I think I want out!

[GoFaster]

Wow..I really rattled some cages

First...let me say if you read my post you'll see I blame my own peers, not the current young new hire regional pilot for this dilema. He/she is simply getting used by a system that my generation and the one just before me allowed to fester. The next step is vendor relationships and foreign pilots to man these "regional" aircraft.

Second...last time I checked they were using the EMB120 and ATR to fly from STL to Moline, ILL not from ATL to Mexico City or Toronto, Canada...just what exactly is "regional" about those flights?

Lastly, check out what a journeyman steamfitter in the Northeast is making and then lets talk.

I hope and pray one day that pilot groups from all the carriers wake up and realize we are not doing a easy job and that we collectively begin to demand a wage and lifestyle that properly reflects the level of training and education required to perform these jobs. Good luck gentlemen, I hope it works out for you.

GoFaster

 

[TAWS]

WRONG!!

I was a union electrician in Chicago. 2 years ago I was making $35 an hour plus approx. $18 an hour in benefits - I had the best healthcare money could buy, a pension (administered by the IBEW - who could teach ALPA/teamsters alot about how to run a union) and a HUGE annuity account, plus some other things. The union pipefitters were paid more than us and still are - today, an electrician earns around $38 plus $22 in bennies and the pipefitters still earn more!!
I have a degree and love flying, the pay sucks but it still beats working for a living. Remember, if you haven't had to ever actually WORK for a living, then you have no idea what it entails!! That is the problem with these kids who come out of University with no skills outside of flying!! When I got furloughed from XJ, I had something to fall back on. I'm now with a S5, the pay sucks, but it beats sweating your balls off laying conduit in a ditch. One day it will get better.

 

[Regul8r]

I hope and pray one day that pilot groups from all the carriers wake up and realize we are not doing a easy job and that we collectively begin to demand a wage and lifestyle that properly reflects the level of training and education required to perform these jobs. Good luck gentlemen, I hope it works out for you.

I hope so too. Unfortunately the management teams are continously beating into the pilot's heads that pilots are still overpaid. And on the other side, Unions like ALPA are telling the pilots to take the pay cuts so the pilots can "live to fight another day" thus ensuring a continous cashflow into ALPA coffers. What's sad is that none of these big flight schools prepare kids for the airlines. Sure they know how to fly, but they know nothing of the politics involved and are stunned when they get their first airline job.

 

[capt. megadeth]

Go get a job as a pipe fitter and you can probably double that pay and see your kids grow up.

Yeah, and work like a dog 40+ hours a week for the rest of your life.....no thanks! I have worked a regular job. No thanks!

TAWS....I'm with you.

 

[gkrangers]

"It beats working for a living"

As much as we love flying, if we don't refer to it as work, we can't expect to be paid fairly.

 

[capt. megadeth]

You might want to try being a teacher. Can't beat the sked. They are in demand. All you need is a 4year and your cfi exp will help if you spin it the right way. Depending on where you are in the US they start between 30 and 40 K. My cousin graduated from Penn State last year and started teaching science last fall at a HS north of Philly PA and he makes what I'm making now, about 38,000/yr.

Wow! Woo hoo.....$38K! That ain't jack! What will he top out at $50K???? Teachers don't make nearly what they are worth. They get shafted paywise more than pilots do, IMO.

 

[kmox29]

Take it from me 9-5 sucks... I was at a regional for four years got on with Delta, 911 furloughed, worked as an accountant for three years. Came back to another regional in right seat of 1900, left before furlough flew 135 on demand and now am with a frac. Never have made a descent living flying but love the job and hated pushing a pencil around a desk.

GOOD LUCK!

I disagree....I will agree that working 9-5 (or 30 minutes a day for that matter) as an accountant would suck, but not every 9-5 is a drag.

Leaving the regionals was the smartest decision I have made. It was a hard decision, but a smart one. I have a life now.

