A quarter life crisis : QF pilots, is it really worth it ?
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Australia
Posts: 81
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Java, I am not on any airline recruiting panel, though have been in my mis-spent past. T
Sorry, hit the wrong tit...I was about to say that my perception is that the airlines still play the 'supply and demand' game and thus vary their entry requirements to suit.
If someone in their 20's comes through the door with 2000 hours turbine time he/she will always be considered ahead of a 30-something who has just qualified, or maybe got 1000 hours of single piston time. Even when the candidates have identical experience, they seem to favour the younger. Could be something to do with teaching old dogs new tricks...I dunno.
On the other hand, it is just possible that the regionals would favour the older candidate, but only if they figure that he is too old to use their training as a stepping stone to the big time.
If I was recruiting for a regional, that's how I would think, anyway.
Sorry, hit the wrong tit...I was about to say that my perception is that the airlines still play the 'supply and demand' game and thus vary their entry requirements to suit.
If someone in their 20's comes through the door with 2000 hours turbine time he/she will always be considered ahead of a 30-something who has just qualified, or maybe got 1000 hours of single piston time. Even when the candidates have identical experience, they seem to favour the younger. Could be something to do with teaching old dogs new tricks...I dunno.
On the other hand, it is just possible that the regionals would favour the older candidate, but only if they figure that he is too old to use their training as a stepping stone to the big time.
If I was recruiting for a regional, that's how I would think, anyway.
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: australia
Posts: 112
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Mat,
Go for it lad........I've tried working for a living after leaving flying and have gone back to it.
Working for the next 30 years or living a dream...you decide my boy. When you're sitting in the office and look up at the sky and see a heavy or GA aircraft fly over and know that there's a good chance that you know who the driver is and they more than likely having a much better time than you at that moment......it's time to go do it!!!!
Forget about about the money, forget about the broken romantic relationships,(if she doesn't support you 100% then she isn't the girl for you any way!!) forget about some of the morons you'll meet along the way (and believe me...aviation attracts them too!!)
Just think of this...when you are on your deathbed and the question comes to mind "was it all worth it?"....for god's sake make sure the answer is yes!
Cheers
Go for it lad........I've tried working for a living after leaving flying and have gone back to it.
Working for the next 30 years or living a dream...you decide my boy. When you're sitting in the office and look up at the sky and see a heavy or GA aircraft fly over and know that there's a good chance that you know who the driver is and they more than likely having a much better time than you at that moment......it's time to go do it!!!!
Forget about about the money, forget about the broken romantic relationships,(if she doesn't support you 100% then she isn't the girl for you any way!!) forget about some of the morons you'll meet along the way (and believe me...aviation attracts them too!!)
Just think of this...when you are on your deathbed and the question comes to mind "was it all worth it?"....for god's sake make sure the answer is yes!
Cheers
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Australia
Posts: 85
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Nice Work
Nice Comment BigFella5,
I got to agree with you there. GA and Airlines can be a bitc* at times but hey can't every industy. And every industry attracts morons, sharks and back-stabbers so whether your in IT or Aviation (I've been in both) or finance or whatever, you will find every personality type in that industry.
The money is important but lifestyle is more important after an extended period of time. Your life will ajust to your personal income and you never know when and how you might strike it rich.
Good to see the positive comments from the people that have been there and done that or are doing it now!
Mr Garrison
I got to agree with you there. GA and Airlines can be a bitc* at times but hey can't every industy. And every industry attracts morons, sharks and back-stabbers so whether your in IT or Aviation (I've been in both) or finance or whatever, you will find every personality type in that industry.
The money is important but lifestyle is more important after an extended period of time. Your life will ajust to your personal income and you never know when and how you might strike it rich.
Good to see the positive comments from the people that have been there and done that or are doing it now!
Mr Garrison
Guest
Posts: n/a
I've just taken the plunge....
G'day Matb,
I've just left the world of IT in Sydney and a decent salary to undertake full-time flying training in Queensland.(With no salary and a depleted savings account !)
The course I've chosen gives me a right hand seat in a Turbo-prop airliner for 12 months after I graduate with ATPL and Multi-Engine Command Instrument Rating.
This will give me lots of lovely turbine hours as a First Officer, and build up my Total Time, but then there's lots of command hours to be gained somehow..somewhere...This could mean Darwin, or Broome, or sh!tsville, alabama - but I'll give it a good nudge and see how I go. Don't let the bad press disuade you if you really want to fly. Every industry has its tossers and frustrations - make of it what you will....
Good luck mate.
Biggles
I've just left the world of IT in Sydney and a decent salary to undertake full-time flying training in Queensland.(With no salary and a depleted savings account !)
The course I've chosen gives me a right hand seat in a Turbo-prop airliner for 12 months after I graduate with ATPL and Multi-Engine Command Instrument Rating.
This will give me lots of lovely turbine hours as a First Officer, and build up my Total Time, but then there's lots of command hours to be gained somehow..somewhere...This could mean Darwin, or Broome, or sh!tsville, alabama - but I'll give it a good nudge and see how I go. Don't let the bad press disuade you if you really want to fly. Every industry has its tossers and frustrations - make of it what you will....
Good luck mate.
