jonno_2004 Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 A Captain with many, many hours flying for BA will earn maybe 3 times as much as the equivalent position in the train driving industry, with maybe the exception of Virgin or Eurostar (If what I've heard is to be believed), but the average train driver will earn more than the average pilot at an average airline, yes, or around the same at the most. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonno_2004 Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 Which is why, as The Don pointed out, it's become a rich kids industry as the rewards for investing such a large amount in yourself are neither guaranteed nor great. Which is why I decided to become an accountant :winkold: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Voinjama Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 A Captain with many, many hours flying for BA will earn maybe 3 times as much as the equivalent position in the train driving industry, with maybe the exception of Virgin or Eurostar (If what I've heard is to be believed), but the average train driver will earn more than the average pilot at an average airline, yes, or around the same at the most. That is crazy becuae flying a plane is a lot more complex then driving a train. In addition to this the amount it costs to train to fly is alot more then the cost of training to drive a train. And of course flying a plane carries greater risk. Finally it costs alot more to travel by plane, even short distances. This is why I'm so surprised. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PompeyVillan Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 45 :shock: :shock: That is a very impressive wage. I dont mean this in a disrepectful way, but it's not what you would call a highly skilled job, nor is it corporate, so it's surprising train drivers get so much. But hey it's good for you and your colleaugues. It takes about a year to become productive from the day you walk through the door for the first time, you are responsible for the lives of lots of other people trapped in a metal tube travelling at 100+ mph often many miles from any kind of civilisation, it requires lots of concentration at all times (including very early in the morning and very late at night) and if the trains dont run large parts of the country, especially the big cities and especially London tend to grind to a halt. But yeah, I guess you are right. We dont wear white collars and we dont work with computers so I guess its unskilled labour. The company should get some Polish guy in to do it for a fiver an hour instead. I think the offensive comments are through ignorance. I would never say train driving was not skilled, because I have no idea. However, I'm not sure many people actually know what is involved in driving a train. I think many people believe that train drivers just operate the speed and react to the signals, which is probably entirely wrong and therefore assume that it is not 'highly skilled', which it clearly is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chindie Posted May 3, 2011 VT Supporter Share Posted May 3, 2011 If you want to make money in the air transport world, get into air traffic control. A friend of mine from uni was interviewed for an air traffic control position with a starting wage of £35k after completing training. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theunderstudy Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 I'm in the wrong job! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shoody Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 HOLY ****. How do I go about getting into that!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDon Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 If you want to make money in the air transport world, get into air traffic control. A friend of mine from uni was interviewed for an air traffic control position with a starting wage of £35k after completing training. That's a fair bit more than when I was looking into it. It was around 10k whilst training with accommodation, then 18k after training, but jumping to a massive 50k after 2 years. That can go up to near 100k with 10+ years experience as well. It is ridiculously hard to get into though, the testing is extremely rigorous, and it's one of the most pressurised jobs going as well (strangely not that stressful apparently, but I guess that goes hand in hand with ensuring the people who get the jobs can do the jobs), even with all the technology in aviation today air traffic control is no walk in the park. (Yeah I went through a "I want to work with airplanes" phase, I still would if there was actually a decent route in that wouldn't require me to sell body parts) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brumerican Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 If you want to make money in the air transport world, get into air traffic control. A friend of mine from uni was interviewed for an air traffic control position with a starting wage of £35k after completing training. That's a fair bit more than when I was looking into it. It was around 10k whilst training with accommodation, then 18k after training, but jumping to a massive 50k after 2 years. That can go up to near 100k with 10+ years experience as well. It is ridiculously hard to get into though, the testing is extremely rigorous, and it's one of the most pressurised jobs going as well (strangely not that stressful apparently, but I guess that goes hand in hand with ensuring the people who get the jobs can do the jobs), even with all the technology in aviation today air traffic control is no walk in the park. (Yeah I went through a "I want to work with airplanes" phase, I still would if there was actually a decent route in that wouldn't require me to sell body parts) Join the RAF for a while, get your qualifications, then leave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chindie Posted May 3, 2011 VT Supporter Share Posted May 3, 2011 If you want to make money in the air transport world, get into air traffic control. A friend of mine from uni was interviewed for an air traffic control position with a starting wage of £35k after completing training. That's a fair bit more than when I was looking into it. It was around 10k whilst training with accommodation, then 18k after training, but jumping to a massive 50k after 2 years. That can go up to near 100k with 10+ years experience as well. It is ridiculously hard to get into though, the testing is extremely rigorous, and it's one of the most pressurised jobs going as well (strangely not that stressful apparently, but I guess that goes hand in hand with ensuring the people who get the jobs can do the jobs), even with all the technology in aviation today air traffic control is no walk in the park. (Yeah I went through a "I want to work with airplanes" phase, I still would if there was actually a decent route in that wouldn't require me to sell body parts) Aye. I don't know how long ago you were looking but this was about 8 months ago when he was looking at it. Incidentally the trouble actually being successful was why he didn't pursue it. The application process if you made it past the initial interview was apparently absurd, went on for a very long time and was very involved. And even then it wasn't a certainty you'd get the job even if you passed all the application with flying colours (boom boom). The fact they straight up told him this at the interview put him off entirely. You could dedicate pretty much a year of your time to it and at the end of that not even be taken on to begin training. