Truth about being a pilot
Join Date: Jun 2002
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I was very lucky...
I changed career at 34. In hindsight, with the entitlements and salary I had, I should have stayed where I was. But I was single, had no dependants, had enough house equity and wanted to give flying a go. So I did.
In financial terms, leaving my last 'normal' job was the worst thing I have ever done. (The second worst was invest in a pensions funds which those thieves in the city have well and truly plundered - but that's another story.) Then, to an outsider I would have looked like a lemming taking a leap. But nothing compared with the morons out there leaping now. Where do these clowns get the cash to pay for their SSTR's and line training? And it's because there appears to be a never ending plague of these prats that I'll never recommend my children fly commercially.
My flying training cost a few bob, but very little if you compare it with the income I had to forgo over the six years while training and waiting for a job. Eventually I ended up flying for worthwhile employer. But our union still has to regularly remind them that we are not going to be messed about with. And one of the reasons for this is again the "Wallys with the Wallets" have distorted the market and have devalued our occupation. That and the mentality of dross in the HR department.
And then there's the ground idiots we have to deal with. The halfwits at security, surly hotel staff, incompetent handling agents, demonic taxi drivers and strange "local rules" and "procedures". But given all that, my current job is still better than most. I get to work with some lovely people, provide a worthwhile service and get to play with a nice new, pretty toy. My employer wants the aircraft flown safely and legally and doesn't interfere with my decisions. And the view's not bad either.
So would I recommend it to others? With a few exceptions, no way! Not now. Employers are too keen to screw you, security is tiresome and you'll always be competing with some goon who's got deeper pockets than you. If you want to fly - go gliding, take up aerobatics, fly for an air force but don't change jobs to work for an airline. Especially if you have dependants and/or have to enter into debt to pay for your flying. I don't think you'll ever break-even financially and the cost to your family might be one you'll be unable to afford.
PM
In financial terms, leaving my last 'normal' job was the worst thing I have ever done. (The second worst was invest in a pensions funds which those thieves in the city have well and truly plundered - but that's another story.) Then, to an outsider I would have looked like a lemming taking a leap. But nothing compared with the morons out there leaping now. Where do these clowns get the cash to pay for their SSTR's and line training? And it's because there appears to be a never ending plague of these prats that I'll never recommend my children fly commercially.
My flying training cost a few bob, but very little if you compare it with the income I had to forgo over the six years while training and waiting for a job. Eventually I ended up flying for worthwhile employer. But our union still has to regularly remind them that we are not going to be messed about with. And one of the reasons for this is again the "Wallys with the Wallets" have distorted the market and have devalued our occupation. That and the mentality of dross in the HR department.
And then there's the ground idiots we have to deal with. The halfwits at security, surly hotel staff, incompetent handling agents, demonic taxi drivers and strange "local rules" and "procedures". But given all that, my current job is still better than most. I get to work with some lovely people, provide a worthwhile service and get to play with a nice new, pretty toy. My employer wants the aircraft flown safely and legally and doesn't interfere with my decisions. And the view's not bad either.
So would I recommend it to others? With a few exceptions, no way! Not now. Employers are too keen to screw you, security is tiresome and you'll always be competing with some goon who's got deeper pockets than you. If you want to fly - go gliding, take up aerobatics, fly for an air force but don't change jobs to work for an airline. Especially if you have dependants and/or have to enter into debt to pay for your flying. I don't think you'll ever break-even financially and the cost to your family might be one you'll be unable to afford.
PM
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Might be better off in HR
10 years back a new aviator could call up an airline Chief Pilot or arrange a visit to discuss recruitment. Pilot Managers either were Pilots or still flew. Many companies had reasonable perks on travel and good pensions.
There were very limited major Airline sponsorship deals (BA,BM,Britannia, AirAtlantique) or you needed 700h for a CPL (UK) and went Instructing, banner towing, even crop spraying. This changed at the turn of the century with JAR rules and with it a decline in GA Instructor numbers. However, although the glamour days of Concorde and Manned Space programmes had long gone and post 9/11 had made air travel more onerous for the passenger, a Flying Career was still an interesting idea for many wannabees.
