Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed
by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do.
So throw off your bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor.
Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.
Mark Twain
I read this as I was having coffee this morning in a coffee shop. Thought of you. Bob

Back to the ORIGNAL topic.....


I Make Donuts.....

pif_sonic wrote:I guess I'm the only dumb who decided to be a police officer.

Seven years before switching to the Feds.

Gump,

We "Flaps" are getting fewer and fewer. And you are right, CEOs make big bucks when they take their company into bankruptcy, pilots, mechanics, dispatchers, and Flight attendants lose their retirements. Criminal! Just ask the guys at United and Delta.
As far as GA funding, its not the airline employees who object, it is the management bigwigs who want to show more of a profit. Thus larger bonus checks.


IdahoSuperCub

Hottshot wrote:Back to the ORIGNAL topic.....


I Make Donuts.....

I've made a few donuts in parking lots and cow pastures.
tom

Savannah-Tom wrote:

Hottshot wrote:Back to the ORIGNAL topic.....


I Make Donuts.....

I've made a few donuts in parking lots and cow pastures.
tom

Make lots of those donuts, and you'll be buying new ones from Wup sooner than expected.

Gump

My day job is 747's mostly Pacific rim but Europe and rarely Middle East too. IMHO user fees are a killer for GA. I don't think it will totally kill GA but the increase in user fees WILL decrease safety because people just wont use FSS and ATC services to the extent they do now.

As far as a future in the airlines? I can't believe anyone who does any research into the career would choose to go down that path. Most regional airlines F/O pay also qualifies the pilot for food stamps, even if you're single. That really hasn't changed in the past 25 years since I was doing that. However, you did it because there was the potential of getting that major airline job and making a good living with a descent lifestyle. Not so much anymore. At my airline we took 40% to 60% pay cuts, lost our retirement and have to pay more out of pocket for our healthcare. Our work rules have gone to hell so to get the same number of hours of pay that I got in the past I have to be gone an extra 5 to 9 days a month.

When I started with the airline the execs hosted a welcome to the company meet-and-greet at our corporate office. The number two exec, at that time, came down to give a welcome speech to about 100 new (within the first 6 months) pilots. He opened and closed with one sentence: "All of you are nothing but a column in my expense book and if I could get rid of you I would." With that we all stood up and flipped him off. Well y'all, they have found a way. It's called foreign ownership. Airline jobs are going the way of the merchant marine. Find one US flagged tanker, container or cruise ship. The country in which they are flagged is the country that sets the labor laws that apply. Starting down the career path now? Better check out the labor laws in India and China.

I could go on for days but my fingers would fall off. I hate to be so glum about commercial aviation but after 23 years of being verbally abused by 9 CEO's who all ripped off the company and pissed on the employees on their way out the door you kind of get that way. Sorry for the rant.

skybobb wrote:Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed
by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do.
So throw off your bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor.
Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.
Mark Twain
I read this as I was having coffee this morning in a coffee shop. Thought of you. Bob

Skybobb,

Your are alright.

I read a lot of inspirational stuff here including Aft CG's bit about "<i>I bit the bullet and took other advice that says "follow your passion. The money will follow". On top of my day job and earning my ratings I pumped avgas, washed planes, threw bags and worked ground service for a regional airline in hopes it would get me an interview. It didn't, though admitedly times were tougher a few years ago.

I became a flight instructor and worked like a dog for almost no money. I actually love teaching and still do it. I just don't try to make a living doing it. </i>"


Plenty of others have made the plunge and I haven't seen anyone regretting they did it. I might as well join them.

Setting a plan...

P.S. Thought I'd add: Why do I still do it? There's still nothing like it. That feeling you get when you pull back on the yoke/stick, 747 or M&@$#, and the wheels leave the ground, man-o-man. Even in my pissed off mood I get the willies thinking about it.

Mr. Ed wrote:P.S. Thought I'd add: Why do I still do it? There's still nothing like it. That feeling you get when you pull back on the yoke/stick, 747 or M&@$#, and the wheels leave the ground, man-o-man. Even in my pissed off mood I get the willies thinking about it.

Amen........ I wouldn't trade any of it for anything.

Gump

Mr. Ed wrote:P.S. Thought I'd add: Why do I still do it? There's still nothing like it. That feeling you get when you pull back on the yoke/stick, 747 or M&@$#, and the wheels leave the ground, man-o-man. Even in my pissed off mood I get the willies thinking about it.

Same here!


