How do you do it?

[landlover]

With his listed time and flying from MIA, I'd bet money its in a shorts 360 maybe a metro for a company called IBC.

 

[Superpilot92]

my question is how do the guys at Great Lakes make ends meet. $15 bucks an hour. In Denver none the less. This is an honest question. Because its sucks making first year pay at a "good" regional i couldnt imagine making less. I was offered a job at great lakes and would have loved to have been based out of Denver but i just couldnt do it.

 

[gnx99]

I don't think it was too tough to live off new hire pay, for the first year. I was fairly fresh out of college, so I didn't have many expenses (mortgage, kids, wife, etc.)

What I can't figure out is how "older" new-hires with families and houses do it.

 

[Dave Benjamin]

Of course you could "live in a van down by the river!"

First year is never easy. Even at some of the majors you only make 30 first year.

 

[Secret Squirrel]

I don't think it was too tough to live off new hire pay, for the first year. I was fairly fresh out of college, so I didn't have many expenses (mortgage, kids, wife, etc.)

What I can't figure out is how "older" new-hires with families and houses do it.

I think "older" pilots getting into the profession have a little more realistic view of the industry. They plan for it! Not like naive high school students who make all their decisions with what they see on TV or what their pee-pee says.(MMMM.... FLIGHT ATTENDANTS and walking around the mall in my uniform).

I got into aviation with a wife and house and child on the way. But it was a plan I had for years. Eliminate debt, reduce expenses, build up a cash reserve, and be up front with my wife about the pros and cons. I got my licenses over the years and have no debt from it.

My question is how do young kids do it coming out of college with $50000-$100000 in loans manage. 3-5 years of making less than $20000. another 3-5 years of making less (ususally much less) than $50000. Then maybe $70000 for a couple years as a captain at a regional before (If you are lucky) get the call from Continental and go back to $25,000. Then maybe another 6 years to top $100,000?
At what point do you pay off that loan? Oh, I know, Just file bankruptcy and deal with the couple years of bad credit. I have read it many times on this board.
Bankruptcy laws are changing and the easy out will not work any more. Maybe this will make people stop and think before diving head first into this profession without a clue of what waits for them....Probably not.

SS

 

[pilotyip]

But secret you do not have to follow that career path. Skip college, get into the on-demand buisness as a career starter after your CFI time building. We start DA-20 F/O's at $35K, a couple years laters you are DA-20 Captain making about $60K. If you stay 10 years you are a DC-9 Captain making over $135K if you want. There are many places out there like that. And you do not have carry the $100K of college debt either.

 

[DC8 Flyer]

How do you do it?

With my cowboy hat and boots on, ashtray on the small of her back!


imp:

 

[dogismycopilot]

the f/o diet...spend less on food and sacrifice 10, 20, 30 lbs. of buttery fat... mmmm... cold spaghetti-o's out of the can are the saving grace during overnights. Just don't forget to add some fiber to your diet, beans work great and the CA loves it!

 

[WhiteCloud]

xxxxx

 

[WhiteCloud]

Of course you could "live in a van down by the river!

Been there...done that. Ran out of money my last semester of college. It was actually a 73 Ford Station Wagon and I cleaned up at the dorm when the doors opened in the morning. Free hotel breakfasts and happy hour snacks and working in the dorm cafeteria (access to free food) a couple hours a day got me through. Where there's a will there is a way. Good luck.