What's your profession?
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,981
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From: He's on the limb to nowhere
I would suggest several reasons why IT people are commonly found in the UK flying scene.
They make/made loadsamoney, and you definitely need that to fly in the UK.
For most people working in IT in the UK, although they made loadsamoney, their medium/long term career paths were not good. Airline pilots have a very very secure career in comparison, and well paid too (though the way they bitch and moan you would not believe them
). Commercial flying would be a definite draw for long term career stability, to be exploited by the more sensible IT folk who could see the IT downturn ahead of time. IMO, it will be down for some time to come.
(I was hired by a PLC to manage a tech startup in the UK a couple of years ago. I could not believe how much I had to pay a web-developer, with no real education or skills. I ended up paying him more than I paid myself or other key employees (though we had equity
). I am sure the web-developer is now flipping hamburgers, which is a shame because he was a nice guy. He always had to have the latest £300 phone or PDA, I am sure lots of IT guys from the late 90's are regretting spending all their windfall money on fancy cars and flying lessons.)
Paradoxically, flying a plane will be one of the last jobs to be taken over by computers. Paradoxically because it would be one of the easiest jobs to replace! Airbus IT programmers will be replaced by their own software before you could persuade passengers to get on an Airbus flown by their software itself. A shame, as it will cost lives.
All IMO of course
They make/made loadsamoney, and you definitely need that to fly in the UK.
For most people working in IT in the UK, although they made loadsamoney, their medium/long term career paths were not good. Airline pilots have a very very secure career in comparison, and well paid too (though the way they bitch and moan you would not believe them
). Commercial flying would be a definite draw for long term career stability, to be exploited by the more sensible IT folk who could see the IT downturn ahead of time. IMO, it will be down for some time to come.(I was hired by a PLC to manage a tech startup in the UK a couple of years ago. I could not believe how much I had to pay a web-developer, with no real education or skills. I ended up paying him more than I paid myself or other key employees (though we had equity
). I am sure the web-developer is now flipping hamburgers, which is a shame because he was a nice guy. He always had to have the latest £300 phone or PDA, I am sure lots of IT guys from the late 90's are regretting spending all their windfall money on fancy cars and flying lessons.)Paradoxically, flying a plane will be one of the last jobs to be taken over by computers. Paradoxically because it would be one of the easiest jobs to replace! Airbus IT programmers will be replaced by their own software before you could persuade passengers to get on an Airbus flown by their software itself. A shame, as it will cost lives.
All IMO of course
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 138
Likes: 0
From: Over the hedge... just!
Stunt man in Blue movies.................
Okay Okay I'm actually an Electrickery Engineer gone over to the dark side ... Sales, Marketing, Waffle and Twaddle.
Right handed.
CC
Okay Okay I'm actually an Electrickery Engineer gone over to the dark side ... Sales, Marketing, Waffle and Twaddle.
Right handed.
CC
Last edited by Crossedcontrols; 7th August 2002 at 11:05.
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 47
Likes: 0
From: UK
Atco, and part time lorry driver fro a 'blue chip' UK department store.
One earns more money than the other, but the other is a damn sight less stressful and gets me more cups of tea from infinately more civilised customers.
One earns more money than the other, but the other is a damn sight less stressful and gets me more cups of tea from infinately more civilised customers.
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 407
Likes: 0
From: Norfolk
Don't think I have a profession but get paid for sitting on the boards of publishing and media businesses (including PILOT magazine) and work in strategy and corporate development. Also manage a web and photographic team for PILOT mag.
How many here are being entirely truthful with theor profession. I note one example where the individual is being a bit economical with the truth but I promise not to tell!
How many here are being entirely truthful with theor profession. I note one example where the individual is being a bit economical with the truth but I promise not to tell!
)Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 1,966
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From: Norfolk
FF - you wouldn't mean me?
Err - I drive tractors and diggers and work very hard. Okay so I also make soap!!
" As these are anonymous forums the origins of the contributions may be opposite to what may be apparent. In fact the press may use it, or the unscrupulous, to elicit certain reactions"
Stik
Err - I drive tractors and diggers and work very hard. Okay so I also make soap!!
" As these are anonymous forums the origins of the contributions may be opposite to what may be apparent. In fact the press may use it, or the unscrupulous, to elicit certain reactions"
Stik
Official PPRuNe Chaplain
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 3,498
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From: Witnesham, Suffolk
Cusco - you never told me you play golf! I'd have stayed at a safe distance
AerBabe - he was here all afternoon, while we did strange wondrous and musical things to his laptop. This was a 3 cuppa and six bikkie afternoon, but we succeeded!
But I don't know if I'd dare bring him to Sywell. He's great fun but extremely intense - he might find a rare orchid on the runway and get it closed.
AerBabe - he was here all afternoon, while we did strange wondrous and musical things to his laptop. This was a 3 cuppa and six bikkie afternoon, but we succeeded!
But I don't know if I'd dare bring him to Sywell. He's great fun but extremely intense - he might find a rare orchid on the runway and get it closed.
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 647
Likes: 0
From: UK
Qualified mechanical engineer but spent most of my working life as a financial analyst/controller in the automotive industry.
Now retired, work for Essex Gliding Club, BGA occasionally, Royal Aero Club a bit, GAAC rather more, FAI somewhat, unpaid.
Right-handed, used to prefer thermalling to the left but now little preference.
Now retired, work for Essex Gliding Club, BGA occasionally, Royal Aero Club a bit, GAAC rather more, FAI somewhat, unpaid.
Right-handed, used to prefer thermalling to the left but now little preference.
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 265
Likes: 0
From: Belgium
Ex Air Traffic Controller. Got into software development for ATC systems many years ago (definitely not NERC!), then ATC Research and Development, investigation into Human Machine Interfaces, and now busy with ATC Safety regulation. Can't get IT out of my system though.