Wanting to be a commercial 737/747 Pilot
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: AEP
Age: 80
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Flying is "my life" -
"Flying is my life..." to quote one of our 15 or 16 years old future A-380 captains.
Saying that, "your life" - at 15...? Since you graduated out of diapers...?
Well, flying has been my life too. I just retired 2 months ago.
And yes, I did it for the money.
xxx
When I was 15, I wanted to be a F-104 pilot and shoot down 5 MiGs...!
Back then, no Pprune...
Wannabees wanted to be "Top Gun" Jockeys, at Mach 2.0 and FL 550.
We did not talk TCAS, Cat.III ILS and FMS/EICAS.
We talked AIM-9 Sidewinders, and M-61 cannon.
So I got out of the military ASAP, and got an airline pilot job.
You see, in the airlines, pilots earn three times the salary of military pilots.
"Just a job"... Oh, I loved it, the first few years.
Then came the layoffs, base changes, airline bankruptcy...
Working overseas, far from family and friends.
Then you settle overseas, when you visit back home, nobody knows you.
xxx
My airline career - 1969 to 2008... that is 39 years.
Why did I stay until age 65 birthday...? - For the money...
I got a little airplane. Piper L-21...
Hardly ever fly it, I lease it out for banner and glider towing operator.
Probably will sell it. I do not "miss" flying per se.
I miss the travel, and the crews who all were friends or family to me.
xxx
So "you want to be a commercial 737/747 pilot"...? -
What particular type will you fly...? Based where...? LHR or LGW...?
Is the 737-700 ok, or do you insist on a 737-800...?
Will you consider flying Airbus A-390s... (after the 797...?)
I wish I had been able to plan my pilot career as well.
xxx
Happy contrails
Saying that, "your life" - at 15...? Since you graduated out of diapers...?
Well, flying has been my life too. I just retired 2 months ago.
And yes, I did it for the money.
xxx
When I was 15, I wanted to be a F-104 pilot and shoot down 5 MiGs...!
Back then, no Pprune...
Wannabees wanted to be "Top Gun" Jockeys, at Mach 2.0 and FL 550.
We did not talk TCAS, Cat.III ILS and FMS/EICAS.
We talked AIM-9 Sidewinders, and M-61 cannon.
So I got out of the military ASAP, and got an airline pilot job.
You see, in the airlines, pilots earn three times the salary of military pilots.
"Just a job"... Oh, I loved it, the first few years.
Then came the layoffs, base changes, airline bankruptcy...
Working overseas, far from family and friends.
Then you settle overseas, when you visit back home, nobody knows you.
xxx
My airline career - 1969 to 2008... that is 39 years.
Why did I stay until age 65 birthday...? - For the money...
I got a little airplane. Piper L-21...
Hardly ever fly it, I lease it out for banner and glider towing operator.
Probably will sell it. I do not "miss" flying per se.
I miss the travel, and the crews who all were friends or family to me.
xxx
So "you want to be a commercial 737/747 pilot"...? -
What particular type will you fly...? Based where...? LHR or LGW...?
Is the 737-700 ok, or do you insist on a 737-800...?
Will you consider flying Airbus A-390s... (after the 797...?)
I wish I had been able to plan my pilot career as well.
xxx
Happy contrails
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Not far from the airport
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EasyGlider - I think it IS worth criticising someone who does a job purely for the pay check, particularly a 15 year old who's looking for some advice on a future career in aviation.
I don't understand the mentality of people who CHOOSE to go into a career just for the cash. To spend the next 40+ years of your life working in something that makes you smile once at the end of each month is a complete waste of your life and probably your own abilities.
Granted, some people END UP in a position that pays well. They reach a point in their life where everything else is rosy (house, kids, spouse, responsibilities) - except their job. To change careers would result in an uprooting of everything - and for those people, I have sympathy and understanding of why they're not doing what they'd really like to do.
I've come across way too many people of my generation (and a heck of a lot more from my parents generation) who in the main, didn't have the opportunity to go and do a job THAT THEY LOVE TO DO.
My advice to Dangus125 - a young chap - with an entire lifetime ahead - go and do the airline flying because you love to fly and don't want to do anything else. If you have the opportunity available to you and you really really want it - go get it. The money is secondary - you'll earn some but it won't be the reason for doing this job. You'll fly because you love to fly. You wouldn't quit if you won the lottery. When someone asks you about flying, you can sit there and talk about it until the cows come home.
Unfortunately, I think Easy Glider has ENDED UP in a flightdeck and it's a shame he doesn't love the job for the reasons it should be loved.
