New Here

[CFII]

Hello all, been a long time reader, first time poster. I'm a junior in college and have accumulated just over 1000 flight hours and am currently a flight instructor. This may not be the right place to post this, but I was just wanting to say hi. I mostly read the forums in the "Regional" section since I am a CFI right now hoping to "move up the ladder" in the future. Look foward to posting in the future. Hope to learn a lot here.

 

[flighttime]

CFII

I also have been reading the regional section for quite a while, and like you am instructing but have not yet posted. Guess this is my first! Hopefully we'll both move up the aviation ladder and be able to post some of our experiences on this website.

 

[Flywrite]

I'm a junior in college and have accumulated just over 1000 flight hours and am currently a flight instructor.

For God's sake man, stop wasting your time with college and get some PIC time!!!

There, I beat Pilotyip to it!


Seriously though...welcome aboard, both you guys.

 

[CFII]

Thanks for the welcome. Yeah, I've done some research on the whole college degree thing on here. Not trying to stir up the pot (too much at least), but I think the debate on the college degree is interesting. I'm taking the route of flight instructing while attending college (full time 17 credit hours, and still having some fun on the side). Don't know if it would be better to drop out with only one year left and fly for a regional or just finish the degree now. It's a tempting idea of flying for a regional (as crappy as some say they are), but I guess I'll finish the degree. Either way, to each his/her own.

 

[Flywrite]

My comment was intended entirely as a good natured jab at Pilotyip. If you drop out now you will beat yourself up for it later. After all one of these days you might get really drunk and poke your eye out on something, then what you gonna do?

 

[Lequip]

2 more prime examples as to why Regional FO's will never make $hit. These guys will take the 1st offer that comes along that involves wearing a uniform and having jumpseat privledges. They wont give a rats a$$ what the pay is. THEY are they reason that regional FO pay sucks and they will gladly accept it. Then, after a year or so and the novility wears off they will start pi$$ing and moaning about how grossly under paid they are!

 

[DirkkDiggler]

Stay in school man. Once you get a degree you can never lose it. I've watched my friends who dropped out of school and they're having a hell of a time trying to finish school while working. College is a hell of a lot of fun anyway.

 

[CFII]

ok ok

Wow...didn't mean to get you fired up like that. Who said anything about me jumping at the first offer and causing FO pay to be so low? I just said that I am going to finish college so that I will be able to further my career.

And yes, I would, and will, gladly take a low paying first year job as a FO. You don't stay at first year pay forever...do you? Like other professions, ie doctors and lawyers, etc, you don't start off making what a more experienced worker does. Instead, you work your way up to the top. What would be more concerning is the top level pay going down.

You can't start at the top in a professional career, why would being a pilot be any different? I'll pay my dues to reach the goal. Though it would be nice to start at the top. Maybe when I get my degree they'll let me do that?!?

 

[Capt. Caucasian]

Wow...didn't mean to get you fired up like that. Who said anything about me jumping at the first offer and causing FO pay to be so low? I just said that I am going to finish college so that I will be able to further my career.

And yes, I would, and will, gladly take a low paying first year job as a FO. You don't stay at first year pay forever...do you? Like other professions, ie doctors and lawyers, etc, you don't start off making what a more experienced worker does. Instead, you work your way up to the top. What would be more concerning is the top level pay going down.

You can't start at the top in a professional career, why would being a pilot be any different? I'll pay my dues to reach the goal. Though it would be nice to start at the top. Maybe when I get my degree they'll let me do that?!?

First year pay does suck... as well as second year, third year, fourth year, fifth year, sixth year, seventh year, eighth year, ninth year, tenth year, eleventh year, twelth year, thirteenth year, fourteenth year, fifteenth year, sixteenth year, seventeenth year, and eighteenth year.

Whatever "regional" one gets on with your pay is going to suck. Also keep in mind that you will be at that "regional" for a very, very, very, very, very, very, very long time. So, anywho, the best advice you will ever hear in your entire lifetime is this, DO NOT BE AN AIRLINE PILOT!

Dangit, I wish I had listened to my Dad and not followed in his footsteps.

Frats,

 

[Bako Cap]

Hi guys,

Don't kid yourselves. You will take that first offer for a regional job because $18,000 is still better than the $8000 you'll make as a CFI. In '97 I went to Westair (out of business) in the E120 and didn't know, or care, that I was being paid a buck less than newhire flight attendants at Skywest because I couldn't stand my boss at the flight school and I was starving (let alone I had to cut out the sauce because I couldn't afford it). I passed up a great paying corporate kingair job where I lived so I could get to wear a pilot uniform and go to the majors as quick as possible to make $$$$$$$. Stupid, stupid, stupid stupid. I'm lucky I finally married a great woman making good pay, or I'd still be in debt.

