How do you survive?????

[Dharmesh1231]

Here's my question....how do you survive first year regional pilot pay. Most of the pilots are single and for the married ones who are just getting into the regional market, how can you support your family with less than $1500/ month.
I am currently a US Marine...about to get out soon...have 1000TT 100 multi CFI, II, MEI and an A 320 type ...right now if I look at my lifestyle....I have a huge house on base with a 2 car garage (by the way housing is free) and unlimited use of ac in summer and heat in winter. Even after having a free house I still bring home 1000 every 2 weeks. I am looking into getting into the regional market, but can't figure out how to support my wife and kid with that kind of pay....scary...a cousin of my mine told me...just bite the bullet the first 2 years and it'll improve after that....any advice...

 

[cale42]

My wife makes alright money.. and we have learned to really skimp.. essentials only.

The one redeeming part of being short staffed is lots of 100+ hour lines... helps a little bit.

Its a tough year.. and I'm about to start it again(hopefully) for a big QOL improvement..

Good luck!!

cale

 

[pony251]

Dude, I did it and it sucked. It was the only gig hiring in late 2002. Luckily I got furloughed after five months. I basically got a free introduction to part-121 flying and didn't have to quit later. I went and got a higher paying non-flying job while I also worked at the Guard. Go on terminal leave for as long as you can to keep insurance. With only 1k hours nobody except a regional will touch you. Stay in until you get more time or a decent corporate job. Your standard of living is about to plummet unless your wife can get a job. Plus you have to get housing. Try getting a mortgage with what you are going to make at a regional as an FO. Good luck

 

[siucavflight]

Just move in with your parents!!

 

[Dharmesh1231]

Pony...I hear you man...that's what scares me the most. My standard of living will plummet like crazy. Top ramen for the wife and kid for the first 2 years. Are you allowed to instruct part-time while having an airline job??? Or I guess you just won't find the time with all the 2-3-4 day trips.

 

[COOPERVANE]

You don't NEED a new cell phone-
You don't NEED a car payment-
You don't NEED to eat out-
You don't NEED to have the big screen TV-
IPOD
Hair gel
$360.00 Leather jacket

It's not that hard. you just don't get to live like your friends. You can't HAVE IT ALL.

My niece.......26 years old.
$220,000 interest only mortgage
$400/month car payment X 2 (for boyfriend)
every cable channel available on her 42" flat screen
600 pairs of shoes
Just bought a Coach dog collar for her puppy "cause at 40% off $50 is not much for this collar"

She is a hairdresser
Live-in boyfriend is a landscaper but a really "talented artist" She constantly complains about having no money

Where is the fiscal responsibility?

It's really not that hard

 

[Goose Egg]

It's not that hard. you just don't get to live like your friends. You can't HAVE IT ALL.

And who would want to? People spend money on the most rediculous things, things that they don't really need, things that they don't really use, things that they don't even really want themselves--just that they think they should have for whatever reason. Unfortunately I think I've learned this the hard way, but making CFI wages has helped me prioritize and learn what I really want, and what I really can do without. Isn't the simple life the good one anyway? Who wants to be bogged down with all this "stuff?" Not me.

-Goose

 

[CAPTAINDEEZ]

Go to the club and be a stripper. Works everytime, and for the overweight they have heavy night wednesdays too.

 

[ASAFOE120]

I had a new baby and a mortgage and 2 car payments etc... when I started here. OUCH!!! Delivered pizza part time while sitting reserve.

Now, when I sit around bored, like at the hotel for a 20 hr layover in GTR, I take surveys online and make a couple hundred bucks extra each month. Thats about what I was making delivering pizzas a couple of nights a week.

Click my signature for info.

 

[Amish RakeFight]

Steal ipods, headsets and other expensive goodies then hock them on Ebay.

Okay, was that in poor humor? :erm:

 

[MMO 0.705]

I think it depends where you are based. If you are on one of the coasts....just to have an apartment is 1000-1200 for a studio. include food costs and you just dont have enough cash. So, to say that you dont need everything....is kind of biased depending where you are based. You at least need a place to live and food.

 

[bizjet800]

This begs the question: is all this worth the price of cheap airline tickets?

And Dharmesh1231, you are now way over qualified for the regionals, Piedmont ran an ad calling for F/Os with only a commercial multi-engine rating!

 

[av8er2]

The math does not work for many.

It does not get better in the end. It is great experience but in the end you have to move on.

Look at the major's pay rates, there is nothing to look forward to.

 

[kf4amu]

This begs the question: is all this worth the price of cheap airline tickets?

And Dharmesh1231, you are now way over qualified for the regionals, Piedmont ran an ad calling for F/Os with only a commercial multi-engine rating!

25.58/flight hour plus a 5k bonus your first year. One of the highest paid regionals for 1st year FOs.

 

[Weasil]

Here's my question....how do you survive first year regional pilot pay. Most of the pilots are single and for the married ones who are just getting into the regional market, how can you support your family with less than $1500/ month.
..

My first regional airline job was as a ground instructor. They trained me as a first officer so I was able to start building seniority and I was able to fly once a month or so but meanwhile was making $45/yr my first year with weekends and holidays off like a regular job.
My current regional job is with Skywest and I never once brought home less than $1500/mth my first year. My take home pay without doing any overtime is more than that, and with our work rules you can bring home almost $1500 per pay check not per month if you are willing to pick up some time and a half open time. Living in base helps with this and also commuting gets expensive as a newhire cause you have all the crappy uncommutable trips.

 

[Jack Mehoff]

3 Roomates in a crappy apartment, all your furnerature is found on the curb, eat mac 'n cheese and drink mad dog 20/20.

 

[Grey Ghost]

Just watch "Man vs. Wild" on the discovery channel!

 

[Dirty Sanchez]

Have your old lady go work for a couple of years until you can upgrade.

 

[JediNein]

2nd and 3rd jobs/businesses
student loans on income contingent plan
8 yr old paid-for car
Apartment, no mortgage (ain't paying 1 mil for a 32,000 tar shack either)
furniture from Big Lots/craigslist
Netflix - no cable nor advertising telling me what I'm supposed to buy and eat, and a full bookshelf from the used bookstores/amazon
lots of beans, salad, and only buy meat that's on sale
no booze or smoking habits
growing retirement account
And a few luxuries. . .

 

[SplitBar]

Here's my question....how do you survive first year regional pilot pay. Most of the pilots are single and for the married ones who are just getting into the regional market, how can you support your family with less than $1500/ month.
I am currently a US Marine...about to get out soon...have 1000TT 100 multi CFI, II, MEI and an A 320 type ...right now if I look at my lifestyle....I have a huge house on base with a 2 car garage (by the way housing is free) and unlimited use of ac in summer and heat in winter. Even after having a free house I still bring home 1000 every 2 weeks. I am looking into getting into the regional market, but can't figure out how to support my wife and kid with that kind of pay....scary...a cousin of my mine told me...just bite the bullet the first 2 years and it'll improve after that....any advice...

......................