Annoying pilot "friends"

[rookiepilot]

Everyone's your friend -- when they want something.

[Heliian]

I've met a lot of great people in my life and have become fast friends with so many, all over the world, that there are people I just don't see anymore. If someone I haven't seen in a decade is looking for some help, they know they can call me anytime. Hell, I'd probably do something nice for someone I don't really like too.

I've never had anyone who's crossed me call me, they already know where that will get them.

I also have friends that I would call without hesitation, even if I hadn't seen them in years, if I was in their neck of the woods or looking for work at their company.

This is how our industry works btw, your reputation precedes you.

[leftoftrack]

you must live miserable lives. I can't imagine ever being annoyed cause a guy I use to work with talked to me about looking for work. I mean Id hate to waste 5 minutes of the 3 hrs that you're gonna spend watching tik tok. Pilots suck at being people

[Capt. Underpants]

Wow. just ... wow.

I know a pilot (Cape Brettoner) who calls everyone he meets “buddy”. Haven’t seen him face to face in 10 years. I wouldn’t throw him under a bus for using the word when reaching out.

[MrAviator19]

A friend of mine helped me secure an interview at my first flying job and we hadn't spoken to each other for nearly 8 years prior to that except an occasional "hello" on Facebook once every few years. But such is the nature of this industry - it's really easy to lose touch because we all work at different bases & schedules. Life happens! I reached out to him in my time of need anyway but he didn't look at it like "kissing ass" because I wasn't. You simply make relationships that hopefully last you a lifetime even if you don't always get the chance to talk. And how you treat people who need help now might help you down the line in some way.

We're such a small community that's it always best to be nice & respectful of another's needs, even if you can't help them.

MrA

[tbayav8er]

Yeah, I agree with the general feelings of other people in this thread. I like to think I've spent the last 13 years conducting myself with integrity. I know lots of friends at other places who would help me out if they could (some of whom I haven't kept in touch with very much over the years), and I would do the same favour for them if the tables were ever turned.

It can't be exaggerated how important it is to make sure you're not a jerk in this industry. It's a really small world.

I have no shame at all asking some of my old friends/acquaintances for help in these times. I know they would be happy to give me a hand if they could.

There's no better feeling than being able to help someone in need in my opinion. Especially a fellow pilot. Someone who's lost their job, has a family to support, and you could be the one to help pull them out of the rut.

[Bavros]

I had a "friend" once tell me to my face that he didn't like me because I'm an immigrant, and several years later this individual asked me to hand his resume to my CP.

"Ok fine no problem" I said... i think I still have it laying around somewhere!

That said, I've given references to actual friends that ended up getting the job, and been helped out by others in the same way.

Each case is different OP, and a lot of people are out of a job at the moment, chill out.

[RedAndWhiteBaron]

Every single kiss ass "pilot friend" right now:

Hey Buddy! I know its been like 10 years since we talked, but you guys hiring right now?

Where Is the lie?

Dude... with all due respect... fμck you.

You wait until you're desperate for work... you will be in that place too. If not now, then there but for the grace of god go you. Every industry is small once you reach a certain level, and aviation is no different. I have 20 years in IT, and it's bad there too, and I have the same people coming to me, asking me if I know anyone, and I'm yet still going to others, asking anyone and everyone if anyone has any work.

So again, with all due respect... fμck you.

[trey kule]

Red...come on, tell us how you really feel.

You are exactly what I think the OP was referring to, and the whole thing kind of got lost, when people wanted to show how kind and generous they are.

There is a huge difference, in my mind, between helping out someone in their career, or helping out a friend, old or new....

.... And someone contacting me who pretends we had a relationship that we did not have, to help themselves. I understand that they might be desperate. But why not just call and Ask if a person knows of any jobs available. Not pretend to be a long lost friend. I think it is the feeling of being used that turns us off.

Ask your self this....if a guy calls who talks to people like this....would you help him out?

Dude... with all due respect... fμck you.

[RedAndWhiteBaron]

Red...come on, tell us how you really feel.

Ask your self this....if a guy calls who talks to people like this....would you help him out?

Dude... with all due respect... fμck you.

Yes, I would. It's never easy.

You know what I like about this forum? I can call people on their bullshit, and I get called on my bullshit.

[iflyforpie]

Opportunism abounds in aviation.

Forget “friends”. Goddamn strangers on this site PMing me for job leads.