The flying is great, wonderful and exciting, but even at the great company I work for, the job is not as cool as I thought it would be and now I'm stuck here for a LONG time. I only hope I can keep my family, being gone most of the month. Just wait until your in a hotel room in El Paso and your kid is on the phone asking, "daddy, when are you comming home." It'll break your heart and you'll understand that this cool job might not be worth it. I get to be "that guy" (not daddy) who shows up three nights a week.

Other than that, welcome aboard.

 

[joeg252]

The whole trick to this flying stuff is to find a sugar mamma like I did. However, I still won't whore my self out to a regional. Flight instructing four days a week, sittin poolside suckin down suds the rest of the week, what a life!!!

 

[bobbysamd]

Degree debate

Don't know if it would be better to drop out with only one year left and fly for a regional or just finish the degree now. It's a tempting idea of flying for a regional (as crappy as some say they are), but I guess I'll finish the degree.

It's only one more year. Finish the degree. Despite your best intentions, you'll never come back and finish it if you drop out now. Get it over with. Besides, you're light on time for the regionals.

Yes, regional pay improves after the first year.

Welcome to the board.

 

[Justino]

Stay in School and Finish!

FINISH SCHOOL. I am in my final semester for my Masters of Science and am dying to get out and fly, but if I don't finish then I am at a serious loss. Not to mention maybe 10 or so years down the road I might want to use my degree! School is SO important for you now, while also it set's an example for your kids in the future. The regionals will always be here your option to finish your degree will not. Good luck in school.

Justino

 

[iahawkeye]

Finish college, no question to it. I just hope that you were more intellegent than I was and majored in something other than Aviation. There should be no such degree for someone who wants to be a pilot. I quit flying a couple of months ago and have been struggling to find a way in anywhere. Even with an B.S. in Aviation I have been unable to get an internal job with an airline. B.S. has a whole different meaning for me.

 

[CFII]

Thanks for the replys...yeah, it seems kinda silly the more I think about it. I'm on academic scholarship now, so I guess I should take advantage of that while I can and still get in some flight time to make me more competitive once I get out of college. I just see several regionals lowering their minimums to get hired and I sometimes worry that in a year they will be up to 3000 hours total time with a boat load of multi. Oh well.
My degree will be in Political Science with a minor in both aviation and business so if the whole flying thing doesn't work out I plan to go to law school.

 

[iahawkeye]

I am glad to hear that you have a contingence plan. I have been in love with flying my whole life. Ever since I went on my first flight when I was 4 I have wanted to be an airline pilot. I went to college, instructed, managed two different flight schools, went thousands in debt, and then came to the realization that the airlines were not for me. It helps that I have lived with many airline pilots over the years to learn what the life was about before I actually got there. I don’t want to sound like I am trying to detour you from your dreams, I have great friends at 6 different regionals, and many of them are happy, and successful. Instead I want to emphasize to those of you who still have some control of your education, or direction to have a back up plan. Life can change rapidly, and it is ignorant to be unprepared.

 

[flighttime]

I didn't get the impression that CFII was going to drop out of college from his original post. Just people jumping to the conclusion. If he's on an academic scholarship then i bet he's smart enough to stay and finish up that last year.

Iahawkeye

how'd the hawks look on saturday. Hopefully they'll have a good season. Also what happened to Tate?

 

[iahawkeye]

Yeah, I don't think that he was either, but just gave me a chance to get my .02 cents in for some of the college boys who are reading. As for the Hawks, I unfortunatley was unable to see the game. I now live in MKE and have to deal with all these darn badger fans. Not sure how the season will go yet, I will hold off with my opinion untill we play a good team. As for Tate, I think it was just dehydration and cramps.

 

[pilotyip]

no college comments

I am taking a break from the college degree thing until October 27th, nothing new to post. However if CFII wants to get all sides and all rants and raves, he can do a search under College or pilotyip and get all of the gory details.

 

[BoilerUP]

THEY are they reason that regional FO pay sucks and they will gladly accept it.

Incorrect. Collective barganing is the reason FO pay sucks. If NCs and union leaderships would refuse TAs that include crappy FO pay scales, and the upper 51% would refuse to screw the bottom 49%, then we wouldn't have this problem. Somehow most pilots that b!tch about FO pay forget this little tidbit. Remember, we as pilots are only worth what we negotiate, and not a penny more.

How much does a 50 seat RJ FO deserve, in my opinion? 30, 35, 40, 45, 49, 52 in consecutive years, with a 75hr/mo guarantee. I'm sure this number is too high to some, and too low for many, but I think its a fair, realistic, economically viable wage. If anybody can negotiate more, then more power to you.

I'm sure some out there will disagree with me on one more both points, and that is your right. But as long as unions allow the airlines to get away with paying slum wages during that first probationary year, this will never end.

My $.02