Superpilot, I reckon you're a troll but I'll bite.
Compare my working life to that of most pilots and there’s no comparison. I am not the only one, there are thousands of others like me and they work just as hard. Harder than most pilots for sure.
Gee, who's holding a gun to your head? Pity? You've come to the wrong site. You'd need to go to the PITSRN. (Professional IT Slave Rumour Network).
As for how hard pilots work? It does depend on the job and at what stage of the career you're at.
I'm out of the house/hotel room on average 14 hours a day. I consider all that time being at work. 14 x 5 = 70 hours a week devoted to my company with no overtime paid. Granted the daily rate is good (though not good enough for the level of work I put in) and this is the only reason why I am doing it.
Diddums. Most pilots are too. No over time either. No public holidays. No weekend rates too.
I have to physically achieve what in most other companies takes 3 people to achieve and in half the time! My work is of a highly technical nature and requires me to be completely ‘on-the-ball’ with absolutely no scope for failure.
What do you want? A medal? A chest to pin it on? Go to the PITSRN (see above) for the back slaps. No scope for failure? How do you think we feel when something fails on our aircraft? Hmm? Thrilled? Knowing that failure will result in any one of the following:- death, suspension, injury, damage. Posting on PPRuNe and armchair/Monday morning pilots/wannabees ripping apart our move? What happens to you if you fail? Oh. No job. Gee, that must hurt.
I can say pilots have it relatively easy (provided they don’t commute silly distances) because I know a couple of Loco pilots who only work 5 days before they have a 3 or 4 day break. They are only ever out of their homes for 11 hours max; they don’t have to worry about the day ahead; they don’t bring their work home with them. And these two points are what matters. Stress is not a 20 minute turnaround. Stress is not a 15 minute walk from your car to your plane in the cold. Neither is stress a 30Kt X-wind.
Gee, you know some pilots. Wow. Can I shake your hand? I know some IT workers who only work 4 days, one of them from home and then they have 3 days off.
Jealous? No.
Don't bring the work home hey? Well, I and others study for our checks. Need to keep on top of the technical changes and SOP changes that occur. etc. Don't worry about the day ahead? Don't make me laugh. What about fuel planning? What about alternates? What about permits and visas? What about the condition of the aeroplane? 11 hour day? Suggest you review the Flight Time limitations and see what really happens.
You're right, the 30kt x-wind isn't stressful. It's fun. How about you join me doing one in Reykjavic at midnight at the end of a 12 hour day with blowing snow and hail and then you can put the covers on.
unsociable hours to get to where I need to be
And if you're catching a flight, how do you think the aeroplane gets going that early? Yesss, the crew are there even earlier.
