Is flying like being a truck driver in a sense?

Keysersoce · March 15th, 2005, 23:35

Sorry if I have offended anyone by asking this question. But how does flying relate to truck driving? It's kind of the same thing, in being that you are sitting down the whole time, and transporting cargo (whether it be passengers or boxes). Current pilots, please let me know your thoughts on this. On a cloudy day, does the flight tend to get boring after you have done it for thousands of hours?

Thanks

ERfly · March 15th, 2005, 23:48

I guess they could be similar. On the 145, we have a cool hand mike that we can hang from places to give us that trucker feel. And I can't tell you how many times I've sat in line for the runway with "Convoy" running through my head and everytime I go home, the first song I play on my iPod is "Eastbound and Down"

Doug Taylor · March 15th, 2005, 23:59

..eighteen wheels a rollin' we gone do what they say can't be done...

Captain_Bob · March 16th, 2005, 00:01

...we got a long way to go... and a short time to get there...

Kingairer · March 16th, 2005, 00:05

Being an airline pilot you dont have to sleep in the airplane and take showers at a truck stop when your number is called.

Doug Taylor · March 16th, 2005, 00:06

[ QUOTE ]
Being an airline pilot you dont have to sleep in the airplane and take showers at a truck stop when your number is called.

[/ QUOTE ]

Never had a four hour sit at a non-hub airport I see, eh?

Kingairer · March 16th, 2005, 00:21

Ever peed off the back of the airplane??

USMCmech · March 16th, 2005, 00:23

[ QUOTE ]
Ever peed off the back of the airplane??

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes.

flyguy · March 16th, 2005, 00:57

[ QUOTE ]
Being an airline pilot you dont have to sleep in the airplane and take showers at a truck stop when your number is called.

[/ QUOTE ]
If you're a corporate pilot you'll probably end up sleeping and/or showering in an FBO from time to time. And I've seen airline pilots sleep on the plane while dedheading quite often.

pilot602 · March 16th, 2005, 01:10

Chicken tastes good ...

Lee D · March 16th, 2005, 01:24

Thank you very much. Now I have that song from "Smokey and the Bandit" running through my head

. . . .OK I'm starting to feel like I'm in my early thrities.

eeg · March 16th, 2005, 09:27

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Ever peed off the back of the airplane??

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes.

[/ QUOTE ]

Helicopters don't count...

flyover · March 16th, 2005, 09:29

Actually this almost exactly describes Doug's current experience on the -88:

[ QUOTE ]
Well my rigs a little old but that don't mean she's slow
There's a flame from her stack and that smokes been a blowin' black as coal
Well my home town's comming in sight
And if you think I'm happy you're right
Six days on the road and I'm gonna make it home tonight

[/ QUOTE ]

And between his commuting and Kristie's world tour there is this:

[ QUOTE ]
Well it seems like a month since I kissed my baby goodbye
I could have a lotta women but I'm not alike some other guys
I could find me one to hold me tight
But I could never make believe it's allright
Six days on the road and I'm gonna make it home tonight

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, pretty much the same.

PorcoRosso · March 16th, 2005, 11:22

I always told everyone that my goal is to be an airborne truck driver

tonyw · March 16th, 2005, 11:24

Well, both jobs fall under the transportation industry....

ERfly · March 16th, 2005, 11:40

I totally forgot about "Six Days on the Road." That is an AWESOME song!!!

Flatline · March 16th, 2005, 11:42

Driving trucks pays better.

ROFCIBC · March 16th, 2005, 11:52

[ QUOTE ]
Sorry if I have offended anyone by asking this question. But how does flying relate to truck driving? It's kind of the same thing, in being that you are sitting down the whole time, and transporting cargo (whether it be passengers or boxes). Current pilots, please let me know your thoughts on this. On a cloudy day, does the flight tend to get boring after you have done it for thousands of hours?

Thanks

[/ QUOTE ]

It's a lot closer to working on a railroad! I did that for five years during summer break when I was in college. Similar work rules, pay rules and a lot more. Biggest difference...the head honcho, the engineer was on the right and the SIC, the fireman was on the left.

Got paid by the weight of the engine, and speed. Just like an airline. Passenger train crews got more than freight. Schedule was based on seniority. All manner of duty rigs. You "upgraded" based on seniority. From freight fireman to passenger fireman to freight engineer to passenger engineer.

Maybe that's how the airline labor business became a part of the RLA...aka Railway Labor Act!

Truck drivers have an advantage...they can listen to XM radio while they're on duty! And they don't have the TSA to hassle them!

ROFCIBC · March 16th, 2005, 11:59

[ QUOTE ]
Ever peed off the back of the airplane??

