Who still enjoys their job?

[Jockflyer]

Hi,
Just wondering about this. I love my job (F/O on T/P, Loganair), and I think most others in my company do to. Although we have a fair few Captains leaving to join jet operators, which is only natural (more cash/better status).
I just wonder whether once the novelty of the jet wears off, they will enjoy the actual flying as much.
We have around 14 different destinations we fly to out of Glasgow. You will rarely do the same route twice in the same week, the rostering is good, and only 4-5 overnights a month. We regularly do hand flown visual approches into the islands, but then the next day, you could do a procedural NDB/DME. We fly over some spectacular scenery, and most flights are less that 1hr, so not much time to get bored in the cruise.
So, all in all, I'd say its pretty varied interesting work.
When I joined (9months ago), I already had over 1500hrs, and had flown in Africa for 2 years, followed by some Banderainte work in UK. I didn't think I'd enjoy Loganair, beleiving it would be too regimented, and I'd be flying with a bunch of Nigels, but I couldn't have been more wrong.
So, maybe I'm wrong about these guys leaving Loganair to go to jet operators (Easy, BMI Reg, Thomas Cook, Globespan etc).
Do guys who fly for these type of operators still get up in the morning and feel happy to go to work, or are you really bored of doing 3/4 hours in the cruise and doing ILS to ILS.
Comments please.
JF

[exvicar]

FO 340s Virgin. At the moment no where else I'd rather be. Enjoy my job, love it!

[spoilers yellow]

FO 757/767 BA, apart from the issues with unions, other work groups and Heathrow, the variation in flying and selection of routes is fantastic! Got 30 min sectors, 10hr sectors ILS into busy airports and hand flown approaches into carribean islands!
Very happy!

SFO, 5000hrs+, with company 7yrs.

[Jockflyer]

Glad to hear it guys.
It might be good if replies included TT, rank and time with company.
Cheers
JF

[Capt Claret]

TT ~ 11000 hrs, 11 yrs with co, B717 command.

Still love the job, hate the security bullshyte but accept that we're all different. Some grow out of it, some sick of it, others ...... :ok:

[145qrh]

First job was with Loganair on the Shed, flew the Shed for 4 years, operated out of the beach on Barra, HMS Carrickfin (not a nice place at night), more trips to LSI than I care to remember,Kirkwall night stops that will live on in my memory for many years to come.

It was tough, no auto-pilot, no area-nav, procedural approaches at a lot of destination, 7 sector days, night-mail, all great fun , with a great bunch of crew....not sure I miss it tho, money, roster instability,management....

Now fly long-haul on A345/A343/A332 with Emirates, came back today after a 12 hour sector, all at night, landed as the sun came up and had to go bed when I came home as was completely knackered.....average 90hrs a month, most of it at night, did 2 take-off and landings last month, same this month for 170 hours of flying...utter torture...cant wait to get out and get back to something approaching normality...

But I think that unless you try it you will never know, some guys here don't like ultra long range ops, most others positively hate it.

I am glad I left LC, you have to progress, just look at a few of the long term "characters" that are there from my time and ask yourself, is that what you want to become..

And when all said and done it's your choice, but at least I know for sure I don't like it..........

[FLCH]

About 14,000 hours, 19 years with my company 756 CA. The flying is still fun, but the b.s. that goes with it (drug tests, security screening etc) sucks. Also having to fly (not by choice) 7 years as a Flight Engineer wasn't much fun either. Overall though I still throughly enjoy my job. :)

[SMOC]

I must admit I didn't get much job satisfaction from flying the A333/343/346 but to be able to fly a 330 one day and a 340 the next was nice, especially going to the 346 now and then, but now moved onto the "classic" 747 and love it "real flying" again, with plenty of sectors, I plan to stay on it as long as I can, it truly is the queen of the skies, it'll be nice to say that all my jet experience wasn't all glass.

F/O, CX, 5,000hrs+

[411A]

Absolutely, still enjoy flying, although now done on a seasonal basis...even nicer!
24,000hrs, heavy jet Captain for over thirty years.

[JaJaBinx]

Must agree with 145qrh, first job was very shorthaul in UK. Loved it to bits. Lots of interesting flying, short sectors and flying with guys who also loved their job. Training was excellent, comradery and feeling part of a team made the job very satisfying.
Now flying ultra-longhaul and all the above is in opposite. Altho' I have 20 days off a month the job is boring and monotonous, crews only seem to care about their monthly paycheck and due to the lack of sectors I feel rusty on the plane all the damn time.

