what do you think?

[over sold]

Looking back, is aviation what you thought it would be? Were you surprized how it turned out, or did you think it would be the way it is. Just looking for honesty.

[Nark]

Slightly less than I thought was going to be.

I knew exactly what I was getting into, however not being able to foresee the down-swings it has made it harder to meet the goals I first set for myself.

[sky's the limit]

I think my "thoughts" about what it would be were so uneducated at the beginning, that it has turned out to be NOTHING like what I thought it would be.... get all that?

While there have been some wonderful experiences, and I've made some great friends, I'd have to say I'm still - even after all this time - completely shocked by the mistreatment of workers in our industry, and the complete and utter lack of qualified management. Not to mention the fact that some people never get over their misguided perception that it's "cool," and will be bent over just for the opportunity to earn other people lots of money.

Oh, but my photo album is better than I ever expected....!


stl

[Nark]

So where can we pa-ruse this album?

[pianodude]

totally not what i'd hoped for..... flying clapped out pieces of crap through weather for no money for owners that couldn't care less didn't make my time in aviation fun, so i chose a different career path

[Rubberbiscuit]

I agree with everything STL wrote and can certainly see the respect of others.

I had a fairly good idea of what I got myself into, and some things have been better than expected..... others not so great. I have met and befriended alot of fantastic people over the last 15 years,many of them will be lefelasting freinships for sure. The flying and flying experiences along the way have also been awesome, although some jobs were alot tougher and more demanding than others. I am proud of many things I have done and accomplished and incredably greatful for the experiences I have had, especially from the many years in the north. However, 3 bankrupt companies and a couple of lay-offs later it is becoming harder and harder to maintain a positve outlook. All the moving around and financial uncertainty takes its toll on family life after a while, and I have thoroughly been considering a career change myself before it is to late. I will give my current gig a chance, but if the rug gets pulled out form underneath me again I am not so sure what I would do.

[Hedley]

I think the logic is that if you enjoy sex, you have to
become a porn star, because only people who are
paid, full-time professionals really enjoy sex. Or
something like that

[Changes in Latitudes]

OK I think I am much smarter then so many people of this world in the fact that I do not think you take something you love and make it a job... .

Haha...irony in grammatical errors. But thanks for painting us all with the same brush.

I do something I moderately enjoy for 2 weeks at a time (fly). Then have 2 weeks off to do things that I love. I can't ask for much more in this world, and whatever it took to get me here is in the past, I don't have the option of doing it over again, so why bother even thinking about it?

[Chuck Ellsworth]

Hedley you are a fairly bright guy but your learning curve is not quite finished yet, so let the old Cat add the most important factor to your analogy.

You forgot to explain the role a pilot plays on the porn star movie set.

There are two separate roles to play in the movie, the fuckor and the fuckee.

Pilots get to play the part of the fuckee in the anal films.

[Changes in Latitudes]

OK I think I am much smarter then so many people of this world in the fact that I do not think you take something you love and make it a job... .

Haha...irony in grammatical errors. But thanks for painting us all with the same brush.

I do something I moderately enjoy for 2 weeks at a time (fly). Then have 2 weeks off to do things that I love.

I must admit I am an engineer not a English major... My spelling is atrocious and my grammar is poor... Sorry for not being as smart as some!!!! And if you think my english grammar is bad you should hear my spanish and indonesian.

That's forgiven...smart guy. You should hear my english or my english sometime...

Moving on...

Don't mistake passion for one's employment as absence of a good life.
But on my side, we shouldn't use passion as an excuse to get F**Ked over by a job.

It's good to see both sides on here, as many roads do indeed lead to Rome.

[iflyforpie]

Aviation is definitely been different than I expected it to be. My first direct exposure to aviation was the 1986 Abbotsford Airshow and from that moment I knew that my life was going to revolve around aviation.

As I was only 7 at the time I had to wait a while for my aviation career and I started as an aircraft mechanic because I could get easy funding and a decent paying job right away which at various points was to be used for flying lessons and eventually a commercial pilot (which I did).

What was different for me was the amount of whining and complaining by AMEs over how terrible their pay was, how terrible the working conditions were, etc, etc when they really weren't all that bad considering even apprentice wages were not based on how many hours planes flew or how many hours you spent actually working.

As a low time pilot I was shocked at the low pay for the amount of effort and money I put into flight training. A job at Tim Horton's gives you more money, benefits, and better hours for way less responsibility and knowledge. I was also shocked that professional pilots willing to work for free or pay to work just to get hours.

I am happy where I am now, working for a good safety minded company for decent (if not extravagant) wages and not having to deal with the usual politics of a larger company.

I really love aviation and wouldn't do anything else just for more money.