"The trouble with normal is it always gets worse"
( Bruce Cockburn - Songs - The Trouble With Normal )
A few Flight Schools (Pilot Mills in the US) sold the idea that if you trained with them you could get the golden ticket and fly shiny big jets. "Integrated" was a term bandied around UK schools and a few of their chosen airline partners. No need to spend years working your way up from PPL through IMC, ME, BCPL, CPL, AFI, QFI, GA Turboprop, ATPL, etc
For a mere £70 to £120k you could go from zero to hero in 250h of flying training. You could work for your own money (£6k for 6 months) and maybe have a job at the end of it with a LOCO.
LOCO and the "Approved" schools brought with them what previously had been frowned upon - Pay for your own Type Rating up front. This became "normal" and STRSS/TRSS added £20-30k to Pilot training debts.
This seemed to work for a while until Increasing Greed, Mis-management, Demand for stupidly cheap travel, Fuel Prices, Terrorism, Green issues and finally a World Economy based on credit hit both Trainees and existing Pilot Ts&Cs.
Cadets now had no options after 6 months unless the LOCO offered them LOCO Cabin Crew work (so much for currency on type). Others went even further and actually PAID to Fly Passengers (another £20k for 150 to 500h of "Line Training"). PTF is a common thread on PPRUNE Ts&Cs section. Plenty there but in summary these folk have nothing but more debt after 6 months than the cadets they follow in the dole queue.
Since the 70s Pilot T&Cs in real terms have gone through the floor.
For those already in such Airlines, FOs wanting to get hours to become SFO or work towards a Command have had to sit on Standby while PTFs fly their sectors. Whilst TREs and Line Captains have to cope with more cockpit gradient due to inexperience.
Pilot Managers no longer have to understand anything about Piloting, Airliners become mere Buses to Accountants and Automation means Pilots began loosing some of the Skills they had started to learn at the very beginning.
For those who went the JAR route and straight into shiny jets, their regular A-B automated flights are more and more routine (both crew on laptops was a recent US example) . Airbus worries about Pilot Handling skills (Long Haul 3hr manual flying per year). Medics point to fatigue issues with LOCO 4 sector days or Jet Lag Long Haul. Managers just want to cut costs. 6/2, 6/3 or 2 weeks on 1 week off lifestyles can benefit Divorce lawyers, the list goes on and explains why many are down in the mouth about the careers they have chosen.
Stateside the Pilot Mills put youngsters into Regional A/c without much guidance. Salaries were so low (less than airport toilet cleaners) and jobs only available far away form home that Fatigue was a life threatening issue (Colgan crash 2009).
But some parts of the Industry do benefit. It's not just shareholders or CEOs. HR has grown massively with internet applications just one of 100 hoops for pilot wanabees to jump through. Give them psychometric tests, panel interviews, even hand writing analysis! (which doesn't work anyway!).
So Airline HR might be a better place to earn a crust.
There were very limited major Airline sponsorship deals (BA,BM,Britannia, AirAtlantique) or you needed 700h for a CPL (UK) and went Instructing, banner towing, even crop spraying. This changed at the turn of the century with JAR rules and with it a decline in GA Instructor numbers. However, although the glamour days of Concorde and Manned Space programmes had long gone and post 9/11 had made air travel more onerous for the passenger, a Flying Career was still an interesting idea for many wannabees.
"The trouble with normal is it always gets worse"
( Bruce Cockburn - Songs - The Trouble With Normal )
A few Flight Schools (Pilot Mills in the US) sold the idea that if you trained with them you could get the golden ticket and fly shiny big jets. "Integrated" was a term bandied around UK schools and a few of their chosen airline partners. No need to spend years working your way up from PPL through IMC, ME, BCPL, CPL, AFI, QFI, GA Turboprop, ATPL, etc
For a mere £70 to £120k you could go from zero to hero in 250h of flying training. You could work for your own money (£6k for 6 months) and maybe have a job at the end of it with a LOCO.
LOCO and the "Approved" schools brought with them what previously had been frowned upon - Pay for your own Type Rating up front. This became "normal" and STRSS/TRSS added £20-30k to Pilot training debts.
This seemed to work for a while until Increasing Greed, Mis-management, Demand for stupidly cheap travel, Fuel Prices, Terrorism, Green issues and finally a World Economy based on credit hit both Trainees and existing Pilot Ts&Cs.
