Never did wear a blue shirt actually.
Yes life was more pampered way back then....but jobs were fewer by far, and opportunities much more limited. In hindsight the Two Airline Policy was a straightjacket.
And like many of my generation I did have some years in my late 30s and 40's out of the cockpit before finally heading OS to ensure my kids could be brought up. So not all beer and skittles. And, after paying in blood flying a narrow body "single pilot" for a few years I did pay for my heavy Boeing rating....and happily so as it gave me years of fun and paid for itself over and over.
I, like may others, have helped build airlines and seen them fail or never get started, I have lived far from my children and I have lived in strange and distant worlds where my only friends were "exiled" pilots from '89. Not the toughest of times but enough. And I know that for all that, the most important thing for any young pilot is the first RPT jet job. A 2000 hr pilot joining Jetstar tomorrow could expect to be a 787 Captain in a time span easlily counted using the fingers of both hands, with a few left over.
Hmmmm...I waited 15 years for a DC-9.
As for "free university"...yes it was....but the hours and hours and hours when others werre in the bar on layovers wasn't free. That was my contribution....and hence my attitude that you have to give things a go, and be prepared to move and try new things.
This is unique time in Australia's history with order books full for the 320, 380, 777, 787 and Embraer....In the case of the 320, 380 and 787 these are orders as big (or bigger) than any in the world. I simply hope that we as a profession don't let blind ideology of whatever sort get in the way of enjoying it.