[RedAndWhiteBaron]

Opportunism abounds in aviation.

Forget “friends”. Goddamn strangers on this site PMing me for job leads.

Yeah, but if you fly for pie, it stands to reason you can afford to fly for free, and that you therefore have some kind of connections....

To be fair, I have also reached out to strangers before for work. Not here, but elsewhere, in other pre-covid times. Is it that bad right now?

edit: Nelson Mandela was an opportunist.

[leftoftrack]

did you just say Nelson Mandela was an opportunist? @#$! YOU AND YOUR RACIST ASS YOU DUMB @#$!.

I have a ss of it if anyone questions my statement.

[valleyboy]

Seems to me it's not what you do here it's what you say and how you approach it. Some people just don't have "people" skills. I have actually met people I have disliked or felt uncomfortable with just from the body language (difficult these days between covid and social media). Some people just seem to be that way and no matter what they do they just piss you off. The other extreme exists as well with an instant reaction of liking and wanting to be helpful with. We have all met "dicks" in this industry and usually it's just not your reaction but most people will agree on your reaction. Bottom line, we all still like respect and bristle at over familiar invasion of our space. People skills need to be mastered and to look natural these days. These are what will get you that job and experience and skills only get you in the door.

[rookiepilot]

Not pretend to be a long lost friend. I think it is the feeling of being used that turns us off.

In a word this, for me.
Just be real, -- and I'd help if I can. Don't play games, don't manipulate, and for sure, don't ever, ever, ever lay guilt trips.

[2112]

It's absolutely a two way street. I had someone I thought was a "friend" actually call and tell my CP that I was moving on and had recommended him even though I had no plans of going anywhere. Of course you can imagine my surprise when the CP pulled me into his office and proceeded to tear a strip off me for wasting his time and money on recurrent training. On the flip side I am always willing to point people towards companies I heard may be hiring. Realistically though don't expect a reference unless we've actually flown together, It's nothing personal but If you turn out to be a dud it looks bad on us both.

[co-joe]

Every time I call, or one of my old pilot friends calls me, we end up talking on the phone for an hour and a half. One guy we logged 2 hours of phone time. the last time I talked on a telephone for 2 hours it was a rotary dial, with a 3' long curly cord, and my sister kept bugging me to get off the phone cause "some guy" was supposed to call her.

[parallel60]

Many Pilots along the way have been the reason why I have been hired at certain companies and I have been the reason some of them were hired as well. I would have absolutely ZERO issue with a Pilot contacting me after 5,10, 20 years to discuss employment opportunities. I may very well need to contact one of them soon as well.

[Meatservo]

There are boatloads of people I got along with well enough, liked, and would have called "friends" back when we lived in the same town and did the same job. Many of them are people I simply don't have enough in common with to stay regularly in touch. I don't take it personally if someone hasn't called me or showed up at my wife's birthday party in ten years. Who cares? I could call every month or two, and find out, yeah you still work for Cathay, yep I still fly in the bush, wife's still a dentist, yeah, still like beer, uh-huh, you too? Yup well that's great. Be great to see you again someday, OK then. Whatever man.

You meet a lot of people in this gig. Guy goes from rampy to trainee to first officer to favourite first officer to friend somewhere along the line, then fellow captain then off to West Jet. Lather, rinse, repeat. You don't need to keep in touch with every one of them, ten years is really not that fuckin long once you're in your 40s, and it doesn't mean they're not your friend anymore. And when one of them loses his job to a shitty catastrophic virus and calls up seeing if maybe our old company is looking for a seasonal pilot or something, I can be bothered to give him a few moments to say yes or no, express some sympathy and maybe some hope, and catch up for a minute or two.

I have wasted a lot of stomach acid and arterial elasticity over the years being bunged-up about friends who don't call anymore and people who take advantage. Most of the time it's not personal. We all have so many friends over the years, keeping in touch with all of them would be a full-time job. Let it go man. People are trying to stay afloat here.

[Kejidog]

you must live miserable lives. I can't imagine ever being annoyed cause a guy I use to work with talked to me about looking for work. I mean Id hate to waste 5 minutes of the 3 hrs that you're gonna spend watching tik tok. Pilots suck at being people

My thoughts exactly. Not a lot of altruism on here. Or maybe it’s a generational thing. I am one who believes that helping others friends or strangers enriches my life. But each his own i guess