IdahoSuperCub

I got married right out of High school I worked for a farmer for a very poor salary. After two years I decided to go back to college and become a teacher and a coach. I had a 1 year old girl and my wife was expecting our second. I had a scholarship to play basketball but no money. My folks had no money to help us as I have a younger brother that was born down syndrome. I had some equity in a home but I was only 19 and the man that owned the house beat me out of it. So I was in college and no money and no job. I did all and any type of work to feed my family. We made it but it was not easy. I graduated in 4 years and one summer school. I worked in a service station about 34 hours a week the last 3 years. I closed up each night at 10:00. I am telling you all of this because I would not tell you to do something , and go thru something that I haven't experienced. You have to do what you feel is right for you and your family. Whatever you decide I wish the best for you. Bob

denalipilot wrote:So where do the airline pilots come down on this current funding debate?

Most of the guys I work with are ex-military, and very few are involved in GA. Obviously, those that are involved in GA are against user fees. The rest, for the most part, don't even know that there is a "user fee" battle going on.

Matt

I grew up with a family Stearman in central Illinois. Had bad grades, walked away from flying and wasted a year of college. Joined the military, stayed dirt poor for most the time, finally started flying again 10 years ago.

Now, a couple of years from retirement, my wife and I own a small house (next to the airport), we both drive 1997 vehicles with 150K+ miles, but we own a beautiful Cub, and part of a Citabria. We put a little bit away in savings and pay for most stuff in cash. When the envelope is empty, we don't buy anything else that month.

In short, we really can't afford an airplane or the accompanying lifestyle, but it's not just one of our hobbies, it's our family's life. We're taking a fairly low paying flying job after the military because the simplicity offers a much better quality of life. I've never come home and said "I wish I hadn't wasted the day at the airport."

Mike-

Hottshot wrote:Back to the ORIGNAL topic.....


I Make Donuts.....

My addiction to aviation extends beyond my day job of hauling people around in an orange corndog 737, and now involves turning styrofoam RC planes into that popcorn packing material. Don't let anyone tell you you should buy one of those "cheap" RC planes, because cheap goes out the window after you crash a few of them.

Matt

I'm sure you guy's have heard the story about the guy at the bar bitching about the blue stains on his hands and uniform from working at a major airline emptying the toilets on the airliners? Well the bartender finally asks why doesn't he quit? All he does is bitch about how cold he get's in winter, how hot in summer, he can't get the blue shit off of everything he owns, the job doesn't pay worth a darn etc.
The guy looks up incrediously and asks "what, you would have me give up my career in aviation?"
Most don't understand, but I bet you guy's do.

jmtgt wrote:

Hottshot wrote:Back to the ORIGNAL topic.....


I Make Donuts.....

You need to work on those things. They are to chewy.

Maybe you should try Dentu-Grip!

tom

a64pilot wrote:I'm sure you guy's have heard the story about the guy at the bar bitching about the blue stains on his hands and uniform from working at a major airline emptying the toilets on the airliners? Well the bartender finally asks why doesn't he quit? All he does is bitch about how cold he get's in winter, how hot in summer, he can't get the blue shit off of everything he owns, the job doesn't pay worth a darn etc.
The guy looks up incrediously and asks "what, you would have me give up my career in aviation?"
Most don't understand, but I bet you guy's do.

That cracks me up~!!

Been an airline pilot for 18 years...I think all the stuff about the group in general is explained by the 5% rule. Look at any group of people and 5% percent of them are bound to be a#$holes. Most are great guys, but you only remember the 5% percenters...kinda like surly flight attendants.

ISC: I think we work for the same company. I'm based in ORD

Gump: The eye rollers can be explained with proper 5% rule application.

Denali: Most airline guys are polar opposites from airline management. They are dead against user fees....it's the CEOs not the pilots who push for this stuff. Have not met one pilot (owner or not) that's in favor of user fees. The reason you don't hear them vocally oppose it is because their voices are gone from vocally opposing the job related mountain of bull$%t

Regards

Tim

It is good to hear the position of you heavy iron pilots. I am one of those guys that will never use any FAA services if user fees come about. I fly VFR and the things I have been using is FSS for flight plans and weather and I use Flight watch when I am going cross country. The main thing I am worried about is the TFRs withouit FSS. We don't have that many except for the fires in summer months. I get upset when pilots blunder into TFRs. I don't want to be one of them. I am just barely able to afford flying, by skipping every thing else. I am on a fixed retirement income. If all of the proposed user fees come to pass, I will probably have to give it up. It is my passion and it will nearly kill me to give up on flying. Bob