Why do YOU fly?? I would like to know
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Why do YOU fly?? I would like to know
So why do you fly?? For some, its a simple answer. For others, its an answer only shared in private.
What makes us pilots sacrifice so much for just a few hours airbourne on the weekend........or for that dream shot, a commercial or airline job?
I know most of you have probably had to work in jobs or professions that you probably didn't like, but just had to because you needed to scrape the dollars to live your aviation dream.
I would like to know what drives us to work through such hardships.
let you me hear your story.
Pilotdreams1977
What makes us pilots sacrifice so much for just a few hours airbourne on the weekend........or for that dream shot, a commercial or airline job?
I know most of you have probably had to work in jobs or professions that you probably didn't like, but just had to because you needed to scrape the dollars to live your aviation dream.
I would like to know what drives us to work through such hardships.
let you me hear your story.
Pilotdreams1977
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So why do you fly??
Originally I had hoped to make a career out of it - although the other more important distractions in life (like a family etc) meant that may not happen
If it doesn't - well that's life. I can still enjoy flying as much as I could
Big thanks to the guys from Schoies who invited me as a passenger in their 4 plane form over Sydney yesterday to celebrate 100 years of powered flight, that's what makes flying fun!
Exactly, it's just about everything to do with Aviation and I love it.
Sure there are more important things in my life but I cant imagine a life without flying.
As I drive to go flying today(I don't like to call it 'work' because to a Pilot it's much more than that) I will be the happiest and most grateful bloke around
.
Safe flying and Merry Christmas All .
Sure there are more important things in my life but I cant imagine a life without flying.
As I drive to go flying today(I don't like to call it 'work' because to a Pilot it's much more than that) I will be the happiest and most grateful bloke around
.Safe flying and Merry Christmas All
.
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For me its about the mates you meet on the way around this great country.
Different ops have different enjoyments. At the moment I enjoy dropping meat bombs for the sheer excitement of the sport. The freedom of being able to gather up a few mates and fly to remote strips for a camping and drinking session is second to none.
Oh and it impresses the chicks (occasionaly)
Ang
Different ops have different enjoyments. At the moment I enjoy dropping meat bombs for the sheer excitement of the sport. The freedom of being able to gather up a few mates and fly to remote strips for a camping and drinking session is second to none.
Oh and it impresses the chicks (occasionaly)
Ang
Seasonally Adjusted
Most folks look up and admire those 'big fluffy white clouds".
Being a fly-boy/girl enables us to get close and personal with Towering Q's and CB's, well not too close.
Nothing beats punching through a solid morning overcast to appear in bright sunshine, blue sky and a sea of white below. Sigh.
Being a fly-boy/girl enables us to get close and personal with Towering Q's and CB's, well not too close.
Nothing beats punching through a solid morning overcast to appear in bright sunshine, blue sky and a sea of white below. Sigh.
Happy ????????????????????????
As I drive to go flying today(I don't like to call it 'work' because to a Pilot it's much more than that) I will be the happiest and most grateful bloke around
I suppose it depends on :
- who you work for / how they treat you
- where you live
- what you fly
- type of flying
Sometimes I think I was happier working for myself and driving a taxi !!
Why do I continue if I am not happy ? Because one day it might lead me to a "happy job"
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John Citizen, I suggest you go through and read all the threads again.
It may re inspire you, don't give up. The ****ty job you have now will make you appreciate the good one when it comes along.
Remember big brother is always watching so just enjoy the fact that your can actually fly
Direct anywhere, you hit the nail on the head with that post.
For me it was all summed up the other day, breaking out of fog at 700ft into a crystal blue sky then taking a look out the window at my new shinney engine and winglet.
Anything that makes you smile and get all uptight when you are not doing it (like sex) has got to be good.
splat
It may re inspire you, don't give up. The ****ty job you have now will make you appreciate the good one when it comes along.
Remember big brother is always watching so just enjoy the fact that your can actually fly
Direct anywhere, you hit the nail on the head with that post.
For me it was all summed up the other day, breaking out of fog at 700ft into a crystal blue sky then taking a look out the window at my new shinney engine and winglet.
Anything that makes you smile and get all uptight when you are not doing it (like sex) has got to be good.
splat
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JC - you just arn't working for the right company, there are lots of good ones out there that actually appreciate the work you do and treat you well.