[Rowdy]

Aviation in Canada is only a bit different from what I expected. I knew there were tons of shitty jobs, people being drastically underpaid and overworked, flying in middle of bumbledunk nowhere hovels in lousy conditions. But what I wasn't expecting was all the great people I've met. Seriously.. There are some incredible characters in aviation and I'm glad I'm here to meet them. Its amazing the brotherhood and the friendships made from it. I wouldn't trade that for anything.

[scopiton]

I still discovering aviation which is a second career choice and got in aviation without any dream or aircraft in the head but just with the simple idea to have a job, a great job within which you can evolve and keep learning years by years.
Experience can't be denied : considering experience on a number of hours is the most equal treatment ever created.

when it comes to compare with other indutries it is exactly the same principle as any other system whose purpose is to make money. you have a frowning boss, an expensive equipment and all that have to work well together in order to make benefits.
the myth is for your intimacy.

At least in aviation I don't have to deal my salary each month as I was doing before.

Rowdy is right, making friends is key to enjoy what you're involved in.
Human relationship is a matter of what kind of people you refuse to work with and that should be the first thought when you go out from an interview and that should prevail on the AC you gonna be checked on or the base location.
a bad HR and a bad CP and bad operations with the greatest tool of all times will allways produce a bad experience.

[WestCoast]

Aviation is definitely a different animal that is for sure. It is pretty much what I expected it to be so far. I started out about 3 years ago looking for my first ramp job, and was fortunate to get flying pretty quickly. Sure it took a major road trip and moving several hundred miles away from home to a place that I didn't even know existed, but it was a start. Spent almost 2 years up North and then moved back out west and have been flying here for about a year. So far so good. The one thing that has always got to me is how personal some owners/operators take it when employees leave for other jobs for various reasons. I have never understood that one. I left on good terms with all previous employers, but have seen others who haven't been so lucky. People who have put their heart and soul into companies and have really tried hard to do a good job get bad-mouthed once their out the door all for some stupid......"oh they said they'd be here for a year and left after 350 days" kind of BS. Sure there's always that small percentage of "PPC" collectors who exploit the system, but the majority of people I've worked with haven't been like that.

Comparing Aviation to other industries is a really good way to depress yourself I think, especially at the lower levels. My Brother is a Police Officer and got into it at age 19. He'll be out at 44 with full pension, and his T-4 last year was somewhere north of 100g's(overtime pig). At age 19 I was trying to save up enough $ to pay for my first expensive year at flight school. I got into Aviation because I love to fly, and I knew that it isn't a way to get rich like it used to be. It gets tough sometimes looking around at your friends who own houses and stuff like that, but I believe that if you stick with it and make the right decisions and keep a positive attitude it can be a rewarding career. It's hard not to "live your job" when you're flying 1200 hours per year and living with the people you work with! I was always looking for the next step and chomping at the bit to get there, but now I'm trying to change my attitude a little and just treat it as a normal job. If I had to do it all over again I would make no changes. I always like it when you drive out to the airport for your shift and it's rainy and shitty out, then you climb into the plane and punch up through the clag into the sunshine, not too many jobs where you have that luxury. Fly safe everyone!

-WC

[Four1oh]

OK I think I am much smarter then so many people of this world in the fact that I do not think you take something you love and make it a job... .

Haha...irony in grammatical errors. But thanks for painting us all with the same brush.

I do something I moderately enjoy for 2 weeks at a time (fly). Then have 2 weeks off to do things that I love.

I must admit I am an engineer not a English major... My spelling is atrocious and my grammar is poor... Sorry for not being as smart as some!!!! And if you think my english grammar is bad you should hear my spanish and indonesian.

Some people don't know the difference between 'smart' and 'educated'. I've known some brilliant people in my time who, turns out, were barely literate. Take my grandpa, for instance. I think he got as far as grade 4 before going to work for a living.

[KAG]

My whole life all I wanted to do was fly planes. I was one of those lucky (dorky) kids who from the time I could remember I knew what I wanted to do - fly.
In my teen years I grew up in an aviation neighborhood (mostly AC) and was introduced to what a commercial airline pilot lifestyle could afford. Needless to say I had no idea what it took to get there as my AC pilot neighbor was a 21 year old with 800 hours when hired and was somewhat removed to the current industry outside his bubble. His advice was alittle out of date but greatly appreciated.

I had grand expectations, and although the road to my career job was paved with old addresses and throwaway furniture, I had a blast!!! Sure it was a pain in the ass both literal and financial, but it’s those times that make me appreciate what I have that much more.

Honestly flying is a job for me, one that I love. I still watch planes take off and land, and get excited from time to time that I’m actually living out my childhood dream. It also affords me half the month off with great travel perks, and a sweet office view.
Is it all I thought it would be? No (then again neither was the first time I had sex), But it’s not near as bad as some would make it out to be either.