Cadets now had no options after 6 months unless the LOCO offered them LOCO Cabin Crew work (so much for currency on type). Others went even further and actually PAID to Fly Passengers (another £20k for 150 to 500h of "Line Training"). PTF is a common thread on PPRUNE Ts&Cs section. Plenty there but in summary these folk have nothing but more debt after 6 months than the cadets they follow in the dole queue.
Since the 70s Pilot T&Cs in real terms have gone through the floor.
For those already in such Airlines, FOs wanting to get hours to become SFO or work towards a Command have had to sit on Standby while PTFs fly their sectors. Whilst TREs and Line Captains have to cope with more cockpit gradient due to inexperience.
Pilot Managers no longer have to understand anything about Piloting, Airliners become mere Buses to Accountants and Automation means Pilots began loosing some of the Skills they had started to learn at the very beginning.
For those who went the JAR route and straight into shiny jets, their regular A-B automated flights are more and more routine (both crew on laptops was a recent US example) . Airbus worries about Pilot Handling skills (Long Haul 3hr manual flying per year). Medics point to fatigue issues with LOCO 4 sector days or Jet Lag Long Haul. Managers just want to cut costs. 6/2, 6/3 or 2 weeks on 1 week off lifestyles can benefit Divorce lawyers, the list goes on and explains why many are down in the mouth about the careers they have chosen.
Stateside the Pilot Mills put youngsters into Regional A/c without much guidance. Salaries were so low (less than airport toilet cleaners) and jobs only available far away form home that Fatigue was a life threatening issue (Colgan crash 2009).
But some parts of the Industry do benefit. It's not just shareholders or CEOs. HR has grown massively with internet applications just one of 100 hoops for pilot wanabees to jump through. Give them psychometric tests, panel interviews, even hand writing analysis! (which doesn't work anyway!).
So Airline HR might be a better place to earn a crust.
Supercharged PPRuNer
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After nearly fifteen years in a previous career, I’m coming up for two years in the RHS of a turboprop, and still as happy as a dog with two willies.
But that’s just me – other people’s attitudes to this job vary widely depending on their background (perspective if you will) and the company they end up flying for. I was fortunate to qualify at the peak of the job market, very fortunate to find an airline job within a couple of months, and extremely fortunate to work for an outfit that’s as secure as anyone, doesn’t expect its pilots to pay for type ratings, and isn’t out to screw us at every opportunity. Many people are less fortunate, which might explain some of the responses on this thread.
In my experience, the jaded, cynical and downright miserable sods you occasionally meet (and every airline has them) are generally people who have spent their entire careers flying aeroplanes, and have known nothing else. Career-changers are often more positive, probably because we have experienced the ‘real’ world, and appreciate that airline life – despite all its downsides – compares rather well.
And it’s worth repeating the downsides, if only to temper that rose tinted view of commercial flying that wannabes inevitably have. I don’t enjoy getting up at 3am to scrape ice off the car, and after a couple of earlies I’m frankly knackered (note that certain low-costs will roster you an entire week of earlies in one go). When you look up at vapour trails in a clear blue sky, remember that we also fly around in quite horrible weather, often into pretty demanding airfields, and are expected to do so safely and consistently. Try dodging CBs and icing all the way down the Channel, then fighting your way into Guernsey with a 200’ cloudbase and 30kt crosswind, doubtless with an autopilot that doesn’t want to play. Maybe on your sixth sector of the day. Repeat ad nauseum.
If weather raises your blood-pressure, that’s nothing compared to airport ‘security’, many of whom would fail selection at McDonald’s, but have the capacity to ruin your day before it even starts (by, for example, refusing to let you take your flightcase through on the grounds that a catch is jammed on the front flap, meaning “we can’t search it”, even though it has been accepted in that condition, day-in, day-out for over a year).
When you finally get on board the aircraft, you’ll spend the day locked in an office with the dimensions (and often the smells) of a downstairs loo. Maybe with someone you don’t particularly like. Go flying, and the boxes in the back monitor everything you do – step outside ‘safe’ parameters for a few seconds and mission control will know about it in real time. Expect a message waiting when you switch on your mobile, inviting you to a hats-on interview to explain your actions. In slow time.