[/ QUOTE ]

Sure! In Vietnam...flying the C7 Caribou! We had "relief tubes" that were a plastic funnel with a tube going outside the plane. Trouble was they always got plugged with dirt and stuff. Gave new meaning to the phrase,

"My cup runneth over!".

So we just dropped the ramp and let fly! So to speak!

One day I looked back and the flight mechanic (loadmaster) was "doing his thing". I helped with a little rudder walk..."spread the wealth"...again so to speak!

Swen · March 16th, 2005, 12:02

[ QUOTE ]
Truck drivers have an advantage...they can listen to XM radio while they're on duty! And they don't have the TSA to hassle them!

[/ QUOTE ]

And they can stop in the middle of a haul and go to the Cookie Jar in Salem, SD. Try that during a flight!

Dazzler · March 16th, 2005, 12:59

You don't get served dinner at the wheel by a cute chick when you're a truck driver

TallFlyer · March 16th, 2005, 15:09

Well, having spent nearly two and a half years of my life living on the road, I probably have a little different perspective than all of us. To be honest (although I know I'll probably get seriously flamed for this) I would submit that being a truck driver would be harder than being an airline pilot.

I base that statement on the fact that driving a truck for 5-6 hours straight over and over again is VASTLY diferent from flying a 2-person crew catagory aircraft over and over again. The former will wear you out far more quickly, I promise.

Polarbear · March 16th, 2005, 17:31

[ QUOTE ]
Truck drivers have an advantage...they can listen to XM radio while they're on duty! And they don't have the TSA to hassle them!

[/ QUOTE ]

Pilot's have more advantages. I drove truck for three years(exactly because I thought it would be close to flying), and it was not a very great QOL. You are never home(I was out 2 months home for 4 days at one point). You sleep in your truck with management complaining you are using up too much fuel idleing to keep the a/c going because its 100 deg out or the heater running because its zero degrees. You have to take showers in some pretty filthy places. If you get a motel room from the company its ussually a ratty roach infested place in the middle of a ghetto. You have to deal with millions of people who think they know how to drive but really have no training at all and often times cut you off not realizing you weigh up to 80,000lbs and can't stop on a dime. Then the biggest reason I left the road was everytime I'd pass an airport my eyes would be on the airport instead of the road. I never had an accident but I always said if I did it would be in sight of an airport, lol.

However I must say I did enjoy my time on the road. I have now been to every state except North Dakota(anyone want to fly from Chicago to Fargo and back? PM me, lol

). It is a very independant job where you rarely ever see your boss and set your own schedule. As long as the freight is there safe and legal noone cares what you do(well dont drink or do drugs of course). If your young, can't afford flight school, want some adventure and sight seeing, I deffinately would say being a paid tourist(aka truck driver) isn't a bad way to go. Just dont expect to have a social life or be treated very well because it doesn't take a rocket scientist to drive a truck and to the companies truck drivers are a dime a dozen.

Swen · March 16th, 2005, 19:58

Good post Polar. I seriously was lightly thinking of being an OTR driver for some extra income but didnt really know where to start. What kind of training is involved to get started? I could see myself doing it for like 6 months, any more and I think I'd get insanely bored.

Polarbear · March 29th, 2005, 00:23

I went through CR England's training program. Warning you will go into debt and dont expect to make much more than a CFI in the first year. Your local community college probably has a training program too.

March 15th, 2005, 23:35	#1
Keysersoce Newbie Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 22	Is flying like being a truck driver in a sense? Sorry if I have offended anyone by asking this question. But how does flying relate to truck driving? It's kind of the same thing, in being that you are sitting down the whole time, and transporting cargo (whether it be passengers or boxes). Current pilots, please let me know your thoughts on this. On a cloudy day, does the flight tend to get boring after you have done it for thousands of hours? Thanks

March 15th, 2005, 23:48	#2
ERfly Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Newport Beach, CA Posts: 547	Re: Is flying like being a truck driver in a sense? I guess they could be similar. On the 145, we have a cool hand mike that we can hang from places to give us that trucker feel. And I can't tell you how many times I've sat in line for the runway with "Convoy" running through my head and everytime I go home, the first song I play on my iPod is "Eastbound and Down"

March 15th, 2005, 23:59	#3
Doug Taylor Agent Smith Join Date: Dec 1969 Location: KSDL Posts: 40,225 Blog Entries: 1	Re: Is flying like being a truck driver in a sense? ..eighteen wheels a rollin' we gone do what they say can't be done...

March 16th, 2005, 00:01	#4
Captain_Bob Old Skool Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: DFW, based in ONT, wishing I was in Maine Posts: 3,861	Re: Is flying like being a truck driver in a sense? ...we got a long way to go... and a short time to get there...

