Not enough pilots out there?

[I Hate Freight]

Wow someone has actually given a timeline. May we ask where you got that from?

Probably from his rectal depository.

 

[Dirty Sanchez]

My experience:
1. Hired by regional
2. Flew the E 145
3. Quit immediately after IOE
4. Tried again with another regional 6 months later
5. Flew the CRJ 2 & 7
6. Quit again and gave up
I thought it might be different at the second airline but it was not. I felt bad for wasting the two airlines training expense at first...but then I remembered why I quit both of them. The abuse by scheduling (not their fault) along with the pi55 poor pay was just a complete exercize in futility. It is a shame that the industry has gone down the crapper. I suspect that Worthless is a big part of the problem. My .02

You must like being on probation... Why don't you stay put somewhere and quit crying. What did you expect? ...a line right away with 15 days off including weekends? Did they not tell you about pay when you interviewed?

 

[SkyNation]

of all the CAs I've flown with, the least anyone has told the make is in the mid-70K range. The highest was a super-senior check airman/sim guy who makes well over 200K. At a regional. The low end guy was a 3rd year Captain.
as a new FO at 19.02/hr., I made around 25K. This year I'll be in the upper 50K range, depending on how hard I work the rest of the year.

it's all a matter of perspective. I don't think it's a bad job for being a button pusher and staring out the window.

 

[apache]

You're funny. This guy wasn't complaining, he was making it out like his life was hell on earth. If it is that bad (working 6 days/week every week) I would just quit. I have done so in the past with previous jobs when I saw there was no hope in getting a better QOL. When there was hope, I worked with the company and got what we wanted.

No amount of complaining will help when your contract is valid for another X years. Might as well save the energy and STFU and enjoy what you have or find something different. I'm sure the company knows the QOL sucks, the union knows it, even the other pilots and FA's know it already.

I was able to make bills and save and my first year at a regional showed ~24k. So yeah, if I can make it on 24 I'm sure I'll be able to make it on 40. Thanks for your concern.

In no way am I implying I wouldn't do the job for more money. But I have to laugh at people for saying they "deserve" more money. For what? You are paid what you can neogotiate and that in part is based on what the market can bear. All the complaining won't change that fact.

And don't play the "complainers make things happen" card. I know a lot of the union officals at my airline and they are not complainers. Talk is cheap.

I don't know why I even try. Everyone figures it out eventually. All I can say is that if everyone in your pilot group had your attitude, you would actually loose money at every contract negotiation. BTW, I would say that everyone in your pilot group "deserves" more money. Unless, of course, we are talking about blowjets.

 

[wheelsup]

I don't know why I even try. Everyone figures it out eventually. All I can say is that if everyone in your pilot group had your attitude, you would actually loose money at every contract negotiation. BTW, I would say that everyone in your pilot group "deserves" more money. Unless, of course, we are talking about blowjets.

Figure what out? That I need to complain to get my way? Like a whiney kid?



<deleted>

 

[Sawmill]

Spitfire: No, I did not fly for Mesa. I flew the 145 at XJet and Ive only flown into MN once.

DirtySanchez: You are 100% correct. I apologize for my whining. From this day forward I promise to laugh all the way to the bank! To answer your questions, No, I didnt expect a line any time soon after starting...and of course I did not expect 15 days off a month (Thats half a month right? I would not expect that with any job actually) And no, they did not tell me about the pay at the interview as I recall...but I did know it long before I interviewed...What I did expect was an enjoyable job/career with compensation that I could live (modestly) off of, mainly because I talked myself into thinking that was what it would be...so the only person I have to blame is myself...that is, if I want to waste my time fixing blame rather than fixing the problem...which I did by quitting. So I apologize once again for offending you if that is what I did...I did not realize that I carried that much influence. So, please enjoy your job while flying me safely to my vacation destinations 4 times a year, while I sleep in my bed every night, while I have a life, while I earn my deserved compensation, while I fly my plane when and where I want, and I will nod at you and thank you each and every time I deplane. Blue Skies!
Seriously, we all have choices and I am completely content and happy with mine...Are you? (Dont answer out loud)

 

[Hootie9750]

The problem is truly from the rich kids out there who's parents think its neato if johnny goes off to riddle or und and gets a degree in Aeronautical Science (sounds neato and very prestigious..ooooh). I met another riddle f*g the other day who was telling me how cool it would be to work for Mesa's Go! in Hawaii. Im like "how are you going to live in Hawaii on 17g a year" and he tells me he could live on his dads yacht!! Holy Sh1t!! If I wasnt worried about an assault charge from the kids personal lawayer I would have beat him silly.

 

[Stewage]

I toiled with this for years. I was a prior military guy who did OK in the AF. The pay was great, the flying was REALLY great (C-130s), and I had always dreamed of having a life like 'The Old Days...' Just watch 'The High and the Mighty' if you want to know what I'm talking about. I have two kids now, and after bumming in the reserves for 3 years (flying KC-135s) I decided to break the chain and get a job in the aerospace world not flying. I waited for the three years, but freely admit that I wasn't willing to take a massive pay cut to the regionals with a wife and two kids. This greatly narrowed my job search!

Several of my buddies have since gotten hired by FedEx and SWA, as well as a few others. My reserve unit was closed in the latest BRAC, so I am now in the Guard, but not flying. All in all it is a personal choice. It was REALLY hard for me to give it up, however now that I have it doesn't seem so bad. I'm home every night, work for a GREAT company, with really good pay and benefits. I can't complain. Some couldn't imagine not flying. For me, flying the KC-135 was completely mind numbing compared to the C-130, so it made that choice easier (no offense to anyone reading - again a personal choice).

I wish everyone the best no matter what road they choose. It isn't the industry it used to be, to be sure. I have no idea where it is going, either.

Just wanted to throw my $.02 in.

 

[CopilotDoug]

Stewage, whereabouts do you work, if you don't mind me asking?

 

[blueridge71]

I have thought that the regionals might start hurting for qualified pilots pretty soon. Consider the facts:

1. Fractionals hiring like mad
2. Majors starting to hire again
3. Regional pay and QOL never quite finding the rock bottom
4. VLJs coming on line

There are lots of places for experienced pilots to go and not quite as many eager young pups willing to be worked like dogs for peanuts (to mix a metaphor).

Before Skywest quashed ASA's growth, hiring minimums were down to 600-1. From what I heard, quite a few captains became de facto CFIs.