I wanted to see what LH was like, but having seen it, I don't want it. Don't be a slave to the money and do a job that you love..thats priceless in this world.

6 years, F/O 747-400 CX

[FlingWingKing]

Fly B738 and LOVE my job!!!

Great crew, with a minimum of 10 Duty Free Days per month + roughly 4 OPEN days (company must give you 12hrs notice if they want you to fly on an open day). One or two standby's per month with a call-out rate of maybe 5%.

So all in all, I work 10 - 13 days per month. Mostly 2 sectors and occasionally a killer 4 sector day. On average we do 1 night-stop per month.

FO +6300 hrs, company 5years

[Capt Pit Bull]

I found it got incredibly boring and frustrating. Ok, you see some great views and the flying can sometimes be fun, but mostly its just mind numbingly boring.

Add the frustration of not being able to do you job because of basic shortages e.g. missing a slot because the company is cutting costs via the tug drivers, Sim time being cut back, lip service to recurrent training.

Add in the unhealthy lifestyle, and on balance the only reason I could see to continue was the pension, which I couldn't see surviving until my retirement. We'll be out of fossil fuels by then and the whole economy will be going down the toilet.

Left last year after 20 years in the industry, including 9 in the UK airlines. Capt, 5,000 hrs shorthaul.

I guess it depends on how vital it is for folks to fly, and whether or not you have anything else you could see yourself doing.

Still maintain an interest in how things are in the industry though.

CPB

[DB6]

JF, good isn't it? :ok:

[Crowsnest]

I can see most of the points made here so far: Went from piston to pure jet so missed out on the t/prop flying, which I now quite regret as all the visuals I flew while still low hours were less enjoyable than they should've been.

I think it's all too easy to pontificate on how things should run in one's future when viewed from the lhs of a longhaul jet.
No disrespect intended at all, it's the same lack of perspective afforded from the rhs of a highland Shed: all very well to say how much you want to see Vegas when you don't feel the jet lag and don't have to organise the cleaning of 16 hotel rooms before the crew can, ahem... "rest" after ten or so hours sitting still before shooting a n/p approach in a TS.
And all those bloody suitcases on and off the bus too. All those who have uttered the following words say "aye": "Whoever's not here shout now or forever hold your peace".
Similarly, all too easy to say "I quite fancy flying around Scotland for a bit" when you don't have to pay off a mortgage and a career development loan on a T/prop f.o's salary. How do you set Vref correctly when the windsock is full of bricks?

2500hrs rhs 5/6 UK charter.

Just an opinion.

CharlieNov.

[F4F]

Still love every second of the flying part of the job (don't tell the boss ;) )Nothing beats the challenge of the "perfect flight" fantasm.
Gazing at the milky way during a perfect clear nite or watching the clouds at play with the sun still offers me more than a reward for the downsides of the job :ok:
Also flying for the airline offers many ways to put CRM into practice; interaction with rest of crew, ground staff and pax makes the job even more interesting.
But surely could skip all the gnd prep, slots, company bs, politics, etc.

Boring? Well, remembering my long haul days, there were moments... But now, flying short to medium haul, keeping up to date with the machinery and books just allows me time to sip the coffee while enjoying a chat with the gals (either RHS or from the galley :cool: )

6000+ hrs engineer
5000+ hrs F/O & PIC


P.S.
Pity my peers having lost the magic...

[klink]

7 years;
1500hrs T/P FO
3500 737 FO
Still love the job; still hate early morning check-ins and will never understand how groundhandling at my homebase can still be such a mess after all these years. Apart from all the external pressures and influences; flying still fulfills my dreams.:ok:

[JackOffallTrades]

Yup! Love it. It would be nice to supplement my income as a part time porn star too... But hey, can't have everything.

[foxmoth]

I have flown almost every type of operation going - Instructing,pleasure rides,banner towing,para dropping,air taxi,air ambulance and turboprop schedule. Now flying LH on A330. Out of all of these I would pick the Air Ambulance and Air Taxi as long as it was a decent operator but I do still thoroughly enjoy my job and keep my instructors rating current as well.
14,000+hrs, Captain, 15 years with company

[A1R_RESQ]

4000+ hours flying Air Ambulance. Great Company, Good equipment. I love the schedule, lot of time home with the family, Wish the pay was better, but dont we all! Fly both the King Air 200, and Citation V. Nice to have both TP and Jet to mix things up. been here 6 years:D