And then there’s the sim. Find me another profession where you effectively resit your final exams every six months for your entire career. They’ll tell you it’s “testing with a small ‘t’ and training with a big ‘t’ ” – except that it isn’t, because your performance (and grade) will depend in large part on whether you’re in during the day or the wee-small hours, and whether you have a sympathetic trainer or an egoist who gets off on breaking people.
Social life can be difficult – holidays must be booked six months in advance, and short-notice parties or family get-togethers are nigh-on impossible. I could go on; medicals, job insecurity, jobsworths, disruptive passengers, schedule disruption, inane rostering, etc etc.
And yet I still love the job, so much so that I miss it after a few days off. I love the mental and technical challenge of flying a plane-load of passengers from A to B safely, smoothly and efficiently. I get a buzz from executing a well-flown CDA without touching VNAV (I know, I’m sad). I love flying over my house at 7am, drinking bad coffee and watching the sun rise above a sea of cotton wool, knowing that all the miserable commuters that I used to share a train with are still standing on exactly the same spot on a cold, wet platform, waiting for the exactly the same train that they have always caught, and always will. Most of all, I just love flying; flying it as smoothly as I can, hand-flying, and even the occasional 30-knot crosswind landing. Just not into Guernsey.
That’s my ‘truth’ about being a pilot – I’m an enthusiast and for me it’s one of the best jobs in the world. I can’t imagine doing anything else. There are as many other stories as there are pilots, and it would be wise to listen to as many of them as possible before making your own mind up whether this is the career for you.
But that’s just me – other people’s attitudes to this job vary widely depending on their background (perspective if you will) and the company they end up flying for. I was fortunate to qualify at the peak of the job market, very fortunate to find an airline job within a couple of months, and extremely fortunate to work for an outfit that’s as secure as anyone, doesn’t expect its pilots to pay for type ratings, and isn’t out to screw us at every opportunity. Many people are less fortunate, which might explain some of the responses on this thread.
In my experience, the jaded, cynical and downright miserable sods you occasionally meet (and every airline has them) are generally people who have spent their entire careers flying aeroplanes, and have known nothing else. Career-changers are often more positive, probably because we have experienced the ‘real’ world, and appreciate that airline life – despite all its downsides – compares rather well.
And it’s worth repeating the downsides, if only to temper that rose tinted view of commercial flying that wannabes inevitably have. I don’t enjoy getting up at 3am to scrape ice off the car, and after a couple of earlies I’m frankly knackered (note that certain low-costs will roster you an entire week of earlies in one go). When you look up at vapour trails in a clear blue sky, remember that we also fly around in quite horrible weather, often into pretty demanding airfields, and are expected to do so safely and consistently. Try dodging CBs and icing all the way down the Channel, then fighting your way into Guernsey with a 200’ cloudbase and 30kt crosswind, doubtless with an autopilot that doesn’t want to play. Maybe on your sixth sector of the day. Repeat ad nauseum.
If weather raises your blood-pressure, that’s nothing compared to airport ‘security’, many of whom would fail selection at McDonald’s, but have the capacity to ruin your day before it even starts (by, for example, refusing to let you take your flightcase through on the grounds that a catch is jammed on the front flap, meaning “we can’t search it”, even though it has been accepted in that condition, day-in, day-out for over a year).
When you finally get on board the aircraft, you’ll spend the day locked in an office with the dimensions (and often the smells) of a downstairs loo. Maybe with someone you don’t particularly like. Go flying, and the boxes in the back monitor everything you do – step outside ‘safe’ parameters for a few seconds and mission control will know about it in real time. Expect a message waiting when you switch on your mobile, inviting you to a hats-on interview to explain your actions. In slow time.
And then there’s the sim. Find me another profession where you effectively resit your final exams every six months for your entire career. They’ll tell you it’s “testing with a small ‘t’ and training with a big ‘t’ ” – except that it isn’t, because your performance (and grade) will depend in large part on whether you’re in during the day or the wee-small hours, and whether you have a sympathetic trainer or an egoist who gets off on breaking people.
