Why do you want to become an Airline Pilot?
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Why do you want to become an Airline Pilot?
Just thought I would start this to see what reasons people have for spending $10,000's and many years of their 'young' lifes training for the chance to become an Airline Pilot? 
The same reason people go to Uni for 6 years to become a doctor, lawyer etc. It is a goal alot of people want to achieve and will jump thru all the hurdles necessary to achieve it.
Would be alot of regrets later in life if we didn't give it a red hot go!
Would be alot of regrets later in life if we didn't give it a red hot go!
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Thanks for your all your replies.
Now to refine the question a bit....
What would you put on the QF Cadet 2006 application form under where is asks "Briefly state why you want to be a pilot"
Now to refine the question a bit....
What would you put on the QF Cadet 2006 application form under where is asks "Briefly state why you want to be a pilot"
Bottums Up
- Cause I was too lazy to get a real job.
- Cause it's just like sex.
- I do it for teh wimmens.
- cos I cpuldn't spell train driver on the application.
- The same reason people go to Uni for 6 years to become a doctor, lawyer etc. It is a goal alot of people want to achieve and will jump thru all the hurdles necessary to achieve it.
Why don't you write why YOU want to be a pilot, rather than assume that others must have a better reason, which is more acceptable to QF, than yours?
A guy I know (no, not me) spent mucho hours studying his mates cheat notes trying to get into an O/S operator, and was some what disillusioned when he missed out.
I can't help wondering if missing out was because the airline couldn't work out who the guy was, because it seems he was too busy trying to be his mate, who did get in.
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Capt Claret said:-
Why don't you write why YOU want to be a pilot, rather than assume that others must have a better reason, which is more acceptable to QF, than yours?
...well Capt Claret, it's a pretty well accepted fact that QF are in the cloning business, and there are most definitely prescribed answers to such questions.
Sad but true. There's a game to be played, and ya gotta play it.
Don't rely on PPrune to give the answers, either. Anonymous strangers are never a good source of information. Just ask around as much as you can (preferably get to know some QF pilots), and get their guidance on the application/interview process.
Why don't you write why YOU want to be a pilot, rather than assume that others must have a better reason, which is more acceptable to QF, than yours?
...well Capt Claret, it's a pretty well accepted fact that QF are in the cloning business, and there are most definitely prescribed answers to such questions.
Sad but true. There's a game to be played, and ya gotta play it.
Don't rely on PPrune to give the answers, either. Anonymous strangers are never a good source of information. Just ask around as much as you can (preferably get to know some QF pilots), and get their guidance on the application/interview process.
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From a mate.
I walked into the interview with a great deal of confidence and enthusiasm.
Flying airplanes was my one true passion in this life. This was my big
chance to merge my occupation with my love. I would become an airline
pilot.
"So you want to be an airline pilot?" the interviewer inquired.
"Yes, sir, more than anything else I have ever wanted," I replied,
realizing I sounded like an anxious adolescent.
"Well, great, welcome aboard," the airline executive said.
"You mean I'm hired?!" I cheered.
"You bet, we're glad to have you. Actually, we've had trouble finding
good pilots to hire," the exec explained. If I was surprised, it was
overshadowed by my joy of reaching my dream.
"Let's just go over a few points before you sign on the dotted line,"
the company man chortled. "We're going to send you to the world's most
renowned medical center. They'll spend two days probing your body
orifices, draining and analyzing your blood, and administering
psychological exams. They'll literally take you apart and put you back
together. If they find any hint of current or future problems, you're
fired and can find your own ride home."
"Gee, I think my health is O. K.," I nervously choked out.
The manager went on, "Good, next we'll evaluate your flying skills in an
aircraft you've never been in before.
"If we don't like the way you perform, you're fired,"
I was confident with my flying, but this guy was making me nervous. He
continued, "Next, if you're still here, we'll run you through our
training program. If during any time in the next 10 years you decide to
leave the company, you'll have to reimburse us $20,000, or we'll sue
you. Also if you fail to measure up during training, you're fired."
The man who had just given me my dream job listed still more hurdles.
"Each time, before we allow you near one of our multimillion dollar
aircraft we'll X-ray your flight bag and luggage, because we don't trust
you. Also we'll ask you to pass through a magnetometer each time. If
you fail to do so, you'll be arrested and jailed."
"When you've completed your flight, we'll have you provide a urine
sample, because we don't trust you to not take drugs. Very soon, we
plan to take a blood sample to look for more drugs.
"Also if you ever fly with another crew member who may have used drugs
or alcohol, you must report to us immediately. If you fail to notice
that anyone has used these substances, you'll be fired, have your
license to fly revoked, and be fined $10,000."
"Every six months, we want you to go back to the medical center for
another exam. If they ever find a hint of a problem, your license to
fly will be revoked and we'll fire you. Anytime you see a medical
person, you must tell us about it so we can see if you need to be
grounded and terminated. Also, we need to examine your driving record,
and you must tell us if you have even any minor infractions so we can
remove you from the cockpit as soon as possible."
"At any time, without notice, a special branch of the government will
send one of its inspectors to ride in your aircraft. The inspector will
demand to see your papers and license, If your papers are not in order,
you'll be removed, fined, terminated, and possibly jailed."