Biggles
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Australia
Posts: 2,382
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
MatthewB, not to scare or intimidate you, but just on your previous points 1 to 5... they are what most people get in GA with and a lot of times without pay. I kid you not my friend, those points are nothing when you ask a GA driver what the real concerns are.
Be prepared for 100 broken relationships. Good partners I've known who have simply looked at the scenario and just said "no....no can't do it sorry".
All of the above posts are quite good - I can hardly find a point to disagree with.
Its all a very big gamble - If you make a mistake you career and life can be over quickly.
I've seen both sides of the coin first hand - a young man taken from his loved ones at 20 and his mate (same age) pull on the QF uniform. These are the extreems in the industry.
Another thing I can also tell you is that it has grown on me a lot since I started. Still want the jets but can see rewards in lots of areas now.
Be prepared for 100 broken relationships. Good partners I've known who have simply looked at the scenario and just said "no....no can't do it sorry".
All of the above posts are quite good - I can hardly find a point to disagree with.
Its all a very big gamble - If you make a mistake you career and life can be over quickly.
I've seen both sides of the coin first hand - a young man taken from his loved ones at 20 and his mate (same age) pull on the QF uniform. These are the extreems in the industry.
Another thing I can also tell you is that it has grown on me a lot since I started. Still want the jets but can see rewards in lots of areas now.
Just Binos
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Mackay, Australia
Age: 71
Posts: 1,397
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Can I venture an opinion from the other side of antiquity?
Never been a pilot, but I know a lot of them. One close friend told me not long ago that his job was a bore (QF Link). Whatever you imagine of a job, try to factor in that in 25 years time it will be just another job, and take that into account when giving up your six figure income for the remote chance of getting to the same income some time in the future.
Never been a pilot, but I know a lot of them. One close friend told me not long ago that his job was a bore (QF Link). Whatever you imagine of a job, try to factor in that in 25 years time it will be just another job, and take that into account when giving up your six figure income for the remote chance of getting to the same income some time in the future.
Some points on my career so far (piston twin G/A $40k+)
I chose flying for two reasons:
1) After stuffing around when I left year 10, doing zitboy supermarket style jobs, and not being able to claim that I was a UNI student or the like, I discovered that I didn't have motivation to do any specific white colar office job of any sort whatsoever.
2) I was, always have been and always will be (till the day I die) mad bloody keen on flying and everything associated with it.
Not being an especially bright young lad at the age of 16 and 17. The penny didn't drop until about the age of twenty when I saw myself in position 1) and decided to connect that with 2).
I then left zitboy supermarket style job, went back to school and took a job that had more overtime than you could poke a stick at. That job was low stress reasonably high pay and boring as a bored room of accountants.
I am now thirty and I have very little to my name, although financially I am now making slow progress. I have been through several AIDS scenarios (not a divorce to speak of yet).
In truth, I have little in the way of other successful careers to make comparisson with, I know nothing else. And yet despite the lack of job security even within my present position, it doesn't bother me all that much. I have already been furloughed from one G/A operator and hired over the top of more times than I care to admit. Despite this, I am now in a position where I meet most airline minimums, I have never had an accident, and I have many good references to rely on. The knockers and pessimists haven't got me down yet. Bastards!
I want to fly for an airline so much, sometimes it hurts, I get up in the morning and while I am getting ready for work I dream of getting that phone call or that letter in the mail.
If it all sounds a bit over the top for your liking matthew b then you should probably give it a miss. But even at this lowly rung in the aviation ladder, I look forward to going to work 9 times out of 10, make that 8 and as far as I am concerned, if I keep my mouth shut and my nose clean things can only get better.
P.S. I do have other interests outside of flying but thats only so the cool kids will play with me.
Willie
I chose flying for two reasons:
1) After stuffing around when I left year 10, doing zitboy supermarket style jobs, and not being able to claim that I was a UNI student or the like, I discovered that I didn't have motivation to do any specific white colar office job of any sort whatsoever.
2) I was, always have been and always will be (till the day I die) mad bloody keen on flying and everything associated with it.
Not being an especially bright young lad at the age of 16 and 17. The penny didn't drop until about the age of twenty when I saw myself in position 1) and decided to connect that with 2).
I then left zitboy supermarket style job, went back to school and took a job that had more overtime than you could poke a stick at. That job was low stress reasonably high pay and boring as a bored room of accountants.
I am now thirty and I have very little to my name, although financially I am now making slow progress. I have been through several AIDS scenarios (not a divorce to speak of yet).
In truth, I have little in the way of other successful careers to make comparisson with, I know nothing else. And yet despite the lack of job security even within my present position, it doesn't bother me all that much. I have already been furloughed from one G/A operator and hired over the top of more times than I care to admit. Despite this, I am now in a position where I meet most airline minimums, I have never had an accident, and I have many good references to rely on. The knockers and pessimists haven't got me down yet. Bastards!
I want to fly for an airline so much, sometimes it hurts, I get up in the morning and while I am getting ready for work I dream of getting that phone call or that letter in the mail.
If it all sounds a bit over the top for your liking matthew b then you should probably give it a miss. But even at this lowly rung in the aviation ladder, I look forward to going to work 9 times out of 10, make that 8 and as far as I am concerned, if I keep my mouth shut and my nose clean things can only get better.
P.S. I do have other interests outside of flying but thats only so the cool kids will play with me.
Willie