7 years with a regional, left as a CA. My STARTING pay is what my 7 YEAR CA PAY was.

 

[gator_hater]

Wow! Woo hoo.....$38K! That ain't jack! What will he top out at $50K???? Teachers don't make nearly what they are worth. They get shafted paywise more than pilots do, IMO.

GOOD Teachers don't get paid enough. The majority are over paid.

 

[Rerouted]

Same here

Hey Kmox29 - same here. I left the regionals after a few years of lousy schedules, disgustingly low pay and all the rest that goes with it and couldn't be happier to be out. Sure I miss flying, but I like the idea of having a real future in my new business - and in all honesty I work a lot fewer hours (if you take all the non-paid aviation duty time hours into account). I tip my hat to anyone who flies for a regional...it's only reward is intrinsic. There are many ways to make a much better life for yourself outside of aviation...and yes, still enjoy going to work everyday. It's like anything else...being away from it is easy - getting to the point of resigning takes a lot of real honesty with yourself. Best of luck to anyone who jumps out....it's a lot better than just "not so bad" out here.

 

[COOPERVANE]

Rerouted,
What business did you escape into?

 

[Rerouted]

A little more ground based

I bailed out into the real estate business. While the market is slowing down from where it was, it still only takes 3 house sales a year to exceed what I made as a regional pilot. So far I've got 3 deals done and one in the works. Granted I work in the Northeast where you can't buy much of a house for under $500K...which helps with the commission checks!!

 

[CopilotDoug]

I could see getting a 9-5er when the time is right, like the house sale stuff. Getting a regular job can be a roll of the dice though. There's a very good possibility you might be working for some Bill Lumberg protoge and man I tell you what, THAT would SUCK! Gotta get a job where you are your own boss.

 

[SBD]

erjguy, do you truly love flying? Do you think flying is cool or is it your job? A senior pilot asked me that and it made me think. Most of us love what we do. Many had prior 9-5 jobs and truly hated it. Just because you don't fly for a airline(regional) doesn't mean you are not a complete pilot. I'm relatively new to the regionals but I understood what I was getting into. Do you want to go through what the regionals ask of a new hire again? Pay sucks and most new guys will accept this because they are told that we are just starting to build our career. "Better opportunities will eventually come." Getting on with a nice corporate or fractional gig doesn't seem to bad. Evaluate what you want out of life and then make your decision. Take into consideration that I'm just a newbie.
P.S. I sure hope that Human Development degree pays off if this flying career doesn't work out!

 

[rsspilot]

Yeah I read what he said, did you,Mr. Holier-than-thou?



He's getting furloughed from Trans States, and that sucks. I asked him how much flight time he had because alot of regionals are hiring. Depending on how much time he has, he can get hired on everywhere from Mesa to CAL. Maybe he doesn't want to keep flying, or maybe he doesn't have any options, I dunno...

Most of the people that say "go do a trade" or "I can make twice as much money doing _____" are the same people that DON'T and ruin the atmosphere for everybody else.

If you don't like the industry, then quit - there are plenty of jobs available out there for somebody with a bachelors degree.

Well said.......I agree....give the rest of us a chance to pursue the profession we love.

 

[Dave Benjamin]

Has anyone made the move out of the industry?

I got out for about 4.5 years in the mid 90's. Most of the regionals had embraced PFT and I wasn't about to subsidize business expenses that should be handled by an employer. Lots of other guys got out too. Many went into computer related work and some did pretty well during the dotcom boom.
I went back into sales in the construction industry and made some money, sometimes more in a month or two than regional pilots made in a year back then.

If I were you I'd look at corporate or fractionals unless you like starting over for next to nothing.

The only reason I'm still doing this job is that I don't commute and I'm not gone overnight too much. I also have a side business ( www.IPsails.com ) that I really enjoy. I expect the side business to generate enough income in the not too distant future that I can just bank my flying bankcheck and pretend that money doesn't exist until it's time to retire.