Social life can be difficult – holidays must be booked six months in advance, and short-notice parties or family get-togethers are nigh-on impossible. I could go on; medicals, job insecurity, jobsworths, disruptive passengers, schedule disruption, inane rostering, etc etc.
And yet I still love the job, so much so that I miss it after a few days off. I love the mental and technical challenge of flying a plane-load of passengers from A to B safely, smoothly and efficiently. I get a buzz from executing a well-flown CDA without touching VNAV (I know, I’m sad). I love flying over my house at 7am, drinking bad coffee and watching the sun rise above a sea of cotton wool, knowing that all the miserable commuters that I used to share a train with are still standing on exactly the same spot on a cold, wet platform, waiting for the exactly the same train that they have always caught, and always will. Most of all, I just love flying; flying it as smoothly as I can, hand-flying, and even the occasional 30-knot crosswind landing. Just not into Guernsey.
That’s my ‘truth’ about being a pilot – I’m an enthusiast and for me it’s one of the best jobs in the world. I can’t imagine doing anything else. There are as many other stories as there are pilots, and it would be wise to listen to as many of them as possible before making your own mind up whether this is the career for you.
Actually I love 5 earlies in a row. By the 3rd one you've adjusted and actually can go to sleep early enough to get a proper nights rest. Random rostering would be something I'd strike to avoid.
Other than that an excellent post espousing a view I share.
WWW
Other than that an excellent post espousing a view I share.
WWW
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G SXTY
G,
Thank you for posting a balanced opinion. I really enjoyed reading that.
I dont know if I will go commercial but one thing is certain having ready this thread start to finish and that is i'm glad im doing the modular route and I'm looking forward to just following my nose.
I still think most of the major issues pilots bring up can be found in many other jobs, such as mine.
Thank you for posting a balanced opinion. I really enjoyed reading that.
I dont know if I will go commercial but one thing is certain having ready this thread start to finish and that is i'm glad im doing the modular route and I'm looking forward to just following my nose.
I still think most of the major issues pilots bring up can be found in many other jobs, such as mine.
- Early starts: Check
- Airport security: i rack up around 75,000 air miles a year so, Check
- time away from home: I only spend 15 weeks at home per year, Check
- Working with difficult people: Check
- Working under stress: Check
- mass job losses: over 300 form my company last year so, Check
- missing family events, so far, in the past 6 months ive missed, fiances birthday, xmas, new year, two funerals of close relatives, and most annoying, curry night this saturday
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I have to agree with G-SXTY. As a career changer a couple of years whence, I also am not looking back. This is a different life, the quality of which is on a totally different strata. This dog has three willies!
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G-SXTY
[QUOTE]After nearly fifteen years in a previous career, I’m coming up for two years in the RHS of a turboprop, and still as happy as a dog with two willies/QUOTE]
Happy as a dog with two willies.
......didn't 'arf make me laugh.
Sleepyrascal
Its obvious that you are doing the right thing and asking what its all about. And has become common on this rapidly descending website it attracts way more Naysayers than the rest of us who are genuienly happy in the job. In fact i wont call it the job but being paid for what i love.
Ohh im flying an Airbus or Boeing and im not happy with everything else that comes with the job.
No matter what you do be it a dustman doctor or priest every job has its downside. The real pilots are those who can even when a huge sh1t sandwich is dealt your way you can at least find one thing positive about it.
I did EDI to LCY for two and a half years twice a day and do you know what i loved every minute of it. Yes somedays were harder than others and some of the crew were people you would give the steam of your turds to if they were cold.....but i still loved the job.
The views the challenges the quick turn arounds the wx the cabin crew etc etc etc all added to a tireing but satisfying day......ON ONE ROUTE.
I now work for Netjets and thats another whole world of flying and after 7 years of flying commercially plus 3 years of instructing i still love this game and still look forward to getting up and going to fly.
Problem is in my mind is that too many people want too much from flying and arent just happy with the views the sights the sounds the feelings etc etc etc that you believed were there when you were dreaming about being a pilot. In my small mind its there and a whole lot more and my glass is always half full.
GO FOR IT and enjoy it for what it is and not what you may think it is and ignore the crap that does come with the job but its all about how you approach it.....hope that makes sense.
