Retirement letter
 

This just about sums it up!

"Isn't it interesting that the high school drop outs at the airport security (?) checkpoint have more authority and power than the Captain of the ship? I was certainly born at the right time - to require me to retire before being thrown in jail for telling the homeland insecurity folks what I think of them and their mothers.

Well, The good news is, Today I officially retire from Northwest Airlines and I was hired last week for a Service Advisor job in the automotive division of Sears (which is the first real job I had while going to college and loved it and it's what I want to do in my old age)--pay is good and it includes full medical, dental, 401k & profit sharing--should be more than enough even without the retirement money--may still consider the same line of work at a regular dealership at some point, covering my six for now--

I'll be home every night--no more check rides--no FEDS or commuters on my jump seat taking up my office space--no more 25% PENALTY for being legitimately sick--no more scum bag hotels--no more old bitchy flight attendants--no more 14 hour
duty days with 10 hour layovers--no more drafting my butt downline to fly the remains of somebody else's trip because they can't staff the airline correctly---no more zero/zero approaches into blinding thunderstorms or blizzards--no more strip searches at the security checkpoints by high school drop-outs (my I.D. means nothing)--no more subway sandwiches at the airport served by Somalis that can never get my order right. Can't sit down and have a hot meal between legs at a nice restaurant cause there's not enough time--no more missed recitals, birthdays or holidays--no more 3:30 am (body clock) wakeup calls on the east coast--no more number 20 for take off behind 18 little regional jets at LaGuardia--no more company bus rides from the employee lot in machines, where either the rear door doesn't work or the A.C. or
heat is out of order--no more "fear and intimidation style management" to live under.

The head honcho of the Sears store actually gave me the second and final interview (not normal) "he actually wanted to meet me" and said I should consider a position in management with my credentials and philosophies about how I believe people should be treated and that he was really happy to see someone like me consider a position with his company ..he told me I would be an asset to any organization, unlike my current employer, that has always "behind the scenes" regarded me and my peers as liabilities and prima donnas...go figure!

I'm not unique. Most pilots at this point still fit the same mold. Unfortunately that mold is slowly and methodically being reshaped by corporate robber barons into something they can shackle to a Yoke and, who they hope, will never question the methods to their madness.

The more I re-read this e-mail, the more I wonder why it has taken me so long to come to this decision to hang up flying--oh yeh, it's cause I couldn't touch my retirement money till now, penalty free....I'm finally ready for the simpler life with considerably less stress. It used to be that the Airline rewarded us for all these little inconveniences we take for granted and the time we spend away from home and family that was part of our daily lives in this profession. We made good money, had considerable time off and the benefits were to brag about. That is no longer the case. My Plumber makes more a year now than I do. His labor rate alone is $95.00/hr when he set my kitchen sink last May and he's a high school drop out. His yearly salary is based on a 160 hour work month (40 a week) -

My $93.00/hr and annual salary is based on an 80 hour month (hard time in the air) with considerably more time on duty and away fro m home. I suspect the New Airline Pilot of the future will probably be one of those kids you remember in high school that got out of classes on a 2:30pm work permit to go learn a trade because they weren't particularly bright. Of course he'll have to be on some kind of Government program to pay for his training. There's no way he'll be able to come up with the $100,000.00 in flight training costs to get his licenses, and you'll never see another Military Pilot leave the armed forces for an Air Carrier position where it will take almost his entire career to reach the salary he left behind at his Military job.

I would not recommend this profession anymore to anyone I really cared about. My guess is the Airline industry will have to lower their Standards as well as their requirements as the airplanes get more automated (the FAA will agree) if they're gonna get any applicants. Let the buyer beware when he takes his next airplane ride in the future. I have absolutely no regrets about getting out while the getting is good. I used to love my job and the adventure that every trip brought. It's just no fun going to work anymore. It's all about quality of life ---unfortunately, you don't figure that out till you're on the back side of the clock in most careers and in the Big Scheme of things, approaching your own ultimate demise.

