Came across this today:
"There is an apocryphal story about "photographer-to-the great" Yosuf Karsh (may have misspelled his name) who used to charge $10,000 a portrait against an old army blanket. He would place his subjects there, fiddle a minute with the lights, and shoot off a few photos (believe he used an 8 x 10 so had to change the plates) but in all, about 5 to 10 minutes. He would then tell his clients he had finished.
What? They would say, $10,000 and you just took 5 minutes?
Ah, came the answer, but it has taken me 40 (or maybe it was 50) years to be able to take a beautiful portrait in 5 minutes....
Same as the famous surgeon called into the operating room, who examines the patient carefully, reviews the x-rays and steps up to the table and makes his incision. He then turns to the other surgeons, says "You may continue" and walks out. The patient, aghast at the $10,000 invoice for 5 minutes and one cut, complains. The surgeon replies, "The $10,000 is for knowing where to cut.
This does apply to many of us. Most of us are quite dedicated to our profession, craft or trade. We work very hard to stay up-to-date, remain knowledgeable and creative. We do a great deal 'behind the scenes' to be able to make our work look effortless."
I've been in this Industry and flying for over 20 years. The only thing that has been predictable, has been the degradation in remuneration, the greed and total lack of disrespect from "Management", and the division between professionals who should have been sticking together and making sure that the Public know that they will suffer if the greed of people who do not have any idea about our profession, continue to be able to "sell" the ideal that Pilots are not worth much or productive enough. All of us have sat there listening to them sell some new idea as "better for us" and "allowing more training" when we all know that it means they have found a route to saving money, that will cost us somehow. We, at the end of the day, are merely viewed as an expense.
Imagine if we performed only at the level of ineptitude that we regularly see from those at the bouncy castle?
Imagine if we stuck together like Doctors and Lawyers, even Nurses, Firemen, School Teachers and the list goes on?
Remember, a good Pilot knows when to SuckItup....right?