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Nothing about that kind of job makes it worth flying up in the air in a tight space with all those germs floating around. Last time I was on an airplane I got some kind of eye virus.
So can a pharmacist...in fact, they'll do it sooner, be home more, have a more flexible schedule, and more control over their future.
Most folks are into careers to make some $$, maybe not substantial, but enough to live well on. I've met plenty of regional airline pilots who were earning close to the magic $100k/yr. Many of them will likely go on earning that approximate salary for the long term, since they are no longer able to move onto the major airline, when starting salaries are in the $35-40k 1st year, so...the guy making $100k takes a $70k paycut to move onto the desirable job, doubles that pay his second year to make about $75k so now he's only down $25k from his initial investment. And will likely hit the magic $100k/yr again about 5 years with the major airline. This of doesn't take into account furloughs, stagnation, bankruptcy, etc...All of which are not only realities, but almost promises in the aviation industry.
A good friend of mine had finally "graduated" from the regional airlines and moved onto UPS, one of the more desirable jobs in professional aviation. Within a year of being hired, he was furloughed and on the street. He was put in the unfortunate situation of having to sell off possessions to keep the house, and take whatever job he could find. So here's a guy who was making almost $100k year at UPS suddenly pumping gas at a FBO on the airport while he awaited recall back at UPS. Harsh reality, but he was far from alone.
So can a pharmacist...in fact, they'll do it sooner, be home more, have a more flexible schedule, and more control over their future.
Most folks are into careers to make some $$, maybe not substantial, but enough to live well on. I've met plenty of regional airline pilots who were earning close to the magic $100k/yr. Many of them will likely go on earning that approximate salary for the long term, since they are no longer able to move onto the major airline, when starting salaries are in the $35-40k 1st year, so...the guy making $100k takes a $70k paycut to move onto the desirable job, doubles that pay his second year to make about $75k so now he's only down $25k from his initial investment. And will likely hit the magic $100k/yr again about 5 years with the major airline. This of doesn't take into account furloughs, stagnation, bankruptcy, etc...All of which are not only realities, but almost promises in the aviation industry.
A good friend of mine had finally "graduated" from the regional airlines and moved onto UPS, one of the more desirable jobs in professional aviation. Within a year of being hired, he was furloughed and on the street. He was put in the unfortunate situation of having to sell off possessions to keep the house, and take whatever job he could find. So here's a guy who was making almost $100k year at UPS suddenly pumping gas at a FBO on the airport while he awaited recall back at UPS. Harsh reality, but he was far from alone.
Indeed. The reason this reality is so goes back to why the regional kids make what they make in the first place: the willingness to do that vocation for kicks. Flying is neato so people do it for peanuts. Look at military retirees floating around the regionals for jet time, waiting on Moses to open the promised floodgates of mainline airline hiring..... any day now.....Aviation junkies; not doing the young kids any favors by perpetuating the 'hobby' nature to the job as they swing gear for a dude with less time than them, on a retirement check that negates their economic need to be there.
Which is why supply and demand trumps. Don't attempt to gain a LASTING and lucrative wage doing something most are willing to do for FREE. As opposed to professional sports, most can become pilots and flight attendants. Most doctors and engineers can become pilots, most pilots can't do the reverse. There aren't that many technical barriers to entry, and I say this as an engineering degree holding "pylet".
The only reason *I* do it is because I can make a living wage in the military. To a certain degree the only reason I make a living wage is because the officers down at public affairs wouldn't do their job for 20K, so my compensation gets to piggyback on the government pay tables. Otherwise I'm sure some Embry Riddle graduate would do my job for free, even if it costs him his life. The government subsidizes my pursuit. They have to, I wouldn't do it for 20K. The day I hang up the green bag will be the day I pursue flying for recreation and do something else lucrative for a living. If I had not had military aviation accessible to me I would be a dentist or a pharmacist, regardless of interest. And I would continue to pursue flying as an avocation. Getting paid jack s--t for that level of responsibility just because flying is neato is borderline negligent behavior.
