Airline Pay cuts driving away best pilots

[NuGuy]

in the 60's during the last genuine pilot shortage United hired guys with just basically a private ticket,most of them retired as 747,DC-10 Captains,just saying.

And many of these guys sat sideways in a 727 for 3-4 years, watching what went on, before they even got close to a window seat.

Far different than plopping into an RJ at 500 hours.

Nu

 

[800Dog]

it doesn't help when airlines choose to control their fuel costs with hedges at the top of the spike... just one stupid decision after another.

Actually, when many airlines hedged around $130, the traders believed oil was going to go to $200 a barrel. Management does make many stupid decisions but, I cannot blame them for hedging at those high levels. $200 oil would have killed some of the companies.

 

[pilotyip]

Great hindsite

it doesn't help when airlines choose to control their fuel costs with hedges at the top of the spike... just one stupid decision after another.

They should have known they could have called you and gotten the word on what prices would be in December 2009. Would you be singing their praises if oil had gone to $200?

 

[gunfyter]

Only a change in FAA regs to even sit in a 121 cockpit could impact this. Without 1500, an ATP and a national pilot union similar to a bar association for lawyers, would you ever see pilots get any leverage.

Lawyers?

Hell ... Doctors and the AMA ... thats one good union right there.

There is no shortage of people who want to be Doctors but Medical Schools limit the number of people they will accept.

Flight Schools and ATP mills have no such limits.

 

[727C47]

And many of these guys sat sideways in a 727 for 3-4 years, watching what went on, before they even got close to a window seat.

Far different than plopping into an RJ at 500 hours.

Nu

speaking as a former FE ,watching isn't remotely the same as doing,they are better served earning their stripes in an RJ,or much better yet,a Twin Beech.

 

[felixf16]

Yep, and if those guys got their pensions gutted and slapped with a 40% pay cut next week, they would be out the door so fast you would see a visible smoke trail coming off of their shoes.

Not so with pilots. We have proved to the world of management over and over again that you can beat us over the head as much as you want, cut our pay, negate our pensions and we'll keep showing up for work.

Actually, some of us have left. Although I'll always love this industry (and am somehow strangely drawn to check these boards now and then), I feel fortunate that I don't have to make a living flying airplanes any more.

Best of luck to all who are trying to improve the lot. Unfortunately, I think it's a tilt with a windmill...

Felix

 

[PBRstreetgang]

Self worth??? I am a proud ALPA member, hat wearing, airline pilot professional who takes his job and responsibilty serious. I just don't think we should be paid the moon and defintely not compared with management.

The garbage mans kids will go to college, your will be sold into white slavery to finance your career.
PBR

 

[Abernathy]

I know several highly experienced, 13,000hr+ pilots at a couple of legacy carriers who have sent applications to foreign airlines. He's right, the pool of experience is draining as the high time guys leave this BS. We've got 747 Captains going to Kuwait to fly Legacies.

Aviation was the one industry that needed regulation.

 

[ron burgundy]

I too had a similar problem. I was going to be a professional tennis player but after playing a little in college and talking some who were on the tour decided it wasn't for me. The long days on the tour, traveling to 20 different countries in a year, injuries and skin cancer didn't make the 1-2 million a year in pay worth it. I instead decided to be a pilot.:laugh:

also, kind hard to compete when you don't have any balls.

 

[Penguin46]

Good points,

Unfortunately, I see the leveraging of new technology mitigating or lowering the talent and experience necessary to operate a aircraft safely 99.9 percent of the time.

Flying is going VOTECH. Aviation schools will be able to churn out a medicore product to meet any pilot shortage.

That's bad news for most of us. It's good news for the flying public 99.9 percent of the time. It's bad news for the public flying that .1 percent.

The good news is most pilots can re-educate themselves in a more lucrative field. Engineering, IT etc...

I'm obviously not bullish on the career field and certainly wouldn't recommend it for my kids.