Future of airline flying?
 

Hi,
I posted something about a year ago, regarding career advice. I'm now a deck cadet at a maritime college (learning to drive ships) and have some comfort of knowing that I have a full salary job once qualified as well as being debt free. However last year I did decline offers from both CTC and OAA because I received this offer from this maritime college. However I was just wondering whether it's economically viable to try and make a career out of aviation in the future after I've finished a few years working at sea. And whether it is actually worth it? Especially reading about the depleting terms and conditions of many airlines; and also whether people think the future of airline flying is a positive one for pilots or not?

It's important to remember that pprune is usually used as a platform for venting. It portrays a disproportionately negative picture.

Get yourself on an airline cadet scheme and you'll be fine. BA FPP is worth a few shots if you don't pass first time, failing that Aer Lingus, Easyjet, BA Cityflyer, Flybe, Virgin etc offer reasonable schemes. I'm in a lot of debt but earn enough to be able to live comfortably and the overall prospects in the industry at the moment are good. I wouldn't recommend going to CTC/OAA 'untagged' to an airline. If you don't want to be bobbing up and down on the sea a decision sooner rather than later would benefit you either way. Hope you enjoy whatever you choose to do.

I see you are 19 years old. Do you think there will still be a role for human airline pilots in a few decades from now?

It's not about flying a/c or driving ships it's about what life style each will allow you. Going the CTC route you have no idea who you will eventually work for, and for how long. The company and type/route will determine the life style, and to some extent the income. If you join BA, Virgin, KLM, AF, LH then you will likely stay for a career, and they will offer quite an attractive variety off life styles. Any short-haul operator will offer the same for many years and you may move on to an as yet unknown employer.
Driving ships may well have the same possibilities & uncertainties. You will know more than us. You may prefer wind in your hair and sun on your face than just the sun with no wind.
There is no such thing as being a pilot. It might be true with being a doctor, or accountant, or solicited etc., but a pilot's life is determined by employer & type a/c.

All aboard the pprune deja vu express going round and round in circles! In any case, shouldn't this be in the wannabes section?

We are currently undergoing the best pilot recruitment drive in a very long time, as such terms are generally OK in Western Europe. Like many other industries, pilot recruitment is cyclic, driven by many factors. All industries have their challenges with regards to sustainability, automation and how much they are willing to pay their workforce. You're at a good age to start but mid-way through your training it could all change. I survived two downturns whilst being a wannabe and I started at your age.

As far as U.S. airlines go, this thread should be an eyeopener for you:

http://www.pprune.org/north-america/...tirements.html

I am sure you'll find many who passionately disagree

I am a Master Mariner, originally from the UK and have held a PPL for many years, although now doing a CPL so that I can perhaps instruct in the future when home on leave.
If you are keen on aviation, do it whilst you are younger and without commitments. When I was about to go for my CPL/IR in the UK back in 2006 things weren't as rosy as they are now, however had things been as good as they are now, I'd have almost certainly made the jump. I believe as an airline pilot, you will have a healthier, less stressful and more normal lifestyle.
Now at 30, I have a family and we are accustomed to a salary significantly higher then a senior long haul airline Captain will likely ever earn, and all for work ing a mere 5 months a year. It would be almost impossible now to move into aviation without making some big sacrifices for my family, something which I couldn't inflict on them.

It seems to me this job is finished. Many are just quitting and doing something else. If you are planning to spend the rest of your life watching two lcd displays for an exaggerated amount of time , compromising your health and family under constant stress for an ever reducing amount of money..think twice. .or three times. The concept is passed that it is like any other job...while it definitely is not. Forget about it..pursue your maritime career and fly for fun when you have the time. That is flying. This is a boring stress exercise which bring lesser and lesser benefits,

Flying is most certainly not finished! Its still an incredibly rewarding and exciting career.
I started 10 years ago as an airline pilot and in that time have lived in three different countries and flown 4 different types of aircraft.
You can still make a great living out of it, if it's cash you want out flying then look to the Middle East, or China. Everyone starts out in debt these days but the rewards down the line can be great as long as you are prepared to move around.

Forgot to mention..do not listen to enthusiast..they have no clue what life is about ..

In my next life, I'm going to be a pilot.

...Harbor Pilot at Port Everglades!!

http://www.pepilots.com/images/Slide...lotBoatNo3.jpg

http://www.pepilots.com/

Harbor Pilots Reap High Rewards For Dangerous Job : NPR

Yes, Bar Pilots in the San Francisco Bay clear $500,000/year easy, and it all came to light when one of them ran a cargo ship into the Bay Bridge while drunk. Not a bad gig if you can break the old boys network.

I'd stick with martime, make great money, and fly for fun on the side. You can even teach on the side if you like. In the States, at any airport, the nicest planes you see are owned by professionals in other industries.

I've flown with a few sub-30 year old co-pilots who are former seafarers. None of them had their heads in the clouds following their switch to aviation, but neither did they harbour any regrets over their decision to sail the seven seas. :p

One guy did mention that the time away from home was a deciding factor, which is ironic considering how many pilots spend nights away from home.

Because it's a myth, at this stage at least :ok:

keep going on martime career if you enjoy it too.
At least you'll get a 50/50 schedule : 2 weeks off/2 on or 1 month on/1 month off.
In aviation, you ll be pawn slave.
In my airline you can get 6 days on in a row and 2 days off only and of course, the last day on you'll finish late (2am) and the next day on you'll start at 6am. So you actually get one day off. Crazy. As I do not accept that anymore (i do not want to get a cancer or my skin becoming old due to fatigue), I have chosen to fly less. (office work and flights).
If you like challenges, I suggest you to apply to corporate world, at least you can still fly and still think by yourself and not only following SOP's like a robot.
The most important is QOL. Flying like a slave in Middle east a big shiny jet, and make reports coz your colleague did not respect the punctuation from the book, believe me, you'll be tired just after a few years only.

If you work 6 days on, 2 days off anywhere near regularly, then you clearly work for a crap company either flying 4 short sectors or you are including days off down route as part of your "work" which is not very clever. Move on, there's a massive demand right now for experienced pilots all over the world working a schedule that's more like 4 on 3 off (ultimately the routes and sector lengths) define how much you will "work".