"If at any time you make an error in judgment or an honest human
mistake, you will be terminated, be fined tens of thousands of dollars,
and be dragged through months of court proceedings. The government will
make sure you never fly again for any airline."
"You will be well out of town most holidays, weekends, and family events -
half our pilots are always on the job at any point in time.
Smiling an evil smile now, the airline hirer went on. "Oh, and one last
thing to cover. Occasionally, we in management fail to see a trend and
screw up royally or the country's economy falls flat on its face. If as
a result of one of those events the corporation begins to lose money,
you as an employee will be expected to make up the losses from your
paycheck. Of course, management will not be held to the same standards.
Oh, and one last thing - if we negotiate pay and work rule concessions from
you in the future in exchange for a better pension plan, we probably won't
fund that pension plan agreement (unlike the management pension
plan and golden parachutes) and will likely have yanked it away from you."
"Now sign here," he pointed, grinning as he handed me a pen.
I faked a sudden nosebleed. Holding my head back and pinching my
nostrils, I hurried from his office. When I got to the hall, I began to
run. I ran all the way to my car. I figured if I hurried I could still
get to the county vocational school before 5:00 and enroll in the
industrial welding/plumbing/electrician career program.
I walked into the interview with a great deal of confidence and enthusiasm.
Flying airplanes was my one true passion in this life. This was my big
chance to merge my occupation with my love. I would become an airline
pilot.
"So you want to be an airline pilot?" the interviewer inquired.
"Yes, sir, more than anything else I have ever wanted," I replied,
realizing I sounded like an anxious adolescent.
"Well, great, welcome aboard," the airline executive said.
"You mean I'm hired?!" I cheered.
"You bet, we're glad to have you. Actually, we've had trouble finding
good pilots to hire," the exec explained. If I was surprised, it was
overshadowed by my joy of reaching my dream.
"Let's just go over a few points before you sign on the dotted line,"
the company man chortled. "We're going to send you to the world's most
renowned medical center. They'll spend two days probing your body
orifices, draining and analyzing your blood, and administering
psychological exams. They'll literally take you apart and put you back
together. If they find any hint of current or future problems, you're
fired and can find your own ride home."
"Gee, I think my health is O. K.," I nervously choked out.
The manager went on, "Good, next we'll evaluate your flying skills in an
aircraft you've never been in before.
"If we don't like the way you perform, you're fired,"
I was confident with my flying, but this guy was making me nervous. He
continued, "Next, if you're still here, we'll run you through our
training program. If during any time in the next 10 years you decide to
leave the company, you'll have to reimburse us $20,000, or we'll sue
you. Also if you fail to measure up during training, you're fired."
The man who had just given me my dream job listed still more hurdles.
"Each time, before we allow you near one of our multimillion dollar
aircraft we'll X-ray your flight bag and luggage, because we don't trust
you. Also we'll ask you to pass through a magnetometer each time. If
you fail to do so, you'll be arrested and jailed."
"When you've completed your flight, we'll have you provide a urine
sample, because we don't trust you to not take drugs. Very soon, we
plan to take a blood sample to look for more drugs.
"Also if you ever fly with another crew member who may have used drugs
or alcohol, you must report to us immediately. If you fail to notice
that anyone has used these substances, you'll be fired, have your
license to fly revoked, and be fined $10,000."
"Every six months, we want you to go back to the medical center for
another exam. If they ever find a hint of a problem, your license to
fly will be revoked and we'll fire you. Anytime you see a medical
person, you must tell us about it so we can see if you need to be
grounded and terminated. Also, we need to examine your driving record,
and you must tell us if you have even any minor infractions so we can
remove you from the cockpit as soon as possible."
"At any time, without notice, a special branch of the government will
send one of its inspectors to ride in your aircraft. The inspector will
demand to see your papers and license, If your papers are not in order,
you'll be removed, fined, terminated, and possibly jailed."
"If at any time you make an error in judgment or an honest human
mistake, you will be terminated, be fined tens of thousands of dollars,
and be dragged through months of court proceedings. The government will
make sure you never fly again for any airline."
"You will be well out of town most holidays, weekends, and family events -
half our pilots are always on the job at any point in time.
Smiling an evil smile now, the airline hirer went on. "Oh, and one last
thing to cover. Occasionally, we in management fail to see a trend and
screw up royally or the country's economy falls flat on its face. If as
a result of one of those events the corporation begins to lose money,
you as an employee will be expected to make up the losses from your
paycheck. Of course, management will not be held to the same standards.
Oh, and one last thing - if we negotiate pay and work rule concessions from
you in the future in exchange for a better pension plan, we probably won't
fund that pension plan agreement (unlike the management pension
plan and golden parachutes) and will likely have yanked it away from you."
"Now sign here," he pointed, grinning as he handed me a pen.
I faked a sudden nosebleed. Holding my head back and pinching my
nostrils, I hurried from his office. When I got to the hall, I began to
run. I ran all the way to my car. I figured if I hurried I could still
get to the county vocational school before 5:00 and enroll in the
industrial welding/plumbing/electrician career program.
