Kuba74 From Poland, joined Mar 2000, 432 posts, RR: 0 Posted (12 years 5 months 1 week 4 days 23 hours ago) and read 772 times:
Excuse me if this topic was discussed earlier but if someone can tell me how often do the commercial pilots change the type of plane they fly during their career? Does it happen that one pilot flies for example only B737 through all of his professional career? And what is the typical career for pilot? Do they always begin with small props and then are promoted to bigger planes/ jets?
Regards Kuba
Joe_R From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 1, posted (12 years 5 months 1 week 4 days 18 hours ago) and read 707 times:
how often do the commercial pilots change the type of plane they fly during their career?
That one depends on many things. Every airline has
different numbers of aircraft, domiciles, seniority
distributions.
At American, the rough average would be about 3.
Does it happen that one pilot flies for example only B737 through all of his professional career?
It could... If you flew for Southwest - probably.
And what is the typical career for pilot?
Too many variables to answer that one.
Do they always begin with small props and then are promoted to bigger planes/ jets?
Nope. Understand, some pilots wanna stay in a
certain city, others want the highest pay, still others
want to fly the biggest machine they can.
AAR90 From United States of America, joined Jan 2000, 3410 posts, RR: 50 Reply 2, posted (12 years 5 months 1 week 4 days 10 hours ago) and read 665 times:
Yo Joe... Hello Dude!!!
Long time, no talk (write, email or whatever).
Sorry about that Kuba, haven't talked with Joe since our BBS sysop days. Short answer to your question (Joe gave an excellent long answer) is that there is no "typical" career path since there are far too many things out of one's control. I'm changing airplanes in March/April time period. Not because I want to, but because AA is retiring the plane I'm flying now.
*NO CARRIER* -- A Naval Aviator's worst nightmare!
Iainhol From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 3, posted (12 years 5 months 1 week 4 days 9 hours ago) and read 661 times:
AAR I was speaking to a chap at SNA the other day who also is having to change in March as AA is getting rid of the 90. He claims that flying them right now is not too much fun as you go to San Jose, SFO(?), from LAX and SNA. He is going to 767 out of SFO (he is an FO). What are you going to?
Iain
AAR90 From United States of America, joined Jan 2000, 3410 posts, RR: 50 Reply 4, posted (12 years 5 months 1 week 4 days 9 hours ago) and read 653 times:
Haven't decided yet. B767/757 or B737. Don't want to fly MD80 again... got spoiled with the MD90s power.
Left seat naturally. Wife has gotten too comfortable with spending the $$$.
*NO CARRIER* -- A Naval Aviator's worst nightmare!
Qantas737 From Australia, joined Jul 2000, 738 posts, RR: 4 Reply 7, posted (12 years 5 months 1 week 3 days 22 hours ago) and read 638 times:
Starting can be very different all the time. For Example you might get a cadetship course with Qantas and be a 2nd officer in all types when your only 19! Usually though you would go up the ladder through turbo props, and usually the bigger airlines try to snatch the good pilots from the regional airlines. Then its a matter of being certified to fly that particular aircraft. When u join Ansett u become a 2nd officer in their 744, then become a F/O in a smaller aircraft like a 737.
Anyway i hope i could be of some help.
AAR90 From United States of America, joined Jan 2000, 3410 posts, RR: 50 Reply 8, posted (12 years 5 months 1 week 2 days 16 hours ago) and read 605 times:
>Will you stay out of SNA, LAX area?
Do you mean will I remain based at LAX with (at least some) SNA flying? YES! I've done the commute thing and I didn't like it one bit. And that was with higher boarding priority than normal employee non-rev travel _and_ AA paying the bill. Guess I'm just not a commuter type of guy.
767/757 pays slightly more and with type rating + 5000 hours experience I suspect the training program will be relatively easy to complete successfully.
OTOH, 1/3 of LAX's 737 flying currently in/out of SNA and the drive is much nicer than going all the way to LAX. Emotion says to go 737, but pocketbook says to go 767. Either way I'll be much closer to the bottom of the seniority list than my current #9 of 30 status.
>Will the 737 take over all MD-80/MD-90 ops at SNA?
That is one rumor. Lot's of rumors going around, but nothing I would consider firm or even slightly firm. This one makes the most sense though (at the moment).
*NO CARRIER* -- A Naval Aviator's worst nightmare!
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