Dull Pilot Question!

[Gentleman Aviator]

Greetings!

I wonder if any of you would be kind enough to help me make a decision about how I spend the next 30 years of my working life?!

At the moment I am an RAF Pilot, however, after 10 years, I am leaving for a 'proper' job.

One of the things that I have most enjoyed about the RAF was its ability to let fundamentally happy people go flying with one another around the world.

I was lucky enough to spend time as part of a fairly large crew and enjoyed the banter and interaction between 'front' and 'back' end, both in the air and on the ground.

As such, I would like to find out where the happiest cabin crew are as I'm guessing that I've got 30 years with you!

Not sure if this sounds like a dumb question, but overall happiness is of more importance to me than an extra couple of quid from a 'miserable' airline.

Cheers,

GA :)

[Burger King]

If you're ex RAF, particularly C130 then apply to Bmed - we will fit an A320 course around your leaving date - promote you before you have minimum experience and then make you management!!! As for the cabin crew, they are a great bunch - love to party and have a good time - and slag off ex RAF pilots who think they are god.

[Sick Squid]

Hmm, not sure about Burger King's post, and lets not go down the "Slag off the ex-mil path," please.... but as a "Dull Pilot" (all civilian) I feel amply qualified to at least give a little bit more perspective to your question.

Having worked for two airlines, and at many different bases/types in my current outfit I don't think there are any simple "A are all fun, but B are miserable gits" answers.

A lot of whether or not the crew get along seems to me from observation to be down to the manner and attitude of the senior members; a good CSD/IFS whatever todays name is will in general have set the tone early on at the briefing, and likewise Flight Crew with an approachable, friendly manner will also greatly affect the overall happiness factor.

In general terms, the reaction your crew will have to you will be down to yourself, coupled with their supervisor. You won't get the RAF-type banter, the World is way too politically correct for that nowadays.

I've had great trips with the most allegedly dull longhaul crews in the World, really friendly, great party times, and suffered in silence (along with ALL the crew) despite all efforts with some allegedly "party animal base" crews. It's never Black and White.

Just some incoherent early morning reactions before an early report. Thoughts?

Sick Squid

(Edited for spelling, but now I'm awake, the coherence still escapes me... should have paid more attention in school, Squid!)

[This message has been edited by Sick Squid (edited 06 April 2001).]

[GalleyWench]

Sick Squid is right, your job is as much fun as YOU make it. I am always suprised by which pilots turn out to be the most fun inflight and on layovers! The same with crews, you expect the young ones to be the most fun but sometimes it is the 50 year olds that have you in stitches inflight. Go for the airline that is the most financially stable, some trips will be a joy and some won't. That is true for all airlines. Good luck!