Pilot, not the job it used to be.

[SMOC]

Meanwhile, Boeing admits that today's airline industry is losing its appeal compared with other industries. It no longer has the glamour it once did. Competing technical careers for which qualifications are far cheaper to acquire are becoming better paid and offer a more family-friendly lifestyle. Although piloting remains highly skilled, it is a computerised technical management task, rather than the hands-on experience it used to be, which means that the people who will be attracted to it could be very different

You'd think this would lead to pay rises due to a pilot shortage but I fear it just opens the door for pilots with Shiny Jet Syndrome who aren't interested in the hands on experience that flying used to be.

I hope I'm wrong.

Boeing: The industry needs to get its act together on training (http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2011/06/17/358120/boeing-the-industry-needs-to-get-its-act-together-on.html)

[FrankR]

I LOVE my job as a simple pilot (no staff jobs for me). In the last two weeks, I've been in Paris, London, Aspen, and back to Long Beach. Now I'm home with my girl for a week. I know, it really S*&ks that my girl can't mix cocktails better, oh well.

There has NEVER EVER been a pilot shortage. There may be a shortage of highly qualified (and sane) pilots who want to move to crappy places for crappy pay, but that's about it.

At one point in our careers, we all have "Will Work for Free" syndrome, so don't become a hater, it will only bring you down. I hope fewer young people want to become pilots. My salary and working conditions will only go up.

FR

[sanook]

Where I am now, I see and speak to so many different airlines. Yes, the business has evolved as does almost everything. Forget about how it used to be, but decide if it's what you expected it to be. Are you are happy? Because before you know it, the kids have grown up and left home or gone off to university and you are left to ponder where it all went. There is no golden oracle! All positions have their merits and failings but you have to be comfortable knowing that you are doing what you want to do and putting yourself and your family first. It will all be gone so quickly. So get on and do the best for YOU. If you are happy then well done! If you are not, then so will your family. You need to find that place and it may be somewhere you least expected. It's not about status or wealth but about YOU!

[Meccano]

In 1982 I was flying B732, RHS on contract in West Africa (yeah - but here's the good part).....

3,000 USD tax free, 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off, hotac inc. plus Biz class to LHR and back on days off.

Annual bonus - 2 months salary.

USD rate was 1 to 1.

It equates to 160,000 USD (not inc bonus) in todays money - tax free....(Google that).

RHS.
2 on 2 off.
Loadsamoney.
Sheeiiit.....double the money to get the regular annual rate!

Bought my first house mortgage free. Thank you Tony.

Ahhh.....the good ole days....when flying was fun, and well paid.

Beat that (you can't, cos this industry was fkd from 2001 onward).

[FrankR]

Well, back in the good old days, when a dollar was worth something and men were men ... I'm speaking of around 2005-2008, a large cabin biz jet captain working contracts in Middle East, Asia, or Eastern Europe could easily expect $700 to $1,200 per day, plus $100 a day S&T and HOTAC. I still get nostalgic for the good old days!

I used to work with a few guys who would brag about the $350k they made last year.

Even still, the paltry $11,000 a month, one on, one off that is relatively easy to find in places like Dubai still ain't that bad.

... Just what the heck is a HOTAC anyway?

FR

[gerago]

Real good old days, huh ? Well I really never got to knowing it and please do go on and on about all the marvelous of good ole days...love to hear it.

BTW, hotac is hotel accommodation......are you for real?

[Capt Toss Parker]

I love flying .... I love it so much I took a pay cut just so I could stay and extend on B scale .....

[FrankR]

Hi Gerago, that last part was humor. US pilots mostly never refer to "HOTAC" or "S&T's".

We say Hotel and per diem. All hotels are accommodation, so the "accommodation" is simply redundant.

FR