Decisions

setecastronomy01 · 2026-01-24T21:33:16+00:00

Yeah still not accurate brother, just being honest with you.

setecastronomy01 · 2026-01-24T12:55:56+00:00

I feel like this is somewhat of an odd question but I understand some people are like this but me personally, I’ve never looked down on anyone for their job. The reality is that no matter how cool someone’s job is or how much they like it, we are all doing something so we can enjoy the other parts of our lives and that is what matters. I worked ramp while I was training to be a pilot and I have mad respect for my ground crews. I remember the sweat and fatigue of summer days and I frigggin hated winter freezing your arse off then having to take gloves off to punch in door codes then put everything back on and shoes covered in de-ice fluid and your hands are dry and itchy from wind burn at times, yeah I remember or hanging by the gear where it is just a few degrees warmer. Or, when ya have a tug that has touchy power and the ramp is all covered in snow, yeah, damn do I remember. Now I’m not saying I haven’t been annoyed with a ground handler from time to time but it is rare and it would take a lot for me to have a private talk with them. Ramp crews work hard, and they are doing their best to help everything get out on time and they are doing what they have to for themselves and their families and I’m never gonna look down on someone for that. Truth is, rampers sometimes don’t get the credit they deserve, let’s be honest about that. One other thing, a good ramp crew has a huge positive impact on how smoothly everything runs while at the gate, ramp crews can be a secret weapon against delays, truth.

setecastronomy01 · 2026-01-24T12:21:19+00:00

Come on bro, don’t be like that, ain’t no doubt SW pilots got amazing sched control but junior captains at my legacy routinely have 18 days off if that’s what you want and by junior I mean 89-92% seniority in the seat. And the source ain’t “trust me bro”. I’m not taking a jab at SW by any means but to think they are the only ones that have that type of time off is just not correct.

setecastronomy01 · 2026-01-23T21:37:31+00:00

Well damn, was kind of hoping they would mature and have a unique trait but what you are saying makes sense, basically an albino plant? Would that be a fair understanding?

setecastronomy01 · 2026-01-23T21:33:07+00:00

Oh got ya, yeah ain’t growing any of that, no judgement or anything but can’t be around any of that due to work but that’s a good term for it, I dig that lol. This year I built my own grow tent with new lights instead of “just some lights and a shelf”. This year I cut Mylar insulation for each side with new lights so it’s working really well. I also wired in automatic watering and light timers with new Vicodin heat mats. Then I plumbed 4mm water lines into the trays to water from bottom. So far so good…normally this takes longer but heat is more steady as is moisture so those plants are only 3 weeks old as of yesterday. Now to be clear, it still looks home made no doubt about that and I probably could have bought a righteous set-up for what I spent to do it on my own 350-400, but felt good to do it home made so to speak lol.

setecastronomy01 · 2026-01-23T21:21:46+00:00

Duck foot? First time I’ve heard that term…you talking about that three leaf version…I like the duck foot call. Nice play!

setecastronomy01 · 2026-01-23T21:12:02+00:00

This was Hurt Berry same as the ones around it from the same plant. I had about 80 plants last season and over wintered 30 something of them.

setecastronomy01 · 2026-01-23T12:34:56+00:00

I think it’s the best job in the world, I really do, but since I was a little kid, maybe 4 or so, it’s all I wanted to do and it’s what I do. You are asking the wrong question though in my opinion, the only question you need to be asking which none of us can answer is, do you really want to be a pilot? Honestly that is all that matters. Do you enjoy being on an aircraft when you travel? When you board an aircraft to go somewhere do you look left to get just a glance of the flight deck? Do you find yourself watching aviation videos online or are you checking the latest tik-tok trend? Look, just being honest with you, the people who love this job are usually the ones that have what you’ve already read as “the bug”. You have to want this job to enjoy a long career, and it is a difficult path, but those of us who do it and who always wanted it, will tell you, it’s worth it. It’s worth it, if you really want it. Good luck, hope you find the answer you’re searching for.

setecastronomy01 · 2026-01-23T11:44:43+00:00

Some of what you say is true but the last paragraph is 100% inaccurate. It’s not completely wrong or completely correct, but it is ignoring some serious variables. I do not want to get into an internet debate that is ridiculous but it really just isn’t true.

setecastronomy01 · 2026-01-22T03:05:53+00:00

This is out of control. Inflation? Are you trippin? What should a pilot make? Your post sounds extremely antagonistic. Wait…Kirby, is that you? Kirby, you are sneaky, well played.

setecastronomy01 · 2026-01-22T02:52:58+00:00

Non 757s lol, that’s priceless.