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDon Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 Join the RAF for a while, get your qualifications, then leave. Previous history of asthma so I'd be limited to ground crew No fun joining the RAF if you can't fly. Aye. I don't know how long ago you were looking but this was about 8 months ago when he was looking at it. Incidentally the trouble actually being successful was why he didn't pursue it. The application process if you made it past the initial interview was apparently absurd, went on for a very long time and was very involved. And even then it wasn't a certainty you'd get the job even if you passed all the application with flying colours (boom boom). The fact they straight up told him this at the interview put him off entirely. You could dedicate pretty much a year of your time to it and at the end of that not even be taken on to begin training. Yeah, the selection process is stupid, after the initial interview you still have 3 assessment stages to do, then the medical and security clearance and then they just put your name in a pool of people who passed where you get to wait for a spot on a training course, which could be months away. Still, if it wasn't that hard I guess we'd have planes falling out the sky all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarethRDR Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 Previous history of asthma so I'd be limited to ground crew No fun joining the RAF if you can't fly. As the son of a RAF ground crew serviceman, I am mildly offended sir. Only mildly though, 'cos my old man's a lazy git, a West Ham fan and you are right anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDon Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 Previous history of asthma so I'd be limited to ground crew No fun joining the RAF if you can't fly. As the son of a RAF ground crew serviceman, I am mildly offended sir. Only mildly though, 'cos my old man's a lazy git, a West Ham fan and you are right anyway. I wouldn't mind being ground crew, I've contemplated joining up many a time because I'm hating 9-5, but if I was signing 6 years of my life away I'd want to know I stood a chance of getting my feet off the ground. If I wasn't good enough to pass selection then fine, that'd be my fault for sucking, but going in there already knowing I stood no chance because of some childhood asthma that I haven't had treatment for in 15 years just doesn't have the same appeal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shoody Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 Cant join RAF, I did the cadet thing years ago and then found out I'd never be allowed to fly because of hayfever, so quit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shoody Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 Having looked at the ATCO website pretty **** interested in an air traffic controller job! £91k a year at Gatwick/Heathrow after qualification.... ****! edit: ah they stopped allowing applications at start of April Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted May 4, 2011 VT Supporter Share Posted May 4, 2011 Legend had it that WWI fighter ace Mick Mannock was blind in one eye, but blagged his way through the medical by learning the vision test chart (the one with all the letters) by heart. Sadly, it seems that it's an urban myth (or a lie on his part). However, I used to work with an 80s-era RAF fighter pilot who had a colleague who actually did do that very stunt - he wasn't blind but he wore contact lenses (secretly). They caught him out when one of his lenses fell out while he was flying and he had trouble scrabbling around on the floor of the cockpit for it. He got busted from flying on the spot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Voinjama Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 Join the RAF for a while, get your qualifications, then leave. Previous history of asthma so I'd be limited to ground crew No fun joining the RAF if you can't fly. Aye. I don't know how long ago you were looking but this was about 8 months ago when he was looking at it. Incidentally the trouble actually being successful was why he didn't pursue it. The application process if you made it past the initial interview was apparently absurd, went on for a very long time and was very involved. And even then it wasn't a certainty you'd get the job even if you passed all the application with flying colours (boom boom). The fact they straight up told him this at the interview put him off entirely. You could dedicate pretty much a year of your time to it and at the end of that not even be taken on to begin training. Yeah, the selection process is stupid, after the initial interview you still have 3 assessment stages to do, then the medical and security clearance and then they just put your name in a pool of people who passed where you get to wait for a spot on a training course, which could be months away. Still, if it wasn't that hard I guess we'd have planes falling out the sky all the time. Your last sentence is spot on. It is important that the process is rigorous to ensure complete safety for everyone all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wainy316 Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 Having looked at the ATCO website pretty **** interested in an air traffic controller job! £91k a year at Gatwick/Heathrow after qualification.... ****! edit: ah they stopped allowing applications at start of April Ugh far too much responsibility for me. One **** up and you have a runway collision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonno_2004 Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 Cant join RAF, I did the cadet thing years ago and then found out I'd never be allowed to fly because of hayfever, so quit.Hayfever? Never heard of that one. I'd pump myself full of Beconaise every morning if that was the case, or get that injection. I'm pretty much on the border eyesight wise, don't need to wear glasses but always had a feeling it would count against me. That plus 'finding love' and a career that I can advance well in sort of counted the RAF out pretty early. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shillzz Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 One of my good friends has just been sacked off from the RAF. When you join up, you have to sign with them for something rediculous like 16 years of service, yet they can make you redundant without a second thought. Anyway, I think there are only about 800 pilots in service at any one time, so it's a very exclusive club. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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