I've mentioned it before. The only pilot shortage that will ever exist in this Country will be a shortage of people willing to fly a jet of any size for 30K/yr mean wage normalized over 20 years of start-stop employment (aka regional/junior-mainline perma hung start).
...Sure, one could make 100K+ flying airplanes.. Sustained? maybe, in the right light and phase of the moon. The lowest GPA holding pharmacist in class will make that much by mere choice of waking up in the morning and choosing to apply at Walgreens. And the real stinger is that the latter can actually afford to fly recreationally... Which is why Im sending my wife to pharma school
[quote=flynavyj;28585843]There's about zero glamuor in the job, at least not anymore. Pay is terrible for starting new flight attendants, and is even worse at the regional airlines. If you were going to become a FA, i'd only be looking at the major carriers (American, United, Delta)[quote]
Uh, considering US Airways just BOUGHT American's ass, I think you're missing THE major domestic carrier.
There's about zero glamuor in the job, at least not anymore. Pay is terrible for starting new flight attendants, and is even worse at the regional airlines. If you were going to become a FA, i'd only be looking at the major carriers (American, United, Delta)Uh, considering US Airways just BOUGHT American's ass, I think you're missing THE major domestic carrier.
I have friends working for "both" companies...and friends who've been furloughed from both as well...I thought it was interesting when a friend tells me they're furloughed from American, they were TWA employees. Who then went to work for America West, who was then purchased by US Airways and they got furloughed from Airways as well...then Airways is hiring pilots for their east operations while the company still has American West pilots on the street, and to finish it off, we have the US Airways/American merger. Considering that America West and US Airways haven't even gotten their stuff together from the previous merger, i can't imagine how tough it's going to be adding an additional company's employees to the mix.
It seems to me that a flight attendant career works for some people, but it's a though job and definitely has its drawbacks.
I have a relative who had a good job making pretty decent money at a bank. She ended up leaving the bank job and got divorced a couple years later. She was in her early 50s... her house was paid off, she got a comfortable divorce settlement and her kids had moved out of the house so she didn't really have to go back to work. With nothing tying her down, she decided on a whim to apply for a job as a flight attendant. She's been traveling the world and having a great time and doesn't feel financial stress as she doesn't really "need" to make alot of money. It works for her, because it gets her out of the house and provides her with a constant adventure. I'm not sure if she'll do it forever, but she's been doing this for 5 years now and seems to be having the time of her life.
It seems to me that a flight attendant career works for some people, but it's a though job and definitely has its drawbacks.
I have a relative who had a good job making pretty decent money at a bank. She ended up leaving the bank job and got divorced a couple years later. She was in her early 50s... her house was paid off, she got a comfortable divorce settlement and her kids had moved out of the house so she didn't really have to go back to work. With nothing tying her down, she decided on a whim to apply for a job as a flight attendant. She's been traveling the world and having a great time and doesn't feel financial stress as she doesn't really "need" to make alot of money. It works for her, because it gets her out of the house and provides her with a constant adventure. I'm not sure if she'll do it forever, but she's been doing this for 5 years now and seems to be having the time of her life.
Nothing like a flight crew who qualifies for food stamps...working professionals right there!
An Urban Legend? In 1989 it was rumored that new hire TWA flight attendants in New York were indeed qualifying for, and receiving food stamps ... until ... TWA management heard about it and raised their starting salaries JUST enough so they couldn't qualify for food stamps. Flight attendants earning so little that they needed food stamps to supplement their income would be bad "publicity" for the airline.
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And the real stinger is that the latter can actually afford to fly recreationally...
Which is why Im sending my wife to pharma school 
I have friends working for "both" companies...and friends who've been furloughed from both as well...I thought it was interesting when a friend tells me they're furloughed from American, they were TWA employees. Who then went to work for America West, who was then purchased by US Airways and they got furloughed from Airways as well...then Airways is hiring pilots for their east operations while the company still has American West pilots on the street, and to finish it off, we have the US Airways/American merger. Considering that America West and US Airways haven't even gotten their stuff together from the previous merger, i can't imagine how tough it's going to be adding an additional company's employees to the mix.
