Question:
I grew up Airforce for 17 years then joined the Navy (Aviation Ordnance - first enlistment Aviation Anti-Submarine Warfare [SH60 B] for my second)
After getting out I joind a flight school and got my Commercial- Multi Engine Land, and Instrument.
Couldn't find work, but still feel the need to be on the move. I love my time on the road in my little truck, Turbo Diesel Ram with a Cummins and a 6 speed. Four inch exhaust Turbo to tail with a straight through Muffler and the Turbo silencer ring in the jockey box, sounds like a Peterbuilt and turns alot of heads. I enjoy my long drives, Boston to Idaho, Idaho to Jacksonville (Fl), Jax to Los Angeles and recently Los Angeles to Maine.
Are feelings like that strange? Is that common with Aviation types to be drawn to the road as an alternative to a career that is always kept just out of reach, or for some, taken away? Do you think those Airline pilots, looking down from thirty thousand feet at the tiny little trucks crawling across America realize they are just Truckers with a higher education or a little more luck? Well, guess what guys and gals, they may see the sunrise over Monument Valley, BUT, they can't pull over and feel it. . .
I'm starting to get charged up. I'm ready to roll. . . D.
Love is blind and marriage is an institution. If you fall in love and get married, it's an institution for the blind.

Answer:
Not sure about all that, however, be careful what you say.....there are alot of truckers out there with high educations....they just happen to like their jobs as truckers...it's their way of life.
My father in law is a Mechanical Engineer, taught math at a college, and chose to go back to trucking....he liked it better. He is a very educated man, he just likes the road.
Truckers don't get the credit they deserve, lot of them are very intelligent.
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Karen
Dear Lord,
I pray for Wisdom to understand the men in my life;
Love to forgive them;
Patience for their moods;
Because, Lord, if I pray for Strength,
I'll beat them all to death.


Answer:
I knew I should have run this by my editor first. But because I know that there are Truckers out there with higher educations than many Airline Pilots, I used the word OR between Higher education and a little more luck. Thanks for your enlightenment on how my (innocent) post could be misconstrued to be a slam on truckers. I will be much more clear in the future and try to limit areas of ambiguity in the future.
Love is blind and marriage is an institution. If you fall in love and get married, it's an institution for the blind.

Answer:
I got furloughed from the airlines almost 2 years ago now, shortly after 9/11. I managed to find some charter flying for a short time but got laid off from them too since business was slow. I've loved airplanes since I was a kid and becoming an airline pilot was the only thing I ever wanted to do....except drive a truck! I am very fortunate to have achieved the level of success I did in the aviation profession, especially at my age. I was unfortunate to hit it at the wrong time when the economy was/is bad and the world seems to be full of people who don't like the U.S.A. I got my CDL back in college. A fellow pilot I trained with owned a trucking company and I would always ask him how I could try driving and if he needed any part-time driving help. He gave me a truck and trailer and dropped me off at the fairgrounds parking lot where, over the course of two afternoons, I taught myself to drive. The following day I took my DOT road test and got my license. When I had a break in between classes...say from one afternoon till the next, which I frequently did, I figured I could make some shorter runs. The next day he calls me and that afternoon I find myself westbound on I-80 headed for Nebraska to get a load of pig skins coming back to Iowa and I'm goin' "Holy s&%t, I'm really doing this!" Anyhow, that's how I started. My self-taught CDL course was almost 7 years ago now and all through my professional pilot career, where ever I was I found some part-time driving to do on my days off since airline pilots usually have around half the month off in blocks of 3 to 5 days in a row. I've done lots of different stuff...van, reefer, flat, and tank. And now I've had to use that experience on a full-time basis. Not sure when I'll get my seat back on the DC-9, but I hope to eventually because I sure do miss looking DOWN on all the trucks and be able to say "maybe I'll do some driving this week" because I can, just for fun. I also miss going 500 mph instead of 60, and the view is obviously the best around. But for now, I'm a professional truck driver, and happy to be one as it beats the heck out of sitting at a desk all day, at least for those of us who like to put our hands on big equipment and drive'em, be it airplanes or Peterbilts!

Answer:
Yes, I've found many drivers who were pilots, or wanted to be.
In fact, one told me something interesting: He said he preferred trucking because of the continous hands-on control of the equipment. He said flying is mostly taking-off and landing. Trucking involves continously operating the controls. A "crash" is just the flick of the wrist away -- perhaps more lke what aviation was years ago before sophiscated electronics, auto pilots and such.
Although the pay isn't all that diferent these days, the "status" certainly is. Pilots are still considered skilled, educated professionals. Truckers are severly under-valued by the public, and everyone (customers, employers, enforcement and the public) treats you as such.
Yes -- the view is terrific. You do get to "...see the sunrise over Monument Valley." Just remember, you may NOT have time to "pull over and feel it". Most of us enjoy the country through the windshield, and end-up "feeling" a lot of shipper's docks and filthy truck stops. It's all about driving the route closest to the paid miles (productivity) to deliver the load on time (service), which ultimatlely dictates what scenery you see and when you get to stop to enjoy it.
Most trucking business is east of the Mississippi River, where most of the population live. If you especialy like the western/central states, you may want to consider choosing a company that'll allow you to run theses areas exclusively. Many drivers get into the business to enjoy the view, only to discover they'v spend most of their time in the northeast. New Jersey may be "The Garden State", but truck routes rarely go through the garden.

