Pilots are pathetic bottomfeeders

[eastflier]

Hockeypilot well done well done. I could not have said it better. We all need to open our eyes.

 

[Shortapp]

If you don't like what you are doing, move on.


90% of restaurants fail the first year.

 

[KeroseneSnorter]

No, I did one even more stupid, after five years in the commuters, I "progressed" to a "major" for three more years flying Boeings. My best year there was $35K with overtime. I flew a few other places but we won't talk about that...........

What were you, a flight attendant?

35k with overtime? Where the heck were you employed and in what position?

 

[say again]

What were you, a flight attendant?

35k with overtime? Where the heck were you employed and in what position?

Maybe he was a cleaner before their new contract!!!!!

 

[MINIME]

Hockey your point is well taken and in most of your observations you appear to be right. Know that this industry is what it is because there's simply too many pilots with too few slots. Example; CAL hiring say...600 pilots within the next few years...months...they have at least 3000 applicants! The numbers are probably similar if not worse at SWA, Airtran, UPS, and FEDEX and everywhere else you can think of.

 

[DAS at 10/250]

First of all Hockey watch your language. Swear all you want but leave the Lord out of it. And God is capitalized. Or perhaps your parents didn't teach that to you.

Are you serious about all this rambling being a two year CHQ pilot? How much time did you have? 600. 800. Wait, maybe you were a 1000 hour pilot. Whoa, that's high time. Any let's see, you had how many types? How much turbine PIC? How much jet time? How much international? How many years as a Chief Pilot or Check Airman? What were you flying? Piper? Cessna? Maybe a big ole PA44? You had no time, no experience, and not much value. That is why the only job you could get was paying $20K. Until your resume shows that you are worth something your pay will resemble such.

There are a thousand other 700 hour guys out there who think somebody owes them a jet (SJS). Do your Captians a favor and quit. And do us a favor and get off this board.

 

[Green]

Das-

You missed the whole Goddam# point!!!!

What Hockey was saying is that it's a ridiculous premise to argue that you should need to be a check airman, have thousands of hours of PIC Turbine, International time, or a few orbits under your belt in order to make a decent living as a pilot. He's not talking 250k, he's talking parity with an aircraft janitor. A part 121 airline pilot should be able to make as much as the guy/gal vaccuuming the cockpit in between flights. It's ridiculous and hockey has a valid point. Pilots are making less flying the EMB 170/190 than we were making flying DC-9's forty years ago. That is insane......

Of course we live in a free market society, but it's time we gain just an ounce of self respect and lift ourselves out of the working poor class.

 

[Sticky]

Hockey your point is well taken and in most of your observations you appear to be right. Know that this industry is what it is because there's simply too many pilots with too few slots. Example; CAL hiring say...600 pilots within the next few years...months...they have at least 3000 applicants! The numbers are probably similar if not worse at SWA, Airtran, UPS, and FEDEX and everywhere else you can think of.

I will share some information that I think proves my point. I pay my employees about $1000 a week on the average. Why do I pay them this much, sometimes more? Because they are HARD to FIND and RETAIN. When they come to me, they pretty much name their price and I either take it or leave it. In most cases I'm forced to take it. Quite the opposite of what the airline industry is. For those that are wondering....I own a small trucking company. Sad to say, but some of these drivers make more money than some of us even as Captains. Supply and demand

Very very true. How 'bout this: We pay our C310 pilots more then many RJ captains, and we only fly day VFR and are home every night. Why? Because they're worth it. They don't bounce between jobs searching for the next bigger plane.

Das-

You missed the whole Goddam# point!!!!



What Hockey was saying is that it's a ridiculous premise to argue that you should need to be a check airman, have thousands of hours of PIC Turbine, International time, or a few orbits under your belt in order to make a decent living as a pilot. He's not talking 250k, he's talking parity with an aircraft janitor. A part 121 airline pilot should be able to make as much as the guy/gal vaccuuming the cockpit in between flights. It's ridiculous and hockey has a valid point. Pilots are making less flying the EMB 170/190 than we were making flying DC-9's forty years ago. That is insane......



Of course we live in a free market society, but it's time we gain just an ounce of self respect and lift ourselves out of the working poor class.

Absolutely! That has to be the most misunderstood problem. Everybody knows this, but nobody wants to talk about it. An employee's value should not be based on the amount of ink in their logbook. Anybody who claims that they are more deserving of a pilot job because of their "time", must have nothing else going for them. Pilot pay has always been low, but 18K in 2005 is pathetic.

 

[Prop2Jet]

18K sucks but guess what, its not a glass ceiling, you are not capped at 18k when you progress into the majors, if you can, then you will get more $$$.

YOU CAN'T GET SOMETHING FOR NOTHING.

Don't think of your CFI time, and student time as starting to chip away at the "when will I get more cash timeline." When u make it to the regionals then your time starts and the closer you will come to making the big bucks. I have plenty of friends who make 140K a year at the majors and they too got paid like crap, some even paid COEX for training--10K. So you talk about crappy pay now, man some of you don't have a leg to stand on. Like I stated before you don't like it, leave, go fly corporate it pays more. But if you have fortitude to stick it out your tears will pay off.
Sure organize, unionize, hold hands no one cares (meaning the company you fly for). Do your job, do it well and pave your own path to success and you will reap the rewards in the future. This $ stuff is not a surprise to any of us even when we got our PPLs we knew how bad it could be. Sure, this is only my view and it might not agree with your view(s) but just please stop and be happy for what you have and enjoy it. Money will come if you stick with it and your bills will get paid no matter what. (well that of course is subjective!)

Stay focused, fly safe and set your long-term goals and this regional process will make it all worth it when your driving your nice car, paying for kids college and flying 65 hours a month in your 777.

P2J

 

[Sticky]

But if you have fortitude to stick it out your tears will pay off

Says who? Is this based on the people who are fortunate enough to go from the regionals to a successful major career? For every one of them, there are plenty of others who weren't so lucky. Many pilots have sacrificed too much for their careers, only to lose their homes and retirements near the end. Also, as far as your pay rational, I'd rather make 60K on average a year from age 25 to 60, then start at 18K at 25 with only a chance of making six figures at some day. Why? Because compound interest is a wonderful thing. If you look into IRA and 401K plans you'll see that the key to accumulating wealth is not income, but rather length of time you can contribute into the fund.