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Originally Posted by ArcticKnight
Cool handle (WOXOF). I don't think anybody has mentioned it. I doubt most of the posters know what it means. BTW, the first dog I ever had was NORDO, and the name suited him....(dumb animal)
What a great name for a dog!
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1. Do you think the public is generally aware of how poor the wages are for pilots until they can get on with a large carrier? I know folks like yourself make a good living, but low time regional and small carriers seem to get paid next to nothing because the companies know pilots need hours. Is it as bad in the US - were pilots are working for next to nothing just to get seat time and log hours on type?
Absolutely not (to the question in bold). When I finally decided to go fly full time (just couldn't stand the thought of always wondering about it), I went from being a senior systems engineer making about $90k to a first officer on a J32 making about $20. That was a healthy pay cut and I only survived because I continued to do some consulting to various software companies on the side.
There's even one outfit I know of in Florida where the FOs
pay for the privilege of sitting in the right seat to build their multi-engine time (which is one of the hardest hurdles for a new pilot trying to build his time). Can you believe that?
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2. A regional carrier here has a fleet of 19-seat Jetstreams. I fly on them quite a bit. Did you like flying this aircraft. It sure does have a high landing speed.
I've got over 3000 hours in that plane and was a flight instructor in it also. The landing speed seems high because of its size. IIRC, the approach speed in the J32 was about 130 kts and we touched down around 125. The J32 was my first airline plane and I still remember a lot of the stats: max takeoff weight 16,204 lbs; max landing weight 15,609 lbs.; max altitude 24,000'.
It was a great airplane to fly...very stable. But I was surprised that it had no autopilot. I couldn't believe it but we hand flew that thing for every minute and often flew 6-8 flights a day in the weather in the northeast corridor of the U.S. (a high traffic area). It was not so great for the passengers (no lav, no flight attendant and very noisy).
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3. Air Traffic Controllers have an awesome public image . I think they have convinced the world they are more necessary than pilots. Does it draw the ire of pilots that ATCs make good $ right from the start (as opposed to struggling pilots)? I mean no matter how bad a situation gets, the controller is going home at the end of an emergency.
Good for them on the PR. No pilot I've heard has ever complained about the things you mentioned. Used to be a controller didn't even need a college degree...don't know if this is still true. Pretty good money for a high school grad. But again, no complaints. A good controller is highly appreciated by pilots. You fly in to ORD, JFK, ATL and you appreciate the guys there who can really keep things moving.
And BTW, I was almost a controller. I took the exam and got 100% on it then got called in to Dulles for an interview and psych eval and everthing went great. I was told to expect to hear something within the next 2-6 months. During that time period, PATCO went on strike and Reagan fired all controllers. I was later told that I'd need to reapply...I lost interest.
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4. Please tell me you have never called PAN. PAN, PAN...lol
I never have, though they still tell us that we're supposed to use that phrase if, for example, we have to depart one of the oceanic tracks (they tell us to use this on the air-to-air freq to alert other crews).
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I may have some follow-ups. Great thread.
Keep 'em coming!
Last edited by W0X0F; 11-12-2009 at 05:07 PM.