever considered that?"
- I couldn't give a to$$ what other assets and security you personally might or might not have. What I do care about is that I, and 99% of other pilots, might or might not have the luxury of other assets and security and therefore rely on the best we can get out of our employers to provide said assets and security. So if you propose to come along and undermine this situation by working for less than you and we are worth, then I think you would understand my total and utter disdain for you.
"saying that I wake up in the morning wanting to be a jet pilot, and not too worried about the BS that every job has."
- yeah, me too, and I like what I am. But unlike you, I recognise the large amounts of BS that accompany the profession (see above). And I worry about it, because, unlike your amateur hobbyist attitude, I have a professional attitude. Which I expect to be remunerated accordingly for.
"That is not to say I dont treat flying 150+ passengers around (plus myself) with the utmost respect that this level of responsibility deserves"
- God help us all us in this profession if you ever get a job carrying more than 5 passengers.
"I know several pilots who have made the jump from professional careers"
- oh so they've left flying to do something else?
"Perhaps the complaints about conditions come from people who have limited experience about conditions at most highly paid jobs"
- actually no, most of the complaints come from those who have had, formerly, precisely that. We know how a professional with large amounts of stress and pressure should be treated.
"STOP MOANING EVERYONE! Get used to fatigue"
- don't you know it's illegal to fly fatigued?
I really think you ought to take a long and hard think about this job. And if, by some awful twist of fate, you get a job while still holding the attitude you do, don't expect for one minute to actually have the respect of any of your colleagues.
Mooneyboy:
Yeah, i think that plan is a bit naive, sorry!