Aviation is not for everyone, but has something for anyone.

[Chuck Ellsworth]

Is it all I thought it would be? No (then again neither was the first time I had sex),

Tell us more about that.

[North Shore]

There are two separate roles to play in the movie, the fuckor and the fuckee.

So, Cat, seeing as you are always railing on about the decline of the industry, I would suspect that you fall into the 'old fuckor' category?

[bombardierfixer]

"What was different for me was the amount of whining and complaining by AMEs over how terrible their pay was, how terrible the working conditions were, etc, etc when they really weren't all that bad considering even apprentice wages were not based on how many hours planes flew or how many hours you spent actually working."[quote][/quote]

C'mon pie, thats not very nice we're all in the same boat, some of us are driving, some of us are fixing the leaks, but it takes everyone to get to the shore.

All job's are the same, I'm pretty sure there are porn stars that whine and bitch too. Live to work or work to live its your choice.

I still like the planes, the smell, the noise. I'm gonna stick with it.

[Severe Clear]

I would say it was pretty much what I expected as I had done hours of rescearch prior to jumping into flight school. I knew I was going to fly airplanes at a very young age so I had many years to prepare for the big day. Minus the 35 grand which im still paying off today 8 years later!

I did not think how ever it was going to be a rollercoaster of experiences from one extreme to the next! I went from being on cloud 9 after just finishing my Commercial / Multi IFR, excited about that first job to having to spend 4 years on the ramp due to 9-11. I was so close to leaving aviation all together after not finding any work. I hated the industry and everything about it. I asked myself why I was so stupid for spending all that money for flight training. I finally got a break and dropped skydivers on weekends in a 206. The money I made doing this barely coverd my gas it took for the hour drive to the airport. I started throwing out resumes like crazy and finally got interviews for real jobs on king airs ect. I started getting excited again! Got a break and landed a twotter job and spent some time in the arctic loading 3500 lbs of freight 8 times a day by myself while some grumpy captain watched. My back is still not the same but the hours were good and I thought I could stick this out for a bit. I got out of dodge for the winter and spent 6 months in the Maldives. WOW! what an experience that was. I met awesome people, did some amazing flying and got to ferry a twin otter across the world from the maldives to calgary in 8 days and 70 hours. I was concidering going back but I diddn't think my body could handle another 6 months there. For anyone thats been there im sure they know what I mean! LOL.

I finally landed my dream job in the big city and im home everynight. It took 8 years and one hell of a rollercoaster ride. I would say im back on cloud 9 with one hell of a photo album. Would I have still got into aviation if I knew 8 years ago what I do now? Hell yeah I would! Been through some tough times but what doesn't kill you makes you stronger and appriciate the good things much more when they come!

[Chuck Ellsworth]

So, Cat, seeing as you are always railing on about the decline of the industry, I would suspect that you fall into the 'old fuckor' category?

Old is a state of mind North Shore.

For me the decision to retire from flying for a living was made years before I retired, I set a date based on what my license said.... age 60....then when I reached 60 I was flying in Europe for a very good employer and because part of my job was flying in the air show circuit they kept getting my license to fly in Europe extended, so I decided to wait till 65...then they told me I couldn't quit then because they needed me and they had my license to fly renewed yet again.....so I decided to fly until 70.....then they said they really needed me and they got my license extended yet again...by then I was finally at the end of my ability to put up with all the B.S. that kept getting deeper and deeper so I said fu.k this and retired.

Now I am in a state of utter shock to find out that people actually have lives to live that allow one to think for them self instead of live by rules and policies churned out by people who couldn't do what they regulate.

Oh, I'm still sort of screwed though because I am now working for someone else who had me buy a Husky on Amphibs and guess who is going to have to fly it?

But...Eureka ...I'm home every night.

[iflyforpie]

C'mon pie, thats not very nice we're all in the same boat, some of us are driving, some of us are fixing the leaks, but it takes everyone to get to the shore.

I didn't mean all mechanics bombardierfixer and I wasn't belittling AMEs (after all, I am still a practicing one and running an AMO while getting my hands very dirty ).

It was just a little shocking my first week on the job clearing the most money I've ever made and working on the big iron and people are shaking their heads at me wondering why I got into aviation. Next thing I was whining with the rest of them yet in retrospect the job wasn't all that bad.

I still like the planes, the smell, the noise. I'm gonna stick with it.

Me too!

[young grasshopper]

Is it all I thought it would be? No (then again neither was the first time I had sex),

Tell us more about that.

Not sure about anyone else - but WOW - did I ever give her the best 3 seconds of her life!!