Dangus125 - don't focus on the aircraft type. It won't matter what type you end up flying. Keep an open mind. If you love flying - you'll be happy whatever type you end up in (and if you really wanted to change types when you become a pilot, it might involve a change in the company you work for but you'll probably end up flying something you've always kept a torch for).
Best of luck.
I don't understand the mentality of people who CHOOSE to go into a career just for the cash. To spend the next 40+ years of your life working in something that makes you smile once at the end of each month is a complete waste of your life and probably your own abilities.
Granted, some people END UP in a position that pays well. They reach a point in their life where everything else is rosy (house, kids, spouse, responsibilities) - except their job. To change careers would result in an uprooting of everything - and for those people, I have sympathy and understanding of why they're not doing what they'd really like to do.
I've come across way too many people of my generation (and a heck of a lot more from my parents generation) who in the main, didn't have the opportunity to go and do a job THAT THEY LOVE TO DO.
My advice to Dangus125 - a young chap - with an entire lifetime ahead - go and do the airline flying because you love to fly and don't want to do anything else. If you have the opportunity available to you and you really really want it - go get it. The money is secondary - you'll earn some but it won't be the reason for doing this job. You'll fly because you love to fly. You wouldn't quit if you won the lottery. When someone asks you about flying, you can sit there and talk about it until the cows come home.
Unfortunately, I think Easy Glider has ENDED UP in a flightdeck and it's a shame he doesn't love the job for the reasons it should be loved.
Dangus125 - don't focus on the aircraft type. It won't matter what type you end up flying. Keep an open mind. If you love flying - you'll be happy whatever type you end up in (and if you really wanted to change types when you become a pilot, it might involve a change in the company you work for but you'll probably end up flying something you've always kept a torch for).
Best of luck.
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: UK.
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Couldn't agree more about the glider story. I know a number of senior captains, training captains and ex mil pilots who still get a buzz going to some random place for lunch in a Bulldog or similar.
PPRuNe Handmaiden
Dangus125,
I'd spend a bit of time reading the Dununda and Godzone forums. Since you're currently in Oz that's where I'd start.
You're still in school so I would focus the bulk of my activities there.
Get the best grades you can. Don't automatically pick 3 or 4 unit maths etc, do the subjects you like but remember, that science and maths subjects are looked upon favourably. Qantas has a fondness for HSC (year 12) maths and physics. (there are short courses to assist there should your studies not go quite to plan).
Play sport. Team sports are best. It's important to learn those communication and cooperation skills. May as well have fun rather than being lectured about it in a dry CRM course...
Get a part time job if you haven't got one already and start saving! You'll need loads either way. There are very few "cadetships" going where you don't pay something. RAAF is very competitive.
If you have some access to transport, get yourself to a local GA field (if there are any left) and have a chat to folks. Gliding is cheap (comparatively so) and is a good intro.
My personal opinion airline flying is a bit boring/routine most of the time compared to my job. If you want to get a feel for what GA's like, go to Jetblast and read "Checkboard's" stories.
Finally, are you healthy? If you have insulin dependent diabetes or vision issues, then the chances of becoming a pilot diminish greatly. (In Australia you can hold an ATPL with colour vision defects BUT you cannot fly commercially o'seas)
I'd spend a bit of time reading the Dununda and Godzone forums. Since you're currently in Oz that's where I'd start.
You're still in school so I would focus the bulk of my activities there.
Get the best grades you can. Don't automatically pick 3 or 4 unit maths etc, do the subjects you like but remember, that science and maths subjects are looked upon favourably. Qantas has a fondness for HSC (year 12) maths and physics. (there are short courses to assist there should your studies not go quite to plan).
Play sport. Team sports are best. It's important to learn those communication and cooperation skills. May as well have fun rather than being lectured about it in a dry CRM course...
Get a part time job if you haven't got one already and start saving! You'll need loads either way. There are very few "cadetships" going where you don't pay something. RAAF is very competitive.
If you have some access to transport, get yourself to a local GA field (if there are any left) and have a chat to folks. Gliding is cheap (comparatively so) and is a good intro.
My personal opinion airline flying is a bit boring/routine most of the time compared to my job. If you want to get a feel for what GA's like, go to Jetblast and read "Checkboard's" stories.
Finally, are you healthy? If you have insulin dependent diabetes or vision issues, then the chances of becoming a pilot diminish greatly. (In Australia you can hold an ATPL with colour vision defects BUT you cannot fly commercially o'seas)