March 16th, 2005, 00:05	#5
Kingairer Old Skool Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Nomadic...World Wide Boobie Bungalow Bouncer Posts: 3,169	Re: Is flying like being a truck driver in a sense? Being an airline pilot you dont have to sleep in the airplane and take showers at a truck stop when your number is called.

March 16th, 2005, 00:06	#6
Doug Taylor Agent Smith Join Date: Dec 1969 Location: KSDL Posts: 40,225 Blog Entries: 1	Re: Is flying like being a truck driver in a sense? [ QUOTE ] Being an airline pilot you dont have to sleep in the airplane and take showers at a truck stop when your number is called. [/ QUOTE ] Never had a four hour sit at a non-hub airport I see, eh?

March 16th, 2005, 00:21	#7
Kingairer Old Skool Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Nomadic...World Wide Boobie Bungalow Bouncer Posts: 3,169	Re: Is flying like being a truck driver in a sense? Ever peed off the back of the airplane??

March 16th, 2005, 00:23	#8
USMCmech Old Skool Join Date: May 2004 Location: Dallas TX Posts: 1,600	Re: Is flying like being a truck driver in a sense? [ QUOTE ] Ever peed off the back of the airplane?? [/ QUOTE ] Yes.

March 16th, 2005, 00:57	#9
flyguy Old Skool Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 2,074	Re: Is flying like being a truck driver in a sense? [ QUOTE ] Being an airline pilot you dont have to sleep in the airplane and take showers at a truck stop when your number is called. [/ QUOTE ] If you're a corporate pilot you'll probably end up sleeping and/or showering in an FBO from time to time. And I've seen airline pilots sleep on the plane while dedheading quite often.

March 16th, 2005, 01:10	#10
pilot602 Old Skool Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: who haa Posts: 3,750	Re: Is flying like being a truck driver in a sense? Chicken tastes good ...

March 16th, 2005, 01:24	#11
Lee D Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Salt Lake City Posts: 592	Re: Is flying like being a truck driver in a sense? Thank you very much. Now I have that song from "Smokey and the Bandit" running through my head . . . .OK I'm starting to feel like I'm in my early thrities.

March 16th, 2005, 09:27	#12
eeg Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Fo\' Laudydaudy, FL. Posts: 235	Re: Is flying like being a truck driver in a sense? [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] Ever peed off the back of the airplane?? [/ QUOTE ] Yes. [/ QUOTE ] Helicopters don't count...

March 16th, 2005, 09:29	#13
flyover Old Skool Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Georgia Posts: 3,389	Re: Is flying like being a truck driver in a sense? Actually this almost exactly describes Doug's current experience on the -88: [ QUOTE ] Well my rigs a little old but that don't mean she's slow There's a flame from her stack and that smokes been a blowin' black as coal Well my home town's comming in sight And if you think I'm happy you're right Six days on the road and I'm gonna make it home tonight [/ QUOTE ] And between his commuting and Kristie's world tour there is this: [ QUOTE ] Well it seems like a month since I kissed my baby goodbye I could have a lotta women but I'm not alike some other guys I could find me one to hold me tight But I could never make believe it's allright Six days on the road and I'm gonna make it home tonight [/ QUOTE ] Yeah, pretty much the same.

March 16th, 2005, 11:22	#14
PorcoRosso Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Bermuda Triangle Posts: 459	Re: Is flying like being a truck driver in a sense? I always told everyone that my goal is to be an airborne truck driver

March 16th, 2005, 11:24	#15
tonyw Old Skool Join Date: May 2002 Location: Maryland Posts: 15,323	Re: Is flying like being a truck driver in a sense? Well, both jobs fall under the transportation industry....

March 16th, 2005, 11:40	#16
ERfly Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Newport Beach, CA Posts: 547	Re: Is flying like being a truck driver in a sense? I totally forgot about "Six Days on the Road." That is an AWESOME song!!!

March 16th, 2005, 11:42	#17
Flatline Newbie Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 21	Re: Is flying like being a truck driver in a sense? Driving trucks pays better.

