Gadling

I haven't flown Emirates yet, but am looking forward to trying them out. Main reason? I'm deaf, and they are currently the only airline offering closed captioning on their in-flight movies. I blogged about this here: http://www.stonedeafpilots.com/?p=89

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As an ex-military pilot, ex-USA pilot, I now work for the Indonesian Government - More money, better hours, a better place to live (Singapore)....the USofA is in the crapper folks. I wouldn't fly on one of their airlines - not really that safe. Their is quite a few of us old fly boys over here, and I have friends who are in the emerates. Anywhere but the USofA....

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I've been teaching enrty level pilots for 40 years. New aviation college students have declined since 2003. This is just the beginning. No one wants to do it anymore; too many better ways to make a living. The U.S. is hiring 12,000 pilots per year but only making 4,000 pilots work ready each year. Soon we will need to get our pilots from other nations.

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My little brother left continental airlines for United Airways he doubled his pay!!!

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Good for those Pilots that want to better their lives. I do not blame them at all. As far as badmouthing this country keep in mind we have a government that can tell you which Major League Baseball player takes drugs but have NO answers for fuel prices.

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Other reasons for our pilots going abroad are to get their hours built up (many of the foreign airlines do not require as many flight hours as US airlines) and the forced retirement at age 60. My uncle started flying for Saudi royalty after he was forced to retire his US airline job when he turned 60. He's raking it in now too.

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I for one respect our airline pilots and think they deserve anything other than the grief that US airlines give them. They took care of our people and were screwed for their efforts. I am glad I am through with flying on America's planes, knowing the way they too have been mistreated by lowlifes that act like polititions. They get everything that they want up front and take care of only themselves except to keep money coming in so it looks like they are doing their jobs. We have seen the result. They are the cold hearted fools that accept the loss of an airplane every 5 to 7 years and mark it off as the cost of doing business. As can be seen by the way they take care of the planes that they probably won't let their families climb aboard. Good luck pilots and thanks for doing a great job during all of the hours that I flew years ago. Have a great life from now on.

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Good riddance! I spent 20 years in the USAF sitting in the flight deck, and if their is one thing I've learned....."some pilots act like they are gods gift to aviation and should be treated a such". I saw way too many of them just waiting for their terms to run out so they could use all their tax payer earned skills to rake in the big dough with some airline. Well, hate to tell ya fellas, but pilots are just another frickin' employee. Your just another cog in the wheel, stop acting like your the hub. Your not upper level managers, your a bunch of over paid mid levels. The fact of the matter is, US airline corporations have finally wised up to pilots and how their overpaid status is seriously helping to suck the life blood out of the airline industry. Sure, OPEC is certainly helping to pummel the industry. But as in any business, overhead is nothing but a negative on the bottom line. In today's business world, you have to cut those negatives. So lets face it, when you have a bunch of glorified 6 digit employees, the axe falls hardest where it hurts the most. The days of the Pan Am clipper have passed boys and girls, deal with it! Go on over and fly for the rich boys, just do us a favor....stay there! Because you and I both know, in those areas of the world, they just look down on you as another paid employee, and thats what you are.

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