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around trucks all my life. I did, however, have aspirations of being an airline pilot. Probably wouldn't get into anything bigger than a 737, but I was ok with that.
Then, like a lot of people from many different areas 9/11/01 happened.
Shortly there after I slipped off a roof and broke my leg in 6 places. I can't do satellites anymore, and the airlines just aren't hiring, and probably won't be for a while.
I know I can drive a truck. I have driven straight trucks for the past 10 years.
I have a few pilot friends who are a bit envious of me in my present endeavour. One is a captain with ASA and another is flying right seat in a Citation V.
I look at it this way. People may not want to fly to Disney on vacation, and that company just might stop their sales people from flying all over the place.
People will ALWAYS need toilet paper and groceries.

Answer:
Been traveling literaly since I was 2 years old all over the world. Dad was a mining engineer. Joined the AF and did my 24. Got my pilot's license (SELI) and have alway felt more comfortable when traveling than sitting. Education? I like to say I've got a PhD in life. Lot's of book knowledge but no sheepskin.
Reason for going back to trucking? Current job is going to get cut eventually and so I'm in a position, now, to go back to driving which is something I truly enjoyed doing before the President (LBJ)invited me to participate in the military lifestyle.
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I ride for those who can't! POW/MIA - You are NOT forgotten!!
Information is power!! The question not asked is the opportunity missed!!
My other vehicle is a '99 Electra Glide!!!! I ride for those who can't! POW/MIA - You are NOT forgotten!!
Lead, Follow or get out of my way!!!

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I was fortunate enough that I had a million dollar camera package in the back of my truck (Cube Van) and the Director was screaming for it to be ready to roll film at first light. It was and I had nothing to do but watch the Sunlight crawl down from the tips of the monuments until I was enveloped in it. Being on the reservation and experiencing that. . .I don't know, it stirred something inside. If you are ever passing through there at that time, make an excuse, stop, it doesn't last long and is worth the time.
Unka D I'd take your PhD over many that were attained in a classroom!
Love is blind and marriage is an institution. If you fall in love and get married, it's an institution for the blind.

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When I went on my adventure with Taxibob we were at a truckstop in Missouri somewhere, and it was pretty early.
I went inside to use the mens room and as I was returning to the truck the sun was just rising under the clouds. The sky was orange,yellow,purple, red and darn near every other color in a box of crayolas.
It is something I'll not soon forget.

Answer:
I too have thought about how similar trucking and flying is, but it does have it's differences.
Logbooks
Pilots are allowed to fly a maximum of 100 hour per month (I believe) and NEVER have to lie on their logs. With drivers, they are constantly finding new ways to lie on their books.
Pay
Pilots are paid $20(Commuter F/O)-$75/per flight hour (Delta MD-88 Captain, last time I checked) while drivers are paid just above minimum wage when you figure actual hours worked (Even when you figure a driver making .30CPM running 12,000 miles divided by 70 hours, which is the legal number of hours you can work it only comes to $12.85 per hour)
You mentioned that drivers can stop and pull over to watch a sunset any time they want. Unless your running some specialized, non-JIT freight, you can rarely, if ever pull over for anything but sleep, food or to use a bathroom.

Answer:
for a commuter airline doesn't pay if you are just starting out.
Five or six years down the flight line at a commuter, and you are doing all right for yourself. I think the contract that Comair signed a few years ago pays their senior captains flying the CRJ-700's about 80-100k per year max.
Not bad for 100 hours a month.
However you have spent anywhere from 40-60 thousand dollars for school. Not to mention you need to be where they tell you they need you. My old instructor got hired by US Air Express four years ago, but couldn't stay in Florida. So he moved to Baltimore, Cincinati, and I forget the third city inside of two years.

Answer:
I was at Air Wisconsin before I got hired at Midwest Express and up until just recently they were the highest paying regional in the country, just slightly above ACA and Comair. However, they just amended their contract and the pilots agreed to pay concessions to keep the company afloat. At Midwest as a DC-9/MD-80 F.O. I started at $38 per flight hour and our top Captains were making around $150 per flight hour....needless to say I'm really missing that pay scale.

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Got my private ticket when I was a kid. I Love flying and that's why I never wanted to do it for a living!

Answer:
willin I couldn't agree with you more.
I want to drive a truck, finish my private ticket, and when I'm back home go rent a plane for a few hours or a day and chase those 100 dollar hamburgers!

Answer:
Worked as a modification mechanic for Boeing, untill as they said "the problems with 9/11!" Went back to school to get my C.D.L. after not grandfathering in back in the early '90's
Drive on! bandit58....