It's not the career it used to be. It's heading in one direction only. People simply don't want to pay to fly and we don't have oil fields to fill our airplanes up.
Once upon a time if you made it to an airline you would eventually fly a widebody and have overnights around the world. This is no longer the case. If you want to do that you will have to leave Australia full stop. Even that however is a debacle with licences and medicals etc. Plenty of great expat stories getting around! Not overly keen on the desert or inland China for that matter.
Compounding this is that these days, not even the guy in the left seat gets any respect (Australia). Many a time I've watched Cabin Crew, Refuellers, Middle Management publically (*cringe*) speak to Captains as thought they were beneath them or some bogan that wandered in wearing flip flops. It's out of control. CRINGEWORTHY.
If I personally was in GA, regionals..whatever (lowish paying) I'd be looking to change industries. For me, I'm counting down the days til I can hand my sh!t back.
People are stunned when I say this, it's nearly considered blasphemy in a cockpit! I clarify to friends that I love the machine and the guys I fly with but what the industry has become is not something I desire to be involved in forever anymore (you know like the guys that could retire but just do it for the love).
There is no way in hell, if I had my time over, that I would do it again.
Parts were fun, parts were terrifying and soul destroying but if you think the aviation path and career are privileged or great these days you need to get out more or get a different circle of friends.
In the end, Air Asia and all these cheap sh!t outfits will dominate the skies and people will sit smugly in the back thinking it's not that much different from Qantas happy with the fact they saved $20. Good luck to them but that's not what will save them from their mortgage troubles in the end. Good career selection at 18 years of age on the other hand will.
Good luck with it.
Last edited by Berealgetreal; 7th Sep 2014 at 12:11.
Reason: Formatting and words added for drama.