[QUOTE]After nearly fifteen years in a previous career, I’m coming up for two years in the RHS of a turboprop, and still as happy as a dog with two willies/QUOTE]
Happy as a dog with two willies.
......didn't 'arf make me laugh.Sleepyrascal
Its obvious that you are doing the right thing and asking what its all about. And has become common on this rapidly descending website it attracts way more Naysayers than the rest of us who are genuienly happy in the job. In fact i wont call it the job but being paid for what i love.
Ohh im flying an Airbus or Boeing and im not happy with everything else that comes with the job.
No matter what you do be it a dustman doctor or priest every job has its downside. The real pilots are those who can even when a huge sh1t sandwich is dealt your way you can at least find one thing positive about it.
I did EDI to LCY for two and a half years twice a day and do you know what i loved every minute of it. Yes somedays were harder than others and some of the crew were people you would give the steam of your turds to if they were cold.....but i still loved the job.
The views the challenges the quick turn arounds the wx the cabin crew etc etc etc all added to a tireing but satisfying day......ON ONE ROUTE.
I now work for Netjets and thats another whole world of flying and after 7 years of flying commercially plus 3 years of instructing i still love this game and still look forward to getting up and going to fly.
Problem is in my mind is that too many people want too much from flying and arent just happy with the views the sights the sounds the feelings etc etc etc that you believed were there when you were dreaming about being a pilot. In my small mind its there and a whole lot more and my glass is always half full.
GO FOR IT and enjoy it for what it is and not what you may think it is and ignore the crap that does come with the job but its all about how you approach it.....hope that makes sense.
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Four willies here! 
Finished training in 2008. Modular. IR in Florida and Spain. Never seen a real cloud.
Got a SE VFR flying job right after. Good fun. Great experience. Pretty much no pay.
Now flying as freelance FO a six seater twin. No pay but great ops.
Second flight with outfit ended with first-time hand-flying an ILS through clouds and heavy rain showers throwing the aircraft around. Not really what I had been used to... The moment we cut through the cloud base, the sound of rain hammering onto the aircraft, and spotting the RWY lights was simply over the top. Unforgettable.
On another occasion, SID. Wet runway. Heavy rain showers over airport. Low cloud base. After takeoff in complete IMC within seconds. Hand-flying all. You hear the sound of the engines. You listen to the monotonous sound of the radio. You stare at the instruments. Fiddling with the radio. Changing to 29.92. CRM as best as possible. Flying turns according to assigned headings. Climb. Level off. Climb. FL100 cutting out of the clouds and leveling off. Sun is shining. In your face. Words fail me to describe. Worth every effort.
I cannot imagine how good it feels when I will eventually get paid...
Finished training in 2008. Modular. IR in Florida and Spain. Never seen a real cloud.
Got a SE VFR flying job right after. Good fun. Great experience. Pretty much no pay.
Now flying as freelance FO a six seater twin. No pay but great ops.
Second flight with outfit ended with first-time hand-flying an ILS through clouds and heavy rain showers throwing the aircraft around. Not really what I had been used to... The moment we cut through the cloud base, the sound of rain hammering onto the aircraft, and spotting the RWY lights was simply over the top. Unforgettable.
On another occasion, SID. Wet runway. Heavy rain showers over airport. Low cloud base. After takeoff in complete IMC within seconds. Hand-flying all. You hear the sound of the engines. You listen to the monotonous sound of the radio. You stare at the instruments. Fiddling with the radio. Changing to 29.92. CRM as best as possible. Flying turns according to assigned headings. Climb. Level off. Climb. FL100 cutting out of the clouds and leveling off. Sun is shining. In your face. Words fail me to describe. Worth every effort.
I cannot imagine how good it feels when I will eventually get paid...
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stefair
No pay huh? So... how do you pay for food/house etc? Just a dumb question from a CPL holder, currently attending university. I'm ok with low pay for a while, but in the long run I like to eat and sleep in a bed!!
No pay huh? So... how do you pay for food/house etc? Just a dumb question from a CPL holder, currently attending university. I'm ok with low pay for a while, but in the long run I like to eat and sleep in a bed!!
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well here we go again with another circular topic, things I can state with certainty:
- there will always be bright young things willing to do anything to fly planes
- there will always be old farts who have had enough of it
- there will always be career changers who's old jobs were so damn awful
they get a boner over every aircraft they see.