Engineer - thats what i was gonna say, if you've ever done any other kind of work, it certainly beats working for a living.
I always really appreciate the good days as they far outnumber the bad ones.
I really cant think of anything else i would rather do. Its a very satisfying career.
Engineer - thats what i was gonna say, if you've ever done any other kind of work, it certainly beats working for a living.
I always really appreciate the good days as they far outnumber the bad ones.
I really cant think of anything else i would rather do. Its a very satisfying career.
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JC - I used to think like you do. Then i was out of work for a while and now i love every minute i fly whether its in a 172 or a 747. Maybe if you still feel this way you should take 6 months off and try something else and see how much u miss it then.
Oh and by the way it beats the sh#t out of doing a real job.
Oh and by the way it beats the sh#t out of doing a real job.
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Be grateful
Well to those working, what they think to be bad aviation job....well I got two words. Be grateful.
I have been busting my a#se, for the last 4 years to try to scrape the bucks together to get some hours up and my CPL.
I have worked the most god forsaken boring jobs at the most ridiculous hours of the day, and while my friends partied into the night, met girls, got drunk, i was pulling some boring night shift job(pay was good and i had university during the day).
Fed up with forgoing all the pleasures of a social life, and living with a dysfunctional family (not able to move out cuz I had to throw all the money into aviation) I decided to move half way across the globe to one of the most none english speaking countries in the world, in order to raise money.
The money I make here is about 3 times what I would make in a full time job back in oz, but the work is starting to get me down (I spend some days wiping snot of little kids faces, while attempting to teach them ABC) so thats why I wrote the topic. Life is good here, and I finally caught up with what I missed back home (parties, girls).
But when the day comes, and I finally land that first job, flying singles for about $60 a day....well I will be truly grateful. Because for one:
- I will be on the way to fulfilling a life long dream,
- and that it was four year rollercoaster journey.
So for that aviation job which you may be considering bad....well just remember...especially when you are having a bad day....that there are guys like me who have been dreaming years to be in a position that you are in. Or to be having those "bad" days you have.
I have been busting my a#se, for the last 4 years to try to scrape the bucks together to get some hours up and my CPL.
I have worked the most god forsaken boring jobs at the most ridiculous hours of the day, and while my friends partied into the night, met girls, got drunk, i was pulling some boring night shift job(pay was good and i had university during the day).
Fed up with forgoing all the pleasures of a social life, and living with a dysfunctional family (not able to move out cuz I had to throw all the money into aviation) I decided to move half way across the globe to one of the most none english speaking countries in the world, in order to raise money.
The money I make here is about 3 times what I would make in a full time job back in oz, but the work is starting to get me down (I spend some days wiping snot of little kids faces, while attempting to teach them ABC) so thats why I wrote the topic. Life is good here, and I finally caught up with what I missed back home (parties, girls).
But when the day comes, and I finally land that first job, flying singles for about $60 a day....well I will be truly grateful. Because for one:
- I will be on the way to fulfilling a life long dream,
- and that it was four year rollercoaster journey.
So for that aviation job which you may be considering bad....well just remember...especially when you are having a bad day....that there are guys like me who have been dreaming years to be in a position that you are in. Or to be having those "bad" days you have.
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I agree that flying is a dream that many people have BUT the hard reality is the gloss wears off quite quickly living in the back of nowhere in particular, busting your gut in 40 degree plus temps to ferry around people that have most likely not had a shower in the past month, ALL for about the same $$$ you'd get working at maccas.
The reason the pay is cr@p and the conditions likewise is that there is always someone like you ready to come and do the job because of "the dream".
The dream is a sham! Still saying that i keep going, hoping that there will be a jet job one day (might have to pay for it tho)!
-the box
The reason the pay is cr@p and the conditions likewise is that there is always someone like you ready to come and do the job because of "the dream".
The dream is a sham! Still saying that i keep going, hoping that there will be a jet job one day (might have to pay for it tho)!
-the box
Seasonally Adjusted
Agreed....curse that "supply and demand" thing!
Phonebox.....it doesn't have to be a jet job. So long as it gets to the flight levels and out of the bumps, does a reasonable speed, has plenty of buttons to play with, has plenty of room for my lunch and carries recently showered pax who are almost out of view.
