Calm down Nexus
But i do agree with Doug, i couldnt be a bus driver for all the money in the world. It is a very difficult job and while it may not require the same level of training as a pilot position, i can assure you it is just as stressful if not moreso, for alot less money.

In todays world, of high prices and lack of airline jobs, all pilots should be kissing their aircraft and thanking the god which gave them the opportunity to be there. I can assure you there are a million other people who would love to take their place.

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Actually.......that was a joke sent from another pilot friend of mine who flies a 738 for Miami Air. He just sent it the other day in an Email and I thought the timing was appropriate. In my opinion, you shouldn't take yourself too seriously and should make yourself the butt of your own jokes on occasion.
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Thanks for the vote of confidence Doug. I haven't scratched one yet in 25 years behind the wheel (I'm knocking on my skull for good luck as I type that last sentence).
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A couple of things to ponder: I don't think he intended to offend or belittle bus drivers or any other blue collar workers. He just used a common expression, perhaps without regard for who might be offended. Since you're in the aviation training trenches yourself, I'm sure you understand the highly competitive environment that accompanies the profession by now. I've been around the business long enough to know that this level of competition often manifests itself in the form of cocky behavior and in the case of an instructor, captain or more senior pilot, an aggressive or demeaning attitude.  In plain English: a 30 hour student pilot comes off as though he's Captain of the next Space Shuttle and some flight instructors and Captains feel the uncontrollable urge to project their own mentor's harsh words upon the next generation. Finally; I don?t know how old Beefhole is (I've been fooled before on these forums and have learned not to assume too much) but I'm guessing that perhaps he is younger and personally take into consideration, the fact the just about anyone and especially a younger person, who is in the early stages of flight training and who is just beginning to experience the thrill of flying airplanes, tends to display an excessive amount of enthusiasm.
As far as public perception. I blame TV and Movies(especially the evening news) for painting a picture of a commercial and general aviation fleet that are flying time bombs ready to drop out of the sky and pilots who are overpaid and only leave the pub long enough to run to the airport, just in time for the next flight.
I was talking to a friend of mine the other day. She had just gotten home from vacation and visiting another friend who owns an airplane. She told me a story of her great adventure and how this friend took her for a ride in this "little experimental contraption". After a few minutes of prodding and questioning, I finally figured out that the plane she flew in was a Lancair (probably a IVP from the speeds she said the guy was claiming).  That's public perception.......A half million dollar four place rocket, with a 25,000 foot ceiling and  avionics that make airline captains jealous, not to mention a nearly flawless safety record,  is perceived as a rickety bucket of fiberglass that some mad scientist glued together in his tool shed.

If you're in a room full of people, how can you tell which one's a pilot?...




...He'll come and tell you...

(in the same way, if you're in a room full of pilots, you can tell who's a Harrier pilot in the same way... )

Aside from the cost of learning I shouldn't think becoming a GA pilot is any harder than being a bus driver. It's probably easier in fact cause there's far less traffic up there than down here.

What I was getting at & I'm sure what fired Nexus up was the arrogant attitude of some pilots who seem to think they're better than anyone else simply because they can fly an aircraft. I've met a lot of pilots of all shapes, sizes & abilities over the years & most of them are pleasant, ordinary people. You probably wouldn't even know they're pilots from their appearance. Unfortunately there's a element among them that strut around putting on all sorts of airs & graces & thinking they're something special. In my experience these are the very same ones that should never be allowed anywhere near an aircraft. They're unpopular even among their colleagues. Please don't get like them.

Some of the best pilots I've had the pleasure of knowing are the most modest & friendly people you could ever wish to meet.

I know rocket wasn't implying this, but for the folks who don't read every post, that's not me-I misworded my previous post.