Expectations

[B75/76]

I have been reading a lot of these posts about who gets what flying (ALPA vs ACPA). The argument used by many relates to ‘career expectations’. What does that mean?

It seems to me ‘career expectations’ are actually what we wish for, based on what we think is possible. Nobody realistically has any expectations, just dreams and wishes.

When I started this flying game, my ‘expectation’ was to be a ’47 skipper. Has that happened yet? No. Will it happen? Don’t know, maybe. If it doesn’t is it the fault of some other pilot that had ‘expectations’?

Many a regional pilot works there because once upon a time, in order to realize a mainline career, the path went through a regional airline. When the industry stagnated many were ‘stuck’ with nowhere to go. Does that make their ‘expectations’ any less than someone who was hired directly to a mainline? No, just that they took a different path.

Many a mainline (AC) pilot hired in recent years had the ’47-400 as their ‘career expectation’. That is no longer a reality. Who do they blame?

I guess my point is, none of us can really expect to have our career unfold exactly as we would wish it to. Expectations change as the industry evolves, we must be flexible enough to roll with those changes. They also change as we do. Family, lifestyle, residence etc. all play a big factor in what we expect of our careers.

Wheww! That soap box is higher than I thought!

;-)

[Par88]

Don't hang too much on the "career expectations" term that I used. I, like anybody else, realize the changes that are bound to take place in this industry over the course of my career.

I am merely suggesting that with the outside challenges that change our hopes/dreams/expectations, the biggest hurdle should not come from within our own group.