March 16th, 2005, 11:52	#18
ROFCIBC Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Bossier City, Louisiana Posts: 591	Re: Is flying like being a truck driver in a sense? [ QUOTE ] Sorry if I have offended anyone by asking this question. But how does flying relate to truck driving? It's kind of the same thing, in being that you are sitting down the whole time, and transporting cargo (whether it be passengers or boxes). Current pilots, please let me know your thoughts on this. On a cloudy day, does the flight tend to get boring after you have done it for thousands of hours? Thanks [/ QUOTE ] It's a lot closer to working on a railroad! I did that for five years during summer break when I was in college. Similar work rules, pay rules and a lot more. Biggest difference...the head honcho, the engineer was on the right and the SIC, the fireman was on the left. Got paid by the weight of the engine, and speed. Just like an airline. Passenger train crews got more than freight. Schedule was based on seniority. All manner of duty rigs. You "upgraded" based on seniority. From freight fireman to passenger fireman to freight engineer to passenger engineer. Maybe that's how the airline labor business became a part of the RLA...aka Railway Labor Act! Truck drivers have an advantage...they can listen to XM radio while they're on duty! And they don't have the TSA to hassle them!

March 16th, 2005, 11:59	#19
ROFCIBC Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Bossier City, Louisiana Posts: 591	Re: Is flying like being a truck driver in a sense? [ QUOTE ] Ever peed off the back of the airplane?? [/ QUOTE ] Sure! In Vietnam...flying the C7 Caribou! We had "relief tubes" that were a plastic funnel with a tube going outside the plane. Trouble was they always got plugged with dirt and stuff. Gave new meaning to the phrase, "My cup runneth over!". So we just dropped the ramp and let fly! So to speak! One day I looked back and the flight mechanic (loadmaster) was "doing his thing". I helped with a little rudder walk..."spread the wealth"...again so to speak!

March 16th, 2005, 12:02	#20
Swen Old Skool Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 2,595	Re: Is flying like being a truck driver in a sense? [ QUOTE ] Truck drivers have an advantage...they can listen to XM radio while they're on duty! And they don't have the TSA to hassle them! [/ QUOTE ] And they can stop in the middle of a haul and go to the Cookie Jar in Salem, SD. Try that during a flight!

March 16th, 2005, 12:59	#21
Dazzler Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 922	Re: Is flying like being a truck driver in a sense? You don't get served dinner at the wheel by a cute chick when you're a truck driver

March 16th, 2005, 15:09	#22
TallFlyer Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Anchorage, AK Posts: 460	Re: Is flying like being a truck driver in a sense? Well, having spent nearly two and a half years of my life living on the road, I probably have a little different perspective than all of us. To be honest (although I know I'll probably get seriously flamed for this) I would submit that being a truck driver would be harder than being an airline pilot. I base that statement on the fact that driving a truck for 5-6 hours straight over and over again is VASTLY diferent from flying a 2-person crew catagory aircraft over and over again. The former will wear you out far more quickly, I promise.

March 16th, 2005, 17:31	#23
Polarbear Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 387	Re: Is flying like being a truck driver in a sense? [ QUOTE ] Truck drivers have an advantage...they can listen to XM radio while they're on duty! And they don't have the TSA to hassle them! [/ QUOTE ] Pilot's have more advantages. I drove truck for three years(exactly because I thought it would be close to flying), and it was not a very great QOL. You are never home(I was out 2 months home for 4 days at one point). You sleep in your truck with management complaining you are using up too much fuel idleing to keep the a/c going because its 100 deg out or the heater running because its zero degrees. You have to take showers in some pretty filthy places. If you get a motel room from the company its ussually a ratty roach infested place in the middle of a ghetto. You have to deal with millions of people who think they know how to drive but really have no training at all and often times cut you off not realizing you weigh up to 80,000lbs and can't stop on a dime. Then the biggest reason I left the road was everytime I'd pass an airport my eyes would be on the airport instead of the road. I never had an accident but I always said if I did it would be in sight of an airport, lol. However I must say I did enjoy my time on the road. I have now been to every state except North Dakota(anyone want to fly from Chicago to Fargo and back? PM me, lol). It is a very independant job where you rarely ever see your boss and set your own schedule. As long as the freight is there safe and legal noone cares what you do(well dont drink or do drugs of course). If your young, can't afford flight school, want some adventure and sight seeing, I deffinately would say being a paid tourist(aka truck driver) isn't a bad way to go. Just dont expect to have a social life or be treated very well because it doesn't take a rocket scientist to drive a truck and to the companies truck drivers are a dime a dozen.

March 16th, 2005, 19:58	#24
Swen Old Skool Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 2,595	Re: Is flying like being a truck driver in a sense? Good post Polar. I seriously was lightly thinking of being an OTR driver for some extra income but didnt really know where to start. What kind of training is involved to get started? I could see myself doing it for like 6 months, any more and I think I'd get insanely bored.

March 29th, 2005, 00:23	#25
Polarbear Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 387	Re: Is flying like being a truck driver in a sense? I went through CR England's training program. Warning you will go into debt and dont expect to make much more than a CFI in the first year. Your local community college probably has a training program too.

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