Oh, and an APU would be nice, so I can leave the airconditioning on whilst on the ground. Did I mention a biscuit chucker?
Phonebox.....it doesn't have to be a jet job. So long as it gets to the flight levels and out of the bumps, does a reasonable speed, has plenty of buttons to play with, has plenty of room for my lunch and carries recently showered pax who are almost out of view.
Oh, and an APU would be nice, so I can leave the airconditioning on whilst on the ground. Did I mention a biscuit chucker?
Take the break JC, but can you?
Handrail, I agree with you even a month of leave will set your spirits right, flying is one of those things that is in the blood for alot of us (I won't necessarily say all). You take leave and even get to the big smoke where its all happening but you soon realise you must get airbourne again. It's tops to break an early (and I mean early) monday morning blues with a wicked sun showered horizon or smooth air!
However whilst some of the best friends I have in the world, I have met within this honourable industry, I have met the biggest arseh@les in the world here. Pure evil; people who will lie, cheat and basically bury a knife into your back because they don't really have aviation in their blood and must do this to keep an edge.
JC; I can handle Who I work for?
I can handle how they treat me?
I can handle what they pay me!
I can also handle what I fly and who/where I fly!
I hate the arseh@les!!!!!!!!
Shameful, but that's the nature of an industry where the "it's not a job it's an adventure" moto stands true. It appeals to fun seekers; Dudes/Dudettes and arseh@les alike.
This is my only negative aspect in Aviation, the rest is Bl@@dy awesome and I would not even think about another profession,
Tried a couple of others but the 9 to 5, spouse and two and a half kid thing has not got an appeal for me.
Each to their own
However whilst some of the best friends I have in the world, I have met within this honourable industry, I have met the biggest arseh@les in the world here. Pure evil; people who will lie, cheat and basically bury a knife into your back because they don't really have aviation in their blood and must do this to keep an edge.
JC; I can handle Who I work for?
I can handle how they treat me?
I can handle what they pay me!
I can also handle what I fly and who/where I fly!
I hate the arseh@les!!!!!!!!
Shameful, but that's the nature of an industry where the "it's not a job it's an adventure" moto stands true. It appeals to fun seekers; Dudes/Dudettes and arseh@les alike. This is my only negative aspect in Aviation, the rest is Bl@@dy awesome and I would not even think about another profession,
Tried a couple of others but the 9 to 5, spouse and two and a half kid thing has not got an appeal for me.
Each to their own
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No problems
"I agree that flying is a dream that many people have BUT the hard reality is the gloss wears off quite quickly living in the back of nowhere in particular, busting your gut in 40 degree plus temps to ferry around people that have most likely not had a shower in the past month, ALL for about the same $$$ you'd get working at maccas. " QUOTE
Well this is seriously no problems!!! I don't have an aviation job, but the conditions I am currently working in and have been for the last year and a half, to scrape the dollars to get my hours up is much more difficult than that.
I work in country, which has 40 degree summers, with a 100% humidity, and as you know from studying human factors, that 100% humidity is much worse than the dry heat in Australia.
The winters here get down to 0 and below on most days and it snows here.
The people I work with, well......sometimes I have to wipe snot of kids faces and have to put up with being spat on.
As for isolation and working in the middle of nowhere.......well no one here speaks damn english. The only contact I have is with a few other ex pats who work here and my pc.
So in the end, sticking out an aviation job, as described above.....no probs.
Pilotdreams1977
Well this is seriously no problems!!! I don't have an aviation job, but the conditions I am currently working in and have been for the last year and a half, to scrape the dollars to get my hours up is much more difficult than that.
I work in country, which has 40 degree summers, with a 100% humidity, and as you know from studying human factors, that 100% humidity is much worse than the dry heat in Australia.
The winters here get down to 0 and below on most days and it snows here.
The people I work with, well......sometimes I have to wipe snot of kids faces and have to put up with being spat on.
As for isolation and working in the middle of nowhere.......well no one here speaks damn english. The only contact I have is with a few other ex pats who work here and my pc.
So in the end, sticking out an aviation job, as described above.....no probs.
Pilotdreams1977