CODs4ever
Trash Hauler
- Joined
- Oct 18, 2002
- Posts
- 80
This industry is a real loser and unfortunately, a bad place to be now with high gas prices and bankruptcy at every turn. I flew for the military for 12 years and made good money, got out, and could only find work at a regional making $18K/year and having a very poor quality of life.
What is really humorous is the fact that when I left the job for which I had trained for the last 12 years of my life (airline pilot), I was offered an executive position in sales and a project manager position with a homebuilder - both jobs having a base salary of four times what I made as a regional