Life is really too short to devote one extra minute of your time to a company as well as a profession that is not everything you had hoped for.. I'm baffled trying to think of another industry that has so brutally passed on the increased costs of doing business to their employees rather than their customers. Even my garbage man is charging a surcharge for fuel to me rather than rape his employees.

ps: I will forward a short movie to some of you of my Northwest Uniform going up in smoke so no terrorist can ever use it. My Eastern Airlines uniform and my Navy uniform still hang proudly in my closet.....

Clear Skies & Tailwinds,
CS"

As the junior guys would say - "Take four more with you!":)

The bitter retirement letter has become a staple of the profession in recent years...

Here's an earlier retiree who went out with a whine:

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=193540

Excellent letter... concise resumé of what has become of a once proud profession... May you have along and thoroughly well deserved new life.

Should be compulsory reading for all those dreaming wanabees out there who stare skywards through a rose coloured filter and then bend over to get a royal screwing from the employers.

And a final thank you for all the correct decisions made that brought everyone safely back to earth over all those years and you to a safe retirement.

Baywatcher,
It's a pity I will never have the opportunity to share a cold beer with you in some layover port. Isn't it sad what our industry has come to. In my previous company we had a real CHARACTER,, one of those larger than life guys who had all the t-shirts, thrilled the passengers with his humorous and entertaining pa's etc. He loved life and his job. We always said that he would laugh himself to death. I recall saying to my wife that if I could get to retirement and still be so positive, then I will have done it right!. Sadly, as much as I still love my job, I have woken up to smell the coffee, hopefully early enough in my career to only bid for quality of life. To minimise the missed sports days, birthdays etc. So far I've been lucky..ish.
My friend I wish you all the best for your "retirement" and your new life. I have no doubt you will go into management and be a great "them".
Happy landings
Jumbo :ok:

Being an engineer (ground) the scenario for us is exactly the same erosion of prestige and salary more and more obscure and pointless rules a lowering of educational requirements all bodes badly for the airline industry, the further problem it is getting worse. I certainly would not recommend an airline career to anyof my 4 children.

Baywatcher,

I have never seen our professional decline put so well nor so even handedly. Hardly a trace of real bitterness or venom there, just an accurate analysis that crosses the Atlantic without losing anything on the journey.
I have been flying for thirty years and am now looking forward to another eight before I get to sling my bag in the corner and wake up with the birds rather than drive home as they wake after drilling another hole at thirty west.

'Long and happy retirement my friend.' Give my best wishes to our ghostly Flight Engineers cruising the shelves at Sears.

BAYWATCHER...

way to go....

excellent reading...clear ,concise and moving...:D

you want to know something...we all feel the same ( that things have changed and not always for the best ) as we get older. i'm a lawyer but i have been flying and instructing for thirty something years so i've been privilaged to see professional life as well as professional flying...and although the other mans grass seems greener..it still need to be kept cut as well...

i hope you will never loose the urge to keep flying ( as my dad said many times ) ..''.when you want to not when somebody else tells you to ...!!'':cool:

good luck and good health and thanks for sharing that with us...:D

gear up...:ok:

the dean.

