Originally Posted by On speed on profile
Calm down guys and gals .......
Pilots dont earn their money flying from A - B. They earn their money when the s**t hits the fan. Like it or not, the buck stops with the pilot, not ATC, not the engineer, not management, THE PILOT. They are the ones who might not get to go home at the end of the day! Lets not forget that!!
From your statement it's quite evident either you’re a tyro in the industry or a wannabe which I have no problem with. But I do take umbrage with statement. I have to say, you have a delusional impression that a magic wand is waived over our heads and we appear in the cockpit just before pushback, without planning, discussions, and briefings.
Pilots earn there salary before they leave home for their trip sequence and continue to earn their salary up to the point they go off duty, whether a one day or five day trip away from base. Crewmembers have an unwritten responsibility to themselves as well as their fellow crewmembers as well as their passengers when on a trip.
Not only are pilots aviators, but managers too. Along with the flight attendants pilots are ambassadors of their carriers. We have to be prepared for the unexpected, not just air emergencies, but operational problems that pop up almost on a daily basis regarding ground handling, passenger problems, diversions to name a few.
After you have been employed with a carrier, I want you to tell this forum that you honestly feel you are over paid for the position. Better yet deduct your perceived over pay from your gross paycheck and make a contribution to your favorite charity.
Not being an engineer, or air traffic controller, I'm sure they feel the same about the value of their labors too.