Major Airline or RJ Captain

[michael707767]

I agree Jungle! BTW nice shakin tush there! I don't understand the "complacent with RJ captain" statement. Wrong choice of words or my vocabulary is lacking.

I think he meant to say "content with RJ captain" not "complacent".

 

[JJJ]

you have 30 years left. That's enough time for 3 more cycles of mass hiring, and rounds of furloughs.

30 years is a long time. Things will be very different 2 years from now.

 

[shroomwell]

Content is probably better choice of words. I meant no disrespect to any RJ captains out there. I am sure if I make it there I will enjoy the job. However the bottom line is we would all like to be a major airline with an easier flying schedule and larger paycheck. Unfortunately that is the way it is now because the industry refuses to pay RJ captains a respectable salary for the type of job it is.

That make me think. What does a 10 year regional RJ captain make 60 grand a year. Can anybody else think of another type of job that requires a 4 year degree, significant amounts of training and experience to get the initial job, and then after 10 years of service only be making 60 grand? I think even teachers make more money than that, and they get more time off.

What were we thinking pursuing a aviation career.

 

[46Driver]

That make me think. What does a 10 year regional RJ captain make 60 grand a year. Can anybody else think of another type of job that requires a 4 year degree, significant amounts of training and experience to get the initial job, and then after 10 years of service only be making 60 grand? I think even teachers make more money than that, and they get more time off.

Military Officer. Try being a company commander responsible for the lives of 200 men in combat. Captains make around the $60k a year mark.

 

[bobbysamd]

RJ CPT pay

Unfortunately that is the way it is now because the industry refuses to pay RJ captains a respectable salary for the type of job it is.

That make me think. What does a 10 year regional RJ captain make 60 grand a year. Can anybody else think of another type of job that requires a 4 year degree, significant amounts of training and experience to get the initial job, and then after 10 years of service only be making 60 grand?

(emphasis added)

I'd like to be making $60K a year.

In any event, I heard that senior Comair captains make $90K a year. I don't know how long it takes for them to get there, but that money, once again, is not chicken feed.

 

[crxpilot]

60K in 10 years? Heck I made 80K this year with ACA as a 5 year captain.......

 

[FN FAL]

60K in 10 years? Heck I made 80K this year with ACA as a 5 year captain.......

That's funny. On the same token (as I posted in another thread) I met a Dork Jet captain that was interested in knowing if we were hiring caravan pilots. I won't say what airline he works for, but he said he was pulling in 50,000 a year and was looking for a better quality of living. I'm not making this up. When I walked into the terminal on saturday to pick up freight, the county snow plow guy introduced me to this pilot, who was visiting with his wife as she worked the airline counter.

 

[Treme]

60K in 10 years? Heck I made 80K this year with ACA as a 5 year captain......./

5 years ago would have had you hired in around 1998. 1998-2000 major airline hiring and massive capacity increases driven by the economy made for more movement than at any other time in the history of the industry.

In essence you had an artificially fast upgrade time. Most pilots hired today will not experience such a rapid upgrade.

 

[jarhead]

Treme,

You are correct in your assessment of the time frame comment. My son was hired at Comair in January of 1997. That time frame and a year or two later, was a time of very rapid growth in most regional airlines. Speaking only about Comair, as it is the carrier that I am most familiar with, my son upgraded to captain as soon as he had 3000 hours tt, in late spring of 2000. That is basically a three year time frame from newbie FO, to CA. I don’t think those upgrade times are realistic at this time.

Bobbysamd,

You are also correct about senior captains at Comair making 90K or more. The fact is, my son with 7 years at CMR makes over 90K a year, with his override as a flight simulator instructor. Seven years is not all that senior, IMHO. Very senior guys at CMR are pulling down over 100K per year, with 12 year seniority dates

 

[Tripower455]

Some good advice here.

IMHO, get the first job that will get you PIC turbine time. When the pendulum swings the other way, you will be hirable.

Like it or not, the commuters will most likely always be a far second choice when it comes to a career, and the quicker you can step off that stone, the better off you'll be.

I spent 10 years waiting for the commuter life to get better, and it never did. All of the stress (and then some) of a major job, with few of the benefits.

I am SO glad that we never got RJ's, since that might have been just enough incentive to keep me from pursuing a major job! In retrospect, the hosings that I took as a commuter pilot were the best thing that's ever happened to me, career wise!

Just my $.02.......