WTF am I doing working as a 'Professional' Pilot?

[Bushav8er]

All that training, all the cost and time and then the low pay, long hours blah, blah blah and then this -

Gas station manager
Employer: XXX Fuels
Salary: $40000 to $60000/ Yearly, 45 hours
Location: somewhere, ON
Date Posted: 2009/06/04

Gardener
Employer: XXX Group
Salary: $23/ Hourly for 37.5 hours ($41400)
Location: other place, ON
Date Posted: 2009/06/05

Grader operator
Employer: XXX & Equip Ltd.
Salary: $24/ Hourly for 40 hours ($46080)
Location: eastern somewhere, ON
Date Posted: 2009/06/05

All you 'puppies' that want the 'dream'; go ahead, train, dig in the dirt, scrap with the 'pack' and try to live the 'dream' that doesn't exist any more (or at the very least, isn't what it used to be and is limited).

'Oh but I'm doing what I love.' - for that money, home every night, weekends off - you can afford to join a local flying club and go where you want, when you want and with whom you want - gotta love that too.

[fortis risk]

There is so much more freedom to be found in working a non flying job that pays well enough to own you own aircraft and offers the time to go and do what you want.

[Snagmaster E]

I think about it every day...

[Rowdy]

Good luck with private ac ownership... It'll soon be too costly for all but the upper crust.

I'm still livin the dream. Typing from my laptop in a 5 star hilton resort on an overnight. The good jobs are out there for those who want to work for them...

[Bushav8er]

At least I'm not alone...gee and my fall-back job was GM

What gets me is the training /job responsibility verses equivalent (or greater) pay.

Good luck with private ac ownership... It'll soon be too costly for all but the upper crust.

I'm still livin the dream. Typing from my laptop in a 5 star hilton resort on an overnight. The good jobs are out there for those who want to work for them...

Glad it's working for you Rowdy but a hotel isn't my idea of the dream. Forget ownership, one can still fly cost effectively with a flying club - even 'own' a twin then too.

[SkyWolfe]

I just signed up for Nav Canada. Still in Aviation, and now I can get a plane too. Hopefully the gimme a training offer

[fortis risk]

Rowdy a hotel is a hotel is a hotel, I hate hotels. I love my own bed.

[jim_from_texas]

It seems to me that some people come into aviation with great delusions and unrealistic expectations. Wouldn't it be great to fly a modern a/c based (.............) be home almost every night, start salary 100g+, widebody pic upgrade in 5 years salaray 200g+work 12 days a month? Im not saying that this would be everyones dream job but I would dare say most aviation students would kill for this opportunity.

Then once they see that there are very few jobs like this and the old, ''right place at the right time'', a lot of people give up, become bitter and can't redefine their goals. And besides, what the heck are people thinking when they say ''I love my own bed''. Pilots job is to fly (no shit) and that involves being away for a number of days every month. So just accept this or just become a cfi at a local flight school and be happy. But oh wait, pay is crap.

[Bushav8er]

Not everyone wants tubes, I'm one of them. Fly yes but that doesn't have to mean long hauls or overnights.
You did however hit the nail -

But oh wait, pay is crap.

My point exactly in regards to most flying jobs, especially when compared to 'regular' jobs with less responsibility. I think a lot of the 'puppies' out there harbour the 'delusions and unrealistic expectations' you speak of though.

[square]

Those sound like fairly low pay for a captain on anything bigger than the Navajo, but have fun at the gas station

[jim_from_texas]

Sure, not everyone wants big jets. Now that Im flying heavies I really miss those BE20 or Dash 8 days. But at least the money is good and yes I am away from my bed 10-12 days per month. Being from YVR I know that there are good positions flying floats, turboprops, waterbombers. Starting pay is not the greatest but with some seniority in the company you do get a good salary. And if flying is your true passion you can always be a part time cfi and make some extra cash. You get in trouble when you confine your expectations into a hard set of parameters and are not willing to budge even a little. A pilot has to be somewhat flexible especially starting out.

[AV8R]

hotels suck, 5 star or not...i suppose a hotel may be good if your home is a dump

[Doc]

Good luck with private ac ownership... It'll soon be too costly for all but the upper crust.

I'm still livin the dream. Typing from my laptop in a 5 star hilton resort on an overnight. The good jobs are out there for those who want to work for them...

Ya know I'm happy for ya, man.

But somebody said the "dream" is gone. I think Wolfie may be on to something. But there is NO more anal mindset, than working for NavCanada.

The "dream" nowadays usually involves being a slave on a ramp/dock for a couple of years, then coughing up 10-15K for a "bond".....some frikken dream!
Meanwhile, the grater operator has been in his job for three or four years, joined the local FC, has snagged the flag girl, and is generally a happy guy. No pressure. No back stabbing dinks. No sucking up to morons not qualified to carry his flight bags.......the dream IS dead. And WE let it die.

[Bushav8er]

Jim, I agree with what you are saying. YVR is somewhat 'luckier' then the rest as there is more year-round stuff, but the cost of living is high. For myself, part-time instructing would be great but means another (expensive) rating.

... but have fun at the gas station

Don't forget, its a Manager position so lets see...prices up Fridays and long weekends for no reason, down again Mondays. Be sure there are chips, chocolate bars and coffee available and dip the tanks to order more gas if low. See that pimpled face Jim Boy shows up for his shift - if he's not working for me then he's doing security checks for you. Have an appointment to go to - ok. Bad weather, who cares. Extensive paper work - nope. Re currency checks, medicals - nope. $60T a year - sounds good.

[Rowdy]

You could hardly call a brand new water bungalo a "hotel"... Sure the flying down this way and the lifestyle isnt for everyone, but I sure enjoy it.

They say.. give a man two drinks a day and a bj and after a few weeks he'll find something to complain about

[fortis risk]

I had to google to see what a water bungalow is. Yeah, pretty sweet.

[Lost Lake]

Don't forget to mention your roomie on those wonderful overnights, or eating in the staff (or is that staphylocccus) restaraunt. Check back with you in 6 months Rowdy.

[sky's the limit]

Don't forget to mention your roomie on those wonderful overnights, or eating in the staff (or is that staphylocccus) restaraunt. Check back with you in 6 months Rowdy.

Oh Rowdy,

Ye of the rose coloured glasses....

My "5 Star Hotel" is my property, with my wife on it, and my garden, and wine, and favourite chair... Being away is being away, not bad when I was younger with little more than fit in my Escort, but now that I've managed to build a life, I just go away (like now) for the paycheck. Burn baby burn...

stl

[Rowdy]

Haha yeah I do have a tendency to keep the goggles on, better to look at the positives and not dwell on the negatives or you'll go crazy in life tho right?!!

[Changes in Latitudes]

Don't forget to mention your roomie on those wonderful overnights, or eating in the staff (or is that staphylocccus) restaraunt. Check back with you in 6 months Rowdy.

Oh Rowdy,

Ye of the rose coloured glasses....

My "5 Star Hotel" is my property, with my wife on it, and my garden, and wine, and favourite chair... Being away is being away, not bad when I was younger with little more than fit in my Escort, but now that I've managed to build a life, I just go away (like now) for the paycheck. Burn baby burn...

stl

Couldn't agree more. It's a neat job, but it's the time off I that I really love.