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Old 6th Dec 2012, 13:58
  #17 (permalink)  
Centaurus
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Australia
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You are indeed fortunate to have been offered so much good advice on the subject. Especially heed the wise words of Mac E Avelli. He's been there-done that - and knows what he is talking about.

Sure you are now bored with the button pushing and the ever so pedantic SOP's even to the extent where the company tells what CDU page you should be on at each stage of flight. But for my book it beats flogging around in general aviation clapped out twins, bashing into thunderstorms with defective radar if you have one, and scared to write up defects in the maintenance release lest the operator or the aircraft owner sack you for making waves.

Take the opportunity to hand fly your shiny jet on raw data as much as possible and you will soon rediscover the pleasure of flying. Of course, much depends on the twitch factor of individual captains you fly with - but not all are automation addicts. Just ask them and the enthusiasts will say fill your boots while others cringe in fear at the thought of you disengaging the automatics.

You are bored being the first officer in an airliner. But are you a professional who reads the manuals out of sheer pleasure to increase your knowledge which may save your life one dark night. Or do you just sit pissed off and bored. It happens to us all sometimes.

Australian GA is full of penny pinching operators who stretch the rules on fatigue and aircraft maintenance and have no hesitation in getting rid of you when the work isn't coming in. By your username it is likely you were operating in the NT on charter work. The dust and mossies at night are fine for those who like the heat and eking out a living on dodgy light twins for the rest of your life. But I for one would prefer to be flying at 35,000 ft with beautiful views and regular good pay and a comfortable seat whether left seat or right.

Once a command arrives in 3-6 years, your outlook will change, believe me.
But I know many pilots would envy you your current job in the RH seat of a shiny jet. It must be a difficult decision for you otherwise you would not have posted your very fine post on pprune. My advice? Sit on your hands for a couple more years at least and watch your bank account grow. Then if you are still bored after that period of time you would have sufficient experience to make one of the most critical career decisions of your life. Best of luck, either way

Last edited by Centaurus; 6th Dec 2012 at 13:59.
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