Feath
A boss has hi expectations for brief contractors on a salary approaching £96k. They expect you to fix all the problems in a few days, because nobody there has any idea what the problem or what to do about it. I'm often asked to train other people to do it. It undermines my skills, so I don't have to work there and won't be paid any more.
I get forced in on too high a rate, and would rather to do half the rate, and have longer to approach the problem, on a more reasonable budget for them, but I have no say on that.
I like your aeroplane metaphor. Never thought of that. It made me think long ago about someone thrusted into deep water, with little knowledge of the situation, asked to work some magic out of nowhere, getting worried about my legs snapping on landing, and needing some Harry Potter wand-waving to get my legs back to a good state.
The job advertisements are repeatedly full of this buzzword playground talk, and therefore I stay away and never go for these things.
If I did, I think I'd end up on the floor, crying, and smashing my fists into the tarmac in a rage, until every bone was broken and then I cut them off at the wrist; I might need someone else to do that for me, once the first was sliced off... I'd certainly be able to hit the ground, and I'd bet happy with that, without having to run, although I'd be better off with punchbags... or even better... recruiter's faces.