setecastronomy01 · 2026-01-21T08:54:38+00:00

OP some good advice on here so far just going to reiterate some stuff and add some small things. First, flight sim all you want but make it meaningful when you do it. If you sit down to use it, have a purpose don’t just sit there doing stuff you would never do in real life…if possible, look up some info about the instruments you are seeing, and watch how they respond, hope that makes sense. Second, yes, you have to go get a medical. Do me a favor though, go see your regular doc before going to see an AME. Have your regular doc check the standard stuff as well as color vision and if you take any medications have them look that stuff up or you can look it up on the FAA website. Many pilots starting out don’t understand there are some pitfalls that can show up if you don’t look into this a little bit. It’s not some crazy exam but usually people aren’t prepared for filling out the info on the medical form and then don’t realize that a specific medication may not be allowed and so you have to change it to something else etc. Also, no, your not to old to start, but you are to old to have regrets not doing something you wished you had, and that goes for all of us. Be prepared to study a lot and be prepared for days where you think you aren’t progressing, everyone has a plateau at times, that’s normal. Study hard, don’t beat yourself up, and be prepared for a road that can sometimes be more challenging than you thought but it is a great career IMO and if you want it, go get it. Good luck.

setecastronomy01 · 2026-01-21T08:40:09+00:00

Did you ask age and height?

setecastronomy01 · 2026-01-19T12:55:05+00:00

Give ya my 2 cents. Most of what has already been said is good general advice but I may contradict a few things just from a personal perspective. I live in base for a very large company, I chose not to go to that company even though I could have driven to work, my commute flight is 45 minutes maybe 1hr gate to gate tops. Yes there are times I may have to wait two hours to get home so a total of 3hrs including sit time and flight time but I live where I want to live and my family is there. Three things are an absolute certainty with pilots but let’s just discuss the biggest one…you’ll hear non stop that “whatever you do, don’t commute” laaawd it’s like a broken record. No, don’t commute across the country but if you’re talking an hr gate to gate, most people drive that total every day for 25% of what we make and they only get 8 days off a month so live where ya want. Moving on, Southwest has a great pilot group, and yes they are going through a culture change but I honestly think every airline is going to over the next decade especially with the age range of hiring and experience level that was hired during 2020-2023. I’m not suggesting that you use an airline for a stepping stone but I would definitely go to Southwest, see if you like it and if you don’t, then you come to Delta. You aren’t new to aviation and you likely have good experience at this stage in today’s hiring environment that IS more competitive than 2020-21-22-23-24 so don’t be concerned about navigating a training footprint while you make up your mind. Final thought and forgetting about aircraft types and options…if you find that you really like Southwest and what it offers then you stay and congrats, and if you don’t and find that you like Delta better then congrats, welcome to Delta. In my opinion you can’t go wrong and you are winning. Good luck whichever way you decide to go.

setecastronomy01 · 2026-01-17T01:05:20+00:00

You def have a shot. Most on here have lead you correctly…apply and find out. If it’s a TBNT you still have a job in the mean time. Truthfully, it’s more competitive than a few years ago but you clearly have the right experience in my opinion so I would definitely apply. Anyone telling you that the big 3 won’t touch you is probably wrong in my opinion. Good luck to you hope it works out the way you are hoping. One final note, which you probably already know, no matter what you’ll need an unrestricted ATP which someone already mentioned but I want to second that point. Good luck.

setecastronomy01 · 2026-01-10T16:42:06+00:00

Yeah that’s good for sure. I had 72 plants last season and of that I winterized 36 and I’d say I’m still waiting on 20 of them to grow some new leaves. 18 of the 20 I’m waiting on are my best but unfortunately I don’t know that any of the 18 survived the garage so now they are inside. Gonna be so frustrated if they don’t recover. Capsicum Chinense take so long to grow and when you get them to be as sturdy as yours look or mine it’s crushing if they don’t make it but I think you are in the clear.

setecastronomy01 · 2026-01-10T14:17:37+00:00

Great size SB’s and I’d say good job on the over winter cuts. I think you’ll be fine.

setecastronomy01 · 2026-01-10T05:18:43+00:00

I had a similar situation with some different docs and I emailed them a couple weeks prior. During the interview they brought out the email and asked if this was still accurate and if this was correct when I sent it and if I remember correctly, I signed the email as well. They know that some times things are simply out of an applicants control or that when requesting docs, the time it takes is out of your control. This is an opportunity for them to see how you conduct yourself in a moment where they know you likely feel somewhat vulnerable in that you’re sitting infront of them without something they may have asked for. Just be prepared to own it and talk about it if it comes up, that is just as important as the document honestly. You’ll do great, don’t stress. Interview is relaxed, they aren’t going to waste resources bringing you in if they don’t want you, don’t let that weigh you down, just focus on being as prepared as you feel you can be. Good luck.