retirement letter
 

Mr Baywatcher....I feel compelled to respond to your insightfull and interesting post. I am not close to retirement but I share most of your concerns because I have another 20 years + to go through that daily headache. Everything you have described is now entrenched into the everyday life of an airline pilot and sadly but true, due to global terrorist activities, it has become a nightmare and a way of life. We are no longer treated with the respect and admiration that we feel we are entitled to. After all. we fly these mammoth machines around the world. Some of us even constantly remind ourselves, lest we forget, that we a Captains because we are most important. Without us this mammoth Silver flying machine cannot fly.
I really do agree with you, but I lost you on your references to the use of 'somalis' as a people that you, as a majestic captain had to endure the hard ship of communicating with to buy a sandwich. I am sure you travelled around the world. Imagine the vendor having to listen to your english crap in Narita or in Kix or pvg,or hkg in wanchai, etc,etc etc. How do you think they felt? Or, Do you think they should know that you were an Airline Captain and such deserves a little more respect? Or ...maybe you felt that being in the USA a 'somalian' should not serve you or should at least left his/her accent at home?
Thats not it though....Its that we..as airline pilots feel we are better than the guys dumping the lav or the caterer or the mechanic etc. The bottom line is...We are not .We are part or a puzzle to make this airline stuff work. We are no better or no worse. There are people ...like Enron and the numerous other companies that have stolen and left their employees in financial ruins,having to deal with it.!!!!!!/
In closing I hope that you have a sucessfull second career in the Sears advisory team and not fall for the fraudelent recommendations that Sears were charged with many years ago..After all now that comission is part of you compensation you dont want to cheat..Would'nt it be ironic,though,that the first person that you are selling to would turn out to be a "somalian' .
I really do agree with everything else and I am too an Airline Captain. But outside the cockpit I am a customer at subway, a client at the doctor, an employee of an airline. Just another living stiff...Drop the Captain stuff and maybe you'll garner more respect. Most of us use that Captain stuff more than necessary, We are employees of airlines..Let us not blow our horns. I enjoy this business. It sucks because of legislation but overall its an easy way to make a living.To whine for 30+ years means youre miserable and unintelligent. Most people of intelligence takes a few years to determine whether this is the job for them.Its like driving on a road every day with major potholes and complaining for 30 years but will not take the alternate route because some challeges exist that other people use and adapted too.
I would love you to email me or place a post in about a year from now about your job as an advisor. You would wish you were shooting an ndb off centered 200 ceiling approach in Lome on a DC-8-54 with a red baron approved flight director. With a somalian controller!!! To give you radar vectors.
I do admire some of the comments that you have garnered, Humility is not thought.
Good day.

Sir, an excellent obituary for a once proud career.

Congratulations on even making it to retirement. Long may you enjoy it.

Here here! Welcome back to a 'real' life.

Congratulations and a great post, Baywatcher!

Excellent summary of reality!

I'm really jealous, though!

*Thinks (clang...whirr...clunk)*

Hmm......if I put the wife on the streets and sell my stamp collection, maybe...........

Well saiod Baywatcher.
You lucky *********
I look foreward to that day too:) (after 35 yrs)

Well, the queue of wannabes isn't getting any shorter (at least in UK), so it can't be that bad.

SSD

This 'letter' may well be true and have actually been sent. It certainly seems to encapsulate much of what is felt in the airline biz. However, such 'letters' have been written in almost all areas of business and corporate life. I recall examples of resignation letters doing the rounds 20 years ago. What is important is not whether this one is true or not - but that it has sparked an immediate recognition. It wil be interesting to see the thread develop.

To Baywatcher, sorry if it hurts for me to cast doubt on the authenticity but that's my view this morning.

Purely because the wannabes cannot see what it is like on the inside :)

Excellent post Baywatcher

'Supply and demand' :sad:

Baywatcher a sad but true reflection of what was once a great job.

I just wish instead of moaning about it we all stood together and refused to accept this continuous decline in our terms and conditions. That is why I joined BALPA, however they seem happy to accept this constant decline in conditions. I just wish we were all a little more militant that way we may just start reclaiming some of the lost ground? :ugh:

Happy retirement :D

As a fellow retiree, all I can say is "hear, hear!!!".

Minor query.
The pilot pay website shows the NWA pay to be a little more than $93; $113 was the lowest Capt. I found . (DC-9 year 1)
Have more cuts gone in, making the website data out-of-date?

the sooner the real airline pilots are willing to lose their jobs forever, to roll the dice, bet the farm etc, we can reclaim a once proud profession.

15 years ago I spoke with an engineer who held the Boeing chair at MIT...he proudly said that the need for highly skilled airline pilots was gone and that automation would allow a 200 hour pilot to do the same things a 20,000 hour pilot could.


Welcome to the land of the living friend! I've been out 5 years on medical leave and due to the complete weirdness in the industry, I make almost as much as if I were flying the line...but my costs are lower so it is a wash.


good luck at Sears, keep your standards high there too


and plumbers make that much? wow, a future in pipes!

Supply and demand, yes, but why at a time of extraordinary demand are we allowing this to continue?