I think the major concern of those who have been around a bit is that we are on a downwards slope, not that flying a plane for cash is a bad job because it ain't.
However T+Cs seem to be in terminal decline in some areas and I do seriously wonder what will be left in 20 years
- there will always be bright young things willing to do anything to fly planes
- there will always be old farts who have had enough of it
- there will always be career changers who's old jobs were so damn awful
they get a boner over every aircraft they see.
I think the major concern of those who have been around a bit is that we are on a downwards slope, not that flying a plane for cash is a bad job because it ain't.
However T+Cs seem to be in terminal decline in some areas and I do seriously wonder what will be left in 20 years
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Got a SE VFR flying job right after. Good fun. Great experience. Pretty much no pay.
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My view
Another mid-life career changer here and almost three years in flying turboprops. I still enjoy it for all the reasons people have mentioned above, however I'm now eager to advance my pay and lifestyle. Pay is about £32k including flight pay. Lifestyle consists of working 5/2 or 6/3 which in an average month comprises 4 standby's, 9 days off, 14 days which are 4 sector days and about 4 days that are 2 sectors. Personally that's a little too much work for too little pay for my liking!!
I fancy a nice job with a decent charter outfit - 2/3 days work a week for £70k sounds a much better deal!!
Now therein lies the issue. Eventually most people end up with kids as I have and £32k doesn't really provide a nice family house and a nice lifestyle (which is what I comfortably afforded in the previous IT job). I definately am frustrated with the earnings to workload ratio and with none of the better companies hiring at the moment like many people am kinda stuck.
Would I go back to the old IT job though - no way!! In terms of enjoyment of the job there really is no comparison.
Desk-pilot
I fancy a nice job with a decent charter outfit - 2/3 days work a week for £70k sounds a much better deal!!
Now therein lies the issue. Eventually most people end up with kids as I have and £32k doesn't really provide a nice family house and a nice lifestyle (which is what I comfortably afforded in the previous IT job). I definately am frustrated with the earnings to workload ratio and with none of the better companies hiring at the moment like many people am kinda stuck.
Would I go back to the old IT job though - no way!! In terms of enjoyment of the job there really is no comparison.
Desk-pilot
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I have a feeling that it is something we better get used to Desk-Pilot. Nice jobs paying a First Officer 70k a year for 3 days? Can you please let me in on this! I dont think these jobs will be so easy to come by in the near future what with pay to fly schemes etc. Maybe try abroad, but I think its over in the UK unless I am mistaken?
Join Date: Sep 2004
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Originally Posted by Desk-pilot
Eventually most people end up with kids as I have and £32k doesn't really provide a nice family house and a nice lifestyle (which is what I comfortably afforded in the previous IT job).
You can't, especially now, expect similar effort and expenditure of time between IT and aviation industries to yield comparable salaries. Aviation is increasingly becoming a job you do for the passion, not for the money it pays.
Join Date: Apr 2005
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Five willies here!!
I've been flying for 20 years, 13 commercially and I still absolutely love it. Always look forward to going to work (long and short haul) and always have a good time - even on hard days. Outside of work I still instruct and love that too.
There are ups and downs - take them in your stride. Once you are established in the job make sure you join the fight to protect/improve T's and C's.
I say go for it sleepyrascal and the very best of luck to you :-)
I've been flying for 20 years, 13 commercially and I still absolutely love it. Always look forward to going to work (long and short haul) and always have a good time - even on hard days. Outside of work I still instruct and love that too.
There are ups and downs - take them in your stride. Once you are established in the job make sure you join the fight to protect/improve T's and C's.
I say go for it sleepyrascal and the very best of luck to you :-)
Join Date: Jan 2005
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No pay huh? So... how do you pay for food/house etc? Just a dumb question from a CPL holder, currently attending university. I'm ok with low pay for a while, but in the long run I like to eat and sleep in a bed!!
As many said here before, on top of the training costs you need to budget for the first job (tug plane, aerial photography, dropping chutes) that will not pay at all or not enough but will get you the hours to qualify for a higher paying job.
Most important thing is, stay in the industry and get your face known. Jobs will come along.