Being an Airline Pilot - Whats it really like??

[Big Kev]

A question for all you airline pilots out there and you can take your Qantas/Virgin hats and speak from the heart here.

Everyone says that airline flying is the cream of the crop for flying jobs and I'm sure it probably is with the size of aircraft and money that a pilot gets but whats it really like doing those long 8-14 hour flights where you take off, engage auto pilot and then just monitor for hours on end. Is it all that??

Do any of you airline pilots get bored out there?? What happens 3 hours into a flight on say a B747 flight from SYD - LAX?? What do you guys/gals do up there??

Do you miss home or have you become accustomed to it?? Is airline flying made out to be all that it is??

Thanks for your time and honest answers..........


Big Kev

[DirectAnywhere]

Good question Big Kev. It's one that did the rounds recently but it's worth discussing again.

The job itself is often boring, it's tiring, it's routine but it still brings a smile to my face every time I go to work. "Boredom" is just another word for "safe" by the way. Every time I grap those thrust levers to start the takeoff roll I still mentally "pinch" myself to make sure it's real.

One of the best things for me is the people you work with. I was away last weekend and ended up in a bit of a s^&thole of a place for a couple of days, aeroplane was delayed, SLF and Cabin Crew were cranky but the crew stayed together, worked through most of a bottle of bundy on the first night and had a really good couple of days.

Like anything, the job is what you make of it. There is a sense of professional pride and satisfaction that comes from getting together with a group of guys/ gals you've never met before and getting 400 odd tonne of aeroplane nearly halfway round the world in one piece.

The job has its downsides - the biggest of which is that you spend a lot of time away from home and loved ones, missing birthdays, anniversaries, Christmases - and the money can't even begin to make up for that. Remember that when considering the impact reducing salaries and conditions will have on your future.

Still, when all said and done, unless my wife says otherwise;), I wouldn't be doing anything else in the world.

[Tankengine]

To add to Directanywhere's post:
Once you have a few years on the long runs you can do a promotion onto a smaller jet and do domestic flying and have a more "normal" job - going to work for the day [or up to 4] and having the fun part [takeoff and landing] much more often. On an overnight redeye watching the sunrise you are tired but just think of the chumps[mates of mine working like slaves as lawyers and engineers for less money] waking up to drive in peak hour into the rat race. ;)

[ITCZ]

What's it really like?

Find a copy of David Beatty's "The Human Factor in Aircraft Accidents" circa 1962.

Read the first chapter.

Then you will know.

[tinpis]

Tankengine which lawyer working for less than an airframe driver? :hmm:

[charliemanson]

Ever sat down the back on one of those long flights??
Drinking the odd beer, having a sleep when ya get tired and watching those inflight movies... so sooooo boring...
Well it's kinda like that........ only without the beer, sleep and inflight movies me thinks... :p

[Ralph the Bong]

G'Day Big Kev.

If you can get a copy of David Beatty's book it is worth a read. Bought it at the Technical Bookshop in Melbourne about 20 years ago. I doubt they still have any in stock tho!

I recently re-read the bit where pilots coming home after a trip away often say "Well, time to go home and get the fight started".
Long-Haul pilots have the highest occupational divorce rate in the western world.

Flying around in a big jet is enjoyable for many reasons. The size of the aeroplane and the level of automation generally makes them easier to fly than, say, a small turbo-prop. Large aircraft have more inertia and this also generally makes them nicer to fly, too.

From a professional perspective, heavy jet flying is the easiest job in aviation. The guy and gals who really earn their pay are those who do multi-sector days in Saabs, 146's etc.

It's not all beer and skittles, Kev. The pay is good but it is a hard lifestyle and the renumeration barely makes it worthwhile. Despite this, I wouldn't do anything else.:ok:

[propaganda]

Big Kev,

You make your own enjoyment in the job, boredom yes,jet lag yes, but wait, what about the stop-overs down-route in exotic locations and all those lovely young hostees.... keeps me young
and cheap beer as well....it could be alot worse..;)

[amos2]

Yeah! well, what can I say...

spent 40 yrs as an airline pilot...

and never worked in 40 yrs!!!

[fly_boy 4 flying]

Well said amos2, thats what I'm going for!

[Chimbu chuckles]

Hmm...this morning I'm in London at the end of a 48hr layover...tonight I'll be in Dubai drinking beer with an old mate. 24 hrs later I'll be off home for 5 days off...stressfull ya know:}

Chuckles

[TopperHarley]

Unless you are a John Holmes look-a-like, dont reoot the hosties no matter how tempting it may be when youre full of piss on the second night of a 5 day trip.

It will take ney on 12 hours before the whole company knows how small you tackle is.

[404 Titan]

TopperHarley

Is this from experience or do you know someone that this happened too? A very wise checker told me early on in my career after a sim while we were having a few beers not to s**t in ones own nest with the girls. Reminds me of the three F’s. If it Flies, Floats or F***s, rent it. ;)

[Big Kev]

There has been some great replies here so thanks to all of you. I think overall that being an airline pilot would shi* all over an office job. I currently have a 9-5pm office job and I always look out of the window and dream of being an airline pilot and I am working hard towards my goal of being one.

Sure there may be AIDS and being away from home issues to contend with but I would rather spend my life looking down than looking up. In a 9-5 job, you have good family life, happy girlfriend/wife, kids that call you dad instead of "mum - there is a boogy man in the house" but you can have all that too if your an airline pilot - maybe not so much as an international pilot but I reckon being a domestic pilot wouldn't be so bad on the family life.

The thing I've learned trendsetters - is that you gotta do what YOU want in life.......you will always wonder why if you don't and ultimately kick yourself if you haven't done your dream when your an old man.

[TASEsq]

Try going round Aus for two weeks with 12 punters behind you, and 1 up next to you in a B200... You and only you are responsible for everything. :confused:

Going into all sorts of strips.. some a mere 1000m long - gravel, terrain. Fairly high performance - extremely high fun. Talk about a smile on your face when you've just done 280kt on descent into an unknown, remote strip, round some storms, landed safely and off loaded all the bags all by yourself, getting mentally ready for tommorrow before you've even left the airport, then dinner and drinks with the punters.

That is where the true fun of flying is. And then coming home for a few days to have another challenging, exciting trip thrust upon you, levaing within 24 hours - You wake up in the morning not knowing where you will be, and end up on cable beach, or a chalet at Hotham.

That's GA charter. That puts a smile on my face - Don't discount it just because the money isn't there.
:p

[air-hag]

spent 40 yrs as an airline pilot... and never worked in 40 yrs!!! Apart from the last 15... when you HAD to work...

No wonder that airline went bust :rolleyes:

[Towering Q]

Re: GA Charter...how come my "punters" only ever want to go to places like Jigalong or Tjuntjunjarra?:{

[amos2]

Not so I'm afraid Hag!

Spent the last 15 yrs on and off in International ops.

Didn't consider that work either.

Sorry 'bout that! :ok: