You probably interchange the words rich and wealthy because you really just don't get it. Good luck.
Yes I do!! Go look up both words in the dictionary, and you'll see each uses the other in their definitions. Here I am trying to fight for fair wages, and you insist on telling everybody things are just fine. That you can live quite well on FO pay. As a general rule, what I said in my earlier post is fact. Some people are able to find a way to get by on their regional FO wages, but they are very few and far between. Most need significant financial help from parents, grandparents, spouse etc. You leave a lot of your history to the imagination. It certainly is none of anybody's business here, how you get by. Perhaps your college education and flight training were paid for by the folks, scholarships, or perhaps you are a career changer who actually earned a livable wage in another profession. Your story is full of holes and I really don't believe anyone who paid for their own 4 year education and flight training, and who gets absolutely no financial assistance from relatives, girlfriend, spouse (including cosigners on loans), can afford a home and live solely on their regional FO wages. The numbers just don't add up.
The average regional FO grosses between 30-35 grand a year. Even including per diem, it is rare to take home more than 2500 a month. The average is between 1500 to 2000 take home. Even the cheapest of mortgages is going to cost you 1000 a month, especially if you live in domicile as we should expect to be paid enough to do so. Food expenses are going to run 300 to 400. What about gas and tolls to work? Just because you may not have to pay much gas and tolls, ask a NYC pilot about that. At least 100 to 200 a month there. Just those three items have taken you over 1500, and very near 2 grand. Add car insurance, property taxes, homeowners insurance, electric, home heating expenses, upkeep on the home, and other things that life throws at you that could cost you money like medical expenses etc etc.
So you see, I just don't buy that you are getting by on your regional FO pay alone. Oh, and how could I forget student loans. For most, they are at least 200 to 300 a month as well. Impossible to handle all that while taking home 2 grand a month. Please stop defending the abhorrent and unprofessional wages paid to regional FO's. It is shocking to me that a real pilot can defend them. I think you must be a management troll!
