Choose your own path!
Fellas it going to be a few years yet before it gets better…..For me in America, our economy is hurting like no one has seen. We have some of the “smartest” people dishing out advice everyday and no seems to know what to do. Can anyone really doubt that Emirates/UAE will take a major hit or is? Life at Emirates…will it get better. Someday down the road…maybe? But is that the important question to ask….. Unfortunately, you guys and gal(s) have to live with it or not; and so do the rest of us, wherever we are at the moment. It really just comes down to hard decisions. I myself have agonized about wanting the airlines in the USA to improve. But you can’t spend your life on just hoping someday things will get better. You have to start living now for yourself and your family; and make decisions that will allow you to do just that.
I spoke the other night to a good friend who was furloughed last year, he called at 11:15pm. I was on a trip and I quickly called back because he never calls that late now that he and his wife have a baby boy. The short of the conversation, like many I have these days, centered around how bad it’s gotten and why he was not able to find work anywhere; at least anything that you wouldn’t have to comprise yourself to do.
I remember when he and I got out of flight training in the military. There we were 20 something years old, we barely had the respect of our parents as grown ups. But he and I were dropping bombs and flying into crazy war zones together. Such responsibility and trust the military gave to us; our country gave to us. He has a degree, graduate of the Naval Academy, former military aviator, and 121 pilot. He is a great guy like so many other guys I know. He has thousands of hours and great experience. Here he was on the phone, a bit tipsy, wondering why his credentials can’t get him hired at the few places that are still looking…..after months of being out of work (almost a year)…..It was a rare side of my friend I have never ever heard. Not on any mission we had done…not on any long deployment as we sat together talking or something else. He was scared and pissed and drunk. I hate what this chase has done to my friend; this industry; this craziness. The only advice I could offer my friend was……MOVE ON BROTHER! You have great leadership experience with over a decade of military service and several years in the airlines. Let’s get you back to school and out into a different arena where people will appreciate your talents and experience. Where everyday you gain experience and if you leave that job people don’t have the balls to ask you start at the bottom of some seniority list. My friends at DHL who are furloughed will have had more than 15years flying heavies. And does anyone know where he or she can start now?
I have no freaking idea! Some are desperate enough to start at the very bottom again at places like Compass in the states flying EMB170’s for 23/hr.
Yeah! Competition is ridiculous right now and I get the down turn in the economy. When did it take over 10000 hours+ to be a good pilot. When did it take heavy time to get a job flying heavy airplanes? When did you have come to a job already type rated with years of experience for crappy wages somewhere else to get a corporate gig? Or my favorite, When did you start needing multiple type ratings and hundreds of hours in each type? Hell if I don’t know!!!
A CEO of company said a few years back in not some many words that pilots are silly hopeless fouls. Hmmm! Hell ! maybe we are?
I was flying back to today from my home state of Maryland. We were pounded by 12 inches of snow, while annoyingly cold, it was beautiful to see all the snow on the trees; and, I hate snow. As I was leaving my parents home, I remember hearing a father up the street playing with his kids in the snow. On the drive over to DCA to catch my flight, I realized that there was hardly any traffic or accidents; which if anyone knows the DCA/Maryland Area you know that is nothing short of a miracle. Everyone decided to stay home it had seemed and enjoy the time away from work. Why fight the weather some days, you just have to say the hell with it and enjoy your life. And I say the same thing for guys/gals in the pool, live your lives......why are we as pilots unwilling to just stay at home and enjoy our kids/family or in whatever small corner of the world we are from. Let's take the advice of many of the gents on here who are providing warnings about our choices and what we are willing to give up in pursuit of shiny jets at Emirates.
I have been in the pool for quite sometime and I thank Emirates and you guys here. Even this economic downturn and my friend has reminded me of what is really important in life. I have agonized as to why I still wanted to come to Emirates or anywhere else for that matter in the Middle East. I have been lucky and while I have lost some in the stock market and this downturn promises to get worst. It’s going to be ok and so is NOT coming to Emirates just to make tax free money and fly the 777 or whatever. Because….on any given day…I can jump into my car or my jeep with the top down and take it on a drive thru the hills. Or I can go out on the lake with my buddies boat and wake boarding all day with our significant others. I sure as hell can't do that in Dubai.
Yes! Emirates isn’t for everyone. But you really have to make decisions about your own happiness. Because Emirates management doesn’t give a crap about you nor does my airline here in the states….but that’s going to have to be ok. You’re going to have to look out for your own interest because this industry is appearing everyday to be a fools errand for most of the guys/gals in it. Too many talented guys and gals wasting their time hoping someday when things will get better as if management has any interest, particularly in the Middle East, in seeing your lives get better. Yes! It’s sad state of affairs when you can’t just work for a company that values your service and the work you contribute and looks out for your interest. But at this point in our history, we are far from that kind of realization in the airline business.
But you wait in about 2 weeks….some will sign into Prune wanting know what’s going on at Emirates and how they can get hired. It’s amazing we don’t listen to advice sometimes or take the warning from people when offered. But you can’t save everyone, so save yourself and family.
Last, I got a call from a government contractor 2 weeks back who was looking for a guy who could go to Iraq or Afghanistan. I had sent out a resume or two last year completely out of the flying business. He found my resume and wanted to offer me a job. Well it turns out the job was for $350k a year doing some that I had done in the military with a follow on job in the states when I returned from my year. Well, I am not sure what my decision will be. Because at the end of the day, I have already been there and done that already; And, how much is your life worth anyway? So, I pose that question to my fellow pilots when they now complain about management and T&Cs. How much is your happiness worth or for that matter your families happiness? I dunno....but this offer of employment should prove that even as diffcult as things are, there are still options and companies willing to hire you to do work for them for great wages and benefits. Don't ride the jet in......know when to pull the ejection handle. For me, it looks like "a good chute."
Last edited by drnetsurfer; 3rd Mar 2009 at 14:30.