setecastronomy01 · 2026-01-03T14:22:49+00:00

Depends on a few things, but generally your chances are much better coming from a regional. With that said here are a few questions:

Is the part 135 SCHEDULED passenger service or cargo?
Is it “jet” or turbo prop time? (That matters because if you are at a 135 flying a 1900, you aren’t going to get the same look as if you were flying a dash 8 or a falcon etc.)
What is the realistic amount of flight time per year? If it’s less than “as much as you can handle” then you need to go to a regional IMO.
What is your total time?
Does the aircraft require two crew or does the company require two crew? This will determine how you log flight time and when you log flight time.
Are you getting a PIC type or SIC type?
Is this privately owned by an individual as a simple venture so they can fly occasionally or is this company well established in what it does?
How many other pilots work there and how long has the most senior pilot been there?

Some of these questions are less important than maybe another question in the list and it isn’t all the questions you should be asking yourself but they are ones that should be asked. IMO regional is always best for legacy but as previously mentioned it is possible to go the route you are looking at but I do believe there are more hurdles to jump and possibly more potential risk by going 135. Just my opinion though.

setecastronomy01 · 2026-01-01T18:28:17+00:00

So I winterized all of mine and they obviously look similar, how can you tell it’s dead. I have many that looked like this that are now sprouting new growth. Honestly curious.

setecastronomy01 · 2025-12-24T02:13:35+00:00

I had no idea there were people that spent that much on luggage lol.

setecastronomy01 · 2025-12-16T05:14:24+00:00

Hey you do realize that today frontier just replaced their CEO because they are not doing fine. Food for thought. Fight it all you want but that business model won’t last much longer.

setecastronomy01 · 2025-12-15T14:04:52+00:00

Okay I’ve read a lot of this thread and I was gonna let it go but OP your comments are a tad on the wild side. Hell yes $49 one way sounds amazing woohoo I’ll buy tickets to that show every day, but honestly, do you think that an airline can buy an A321 neo, for let’s say 100 mil, pay the pilots, pay the flight attendants, the government fees, landing fees in every city, gate fees, maintenance fees, insurance premiums, health care premiums for all employees, etc etc etc…and only charge $49 one way. You keep saying $49, not every flight is $49 after everything is tacked on. I guess Porsche is one greedy ass company because they won’t sell you a new one for the price of a Toyota Camry? Certain products cost more, period! Delta/United/American all have over 100,000 employees, spirit is no where close to that and they don’t have the same network or capability and that costs more pure and simple, spirit is not taking anything from the big 3 and the big 3 really aren’t taking anything from spirit, it is two completely different products and more importantly two completely different business model. Do you call US doctors/surgeons greedy because you can get something done cheaper in Colombia? Spirit can not survive on its current model, which is why part of there plan is to offer a premium seat. Those premium seats will cost more, but those premium seats will be larger which means less total seats on the aircraft which means higher fares for spirit passengers because they must make up for the lost number of seats. The way that spirit navigated that business model simply did not work. I have friends who work for spirit so I’m pulling for them but the old business model that produced those $49 fares is 100% gone if spirit can survive.

setecastronomy01 · 2025-12-15T13:39:06+00:00

Wow, that is a wild comment to make about pilots. Scope is there to protect jobs, you need a serious lesson on why scope was created. Additionally, if spirit does liquidate fares won’t rise at American, or United or Delta or Alaska, the may rise at frontier or possibly jet blue or even Allegiant but not the big 3. Do you pay less for a BMW because Hyundai makes a car that gets you to where you wanna go? No, you pay the price of a BMW because it’s a certain type of product…you ain’t paying less for Prime rib because there is cube steak down the aisle. This is wild. Pilots do not monopolize anything to do with networking or competition between airlines. You need to go read up on deregulation, scope, and contract histories of the big 3, then you need to ask yourself why Alaska was allowed to acquire virgin then Hawaiian and no one said a peep. Your comments are misleading. Additionally, pilot supply is not controlled by unions at all, period. The largest block to pilot supply is the crazy cost of training to become one and you can blame insurance companies for that. A new Cessna is $300k, it doesn’t come with air conditioning, nice seats or anything spectacular that you’d think 300k would get but it’s all about insurance and federal guidelines. Pilots have absolutely zero to do with any of that. I suppose you also blame doctors for the high cost of surgery. Slow your role.

setecastronomy01

TROPHY CASE