Your picture JV is to a degree correct, with the following corections{1} Actually, no military pension, not a thing in those days, and not only flew the CF100 but some totally clapped out junk in a grubby little "incident"which if the UN hadnt turned up wearing their blue "dont shoot" hats would have resulted in a large part of the world being run by elected governments, not tribal dictators, not much to do with pilot pay but its nice to keep the record straight.{2} Born 1938. How does one finish up flying a little aircraft for a decent return? Its easy, use ones house for security, go into debt and then work six days a week from 0530 till about 2130 every day for almost ever, sell the operation for less than the value {not complaining, thats aviation and the times we live in} Use the aircraft to train DESERVING kids {and pay them} to give them a leg up in the industry and exposure to the real world of flying as opposed to the make belive world of most FTUs. And by the way, one also has to work as a deck hand half way around the world to even start ones dream, this option is in many cases now blocked by imigration laws, so for this I gues I was lucky to be born when I was, also wasnt made into a bar of soap by the "master race!' so luck does play a small part. None of the foregoing changes the fact that experienced pilot saleries in North America are a bloody joke, wont even get into the American comuter pay scales ,I say again, its absurd that a bus driver starts at higher pay than many experienced pilots will ever make ,now with AC pilots going to age 65 it will further slow up promotion for the younger set{not taking sides on this, just pointing this out} rather than toss rocks at someone like myself your time would be better spent trying to improve the lot of the new generation of pilots who are starting out often loaded with debt and havnt a hope of getting out from under. As an end note, to finish up where I am at this time I lived in six countries to stay in a job,moved on a few days notice, but never broke a contract ,never paid a training bond, would I do it again? your damn rights I would! Good luck with your future plans! PS, part of the secret of making a decent return in private/corporate is to know how to manage it all, from the maint to the fuel buying to customs to washing the thing, the customer should not have to bother with this stuff, too many only think of flying, thats about 30% of the job.PPS, Just re read your post JV, I repeat, No military pension, AC pension paid entirley by myself, including overpayment to make up for joining a bit over the average age, no public money whatsoever, and as the yougest of ten kids in postwar Europe there sure as hell wasnt any money to pay for flying lessons, indeed , hardly enough for food ! Tho only route was the military, So the cheap shots about "tax payers expense", are just that, a cheap shot! There was also a price to pay, of the fourteen aircrew on a course I was on, eleven died on active service, a higher loss rate than our superb troops are taking in Afganistan,{ Old RCAF joke, what should a CF100 crew say on VHF to the Russian bomber on intercept? "Halt, or I blow up"} as you chose to give none of your background its hard for me to comment on your situation ,for all readers can tell you might be another "flight sim ace" or the chief pilot at Transat, if you must post how about letting us know on your profile what you qualifications are? Regards Clunck.
Last edited by clunckdriver; 3rd Jun 2010 at 14:18.