Pilots leaving the industry

[Bell-powered]

If you’re in it for the money girls and glory, you are in the wrong industry. We can make a healthy living and we get to operate the coolest machines ever engineered and we get to see some spectacular views. That is the trade off, if people are leaving cause they are making more money doing whatever, let them leave. Let’s focus on getting 100 hour wonders (that would bend over backwards to get a chance to do a .5 a week) up to snuff and let’s get rid of the people who only complains about everyone, everything and every other company. What do you to change the industry? Are you willing to average out your pay throughout the year to ensure the company you are working for can sustain? Are you willing to cut your salary in half to make sure you have a job to go to in the spring?

A while back I asked what a salary would be for a ops manager and also for a chief pilot, the few answers i got was proving to me that people over value them self so much!

and I think that is true for pilots engineers ops staff and all really in all lines of work...

 

*awaiting bashing*

BP

[shakey]

Not going to bash you. you are entitled to that opinion. But some of the wages employers want to pay for seasonal work are almost unlivable wages. They would be Ok if they where paid all year long. I think you are selling yourself short if you don't think pilots and engineers aren't worth 6 figures or close to it to be away from home 3/4 of the year in some shytehole not to mention the liability (yes they can take everything from you if you F-Up) Kill a doctor hot dogging heli skiing or forget to put a bolt back in properly and see how friendly expensive lawyers are. Then there's the bad medical that could happen and you are out of work for several months or indefinitely. It would be nice to have a nest egg if something where to go wrong. Or own a house to give your wife when she is fed up with said 3/4 of the year raising the kids alone. Much more than just the view to think about.  

[pilot83]

19 hours ago, shakey said:

Not going to bash you. you are entitled to that opinion. But some of the wages employers want to pay for seasonal work are almost unlivable wages. They would be Ok if they where paid all year long. I think you are selling yourself short if you don't think pilots and engineers aren't worth 6 figures or close to it to be away from home 3/4 of the year in some shytehole not to mention the liability (yes they can take everything from you if you F-Up) Kill a doctor hot dogging heli skiing or forget to put a bolt back in properly and see how friendly expensive lawyers are. Then there's the bad medical that could happen and you are out of work for several months or indefinitely. It would be nice to have a nest egg if something where to go wrong. Or own a house to give your wife when she is fed up with said 3/4 of the year raising the kids alone. Much more than just the view to think about.  

F*uckin well said we are ALL under paid and undervalued for the responsibility we all have on us (pilots and engineers combined) 

[Bell-powered]

On 2018-04-04 at 2:29 PM, shakey said:

Not going to bash you. you are entitled to that opinion. But some of the wages employers want to pay for seasonal work are almost unlivable wages. They would be Ok if they where paid all year long. I think you are selling yourself short if you don't think pilots and engineers aren't worth 6 figures or close to it to be away from home 3/4 of the year in some shytehole not to mention the liability (yes they can take everything from you if you F-Up) Kill a doctor hot dogging heli skiing or forget to put a bolt back in properly and see how friendly expensive lawyers are. Then there's the bad medical that could happen and you are out of work for several months or indefinitely. It would be nice to have a nest egg if something where to go wrong. Or own a house to give your wife when she is fed up with said 3/4 of the year raising the kids alone. Much more than just the view to think about.  

Absolutely we should be making 6 figures, but at what cost. People want to sit in their office or not come in at all when there are things needs to be done... machines to clean. Paperwork to be done, I think a lot of people has lost sight of a bigger picture where we making it very hard for operators to be able to stay open. I know of so many guys that just want to show up for go time make x a day and x hourly and when there is no flying they go and do other stuff... if you have a income of 100-120 should not an operator expect to get a hand with other things at the office/hangar? 

[DGP]

Bp....it use to be that was what the newbies did...as long as said pilot is keeping his ship clean and ready to go and is making money for the operator...this is what you were hired to do...if you what more spell it out.On the other hand I have seen a lot of high timers that are to say the least...lazy.  Dam good drivers...but they don't know what a rag is or for what! I have also seen friends of mine who have been going for 40+ years given it like they just started yesterday..pushing brooms...cleaning ships and hangars...what can I say!

[Heliduck]

9 hours ago, DGP said:

 I have also seen friends of mine who have been going for 40+ years given it like they just started yesterday..pushing brooms...cleaning ships and hangars...what can I say!

Recruit for attitude, train for experience.

[robottxt]

On 2018-04-06 at 2:53 PM, Heliduck said:

Recruit for attitude, train for experience.

Translation: hire for a strong back and a weak mind.  Willing to do 'whatever it takes'.

 

 

[Heliduck]

11 hours ago, robottxt said:

Translation: hire for a strong back and a weak mind.  Willing to do 'whatever it takes'.

 

 

I guess some people are suited to small business & some people are suited to government departments. Most helicopter operators are small businesses. Personally I take positions with companies who are looking to exploit my strengths, not my weaknesses.

[ramen rider]

On 4/4/2018 at 2:29 PM, shakey said:

Not going to bash you. you are entitled to that opinion. But some of the wages employers want to pay for seasonal work are almost unlivable wages. They would be Ok if they where paid all year long. I think you are selling yourself short if you don't think pilots and engineers aren't worth 6 figures or close to it to be away from home 3/4 of the year in some shytehole not to mention the liability (yes they can take everything from you if you F-Up) Kill a doctor hot dogging heli skiing or forget to put a bolt back in properly and see how friendly expensive lawyers are. Then there's the bad medical that could happen and you are out of work for several months or indefinitely. It would be nice to have a nest egg if something where to go wrong. Or own a house to give your wife when she is fed up with said 3/4 of the year raising the kids alone. Much more than just the view to think about.  

As a 700 hour lowtimer I'm not expecting 6 figures, but when I can't even get a response (let alone interview) for a part time gig in Vegas that pays $12 bucks an hour because they were most likely swamped with resumes its just seriously messed up!  I don't know how I would have survived if I had gotten that gig, but one thing is for sure, there's just too many of us out there, that's why the pay is so low.

[shakey]

12 hours ago, ramen rider said:

As a 700 hour lowtimer I'm not expecting 6 figures, but when I can't even get a response (let alone interview) for a part time gig in Vegas that pays $12 bucks an hour because they were most likely swamped with resumes its just seriously messed up!  I don't know how I would have survived if I had gotten that gig, but one thing is for sure, there's just too many of us out there, that's why the pay is so low.

As a guy who has considerably more time. I've paid my dues and do expect close to or above 6 figures.  I don't love flying as much as I did when I had 700 hours. So I'd rather run a back hoe for $12 an hour and be home every night. You are right though there is no shortage of pilots especially under 1000 hrs hence the lack of responses.