Plane Answers: Follow up questions to 'So you want to be a pilot.'

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I am an airline pilot and have dedicated my life to this industry. My advise is to go on flightinfo.com or airlinepilotcentral.com to gain some insight of the aviation lifestyle.
In my opinion, I would not advise anyone to enter in this career.
The airline industry will not recover from this economic down turn for the next 20 years. Also, airline management does not care about their employees. Salary is very low across the board in the airline world and many are have a difficult time supporting their families.
Good luck, but sorry these are the facts.

1-30-2010 @ 4:34PM

Peter Hines said...

HI THERE, YOU SAID MANY PILOTS HAVE PROBLEMS SUPPORTING THEIR FAMILY, WELL WHAT IF YOU ARE WORKING FOR A MAJOR AIRLINE SUCH AS DELTA, AA , UNITED , NWA , CONTINENTAL ETC. DON'T THESE PILOTS MAKE AT LEAST $250,000 AS A CAPTAIN AND $125,OOO AS A FIRST OFFICER?

1-31-2010 @ 1:58AM

Don Smith said...

Pete,
Those salaries are from the past and many flight schools and other aviation businesses continue to pump those salary rates through unknowing future pilot ears.
Maybe 5% of the major airline pilots will make that much money. Trust me I am not trying to deceive you. Many pilots will be furlough or laid off several times in their careers or they will continue to work under an unstable employment environment.
Airline Management only wish is to continue to mislead the public into believing that a pilot career is very lucrative.
Just check out the websites I mentioned to understand the instability in the career path you are probably considering.
This career would be similar to a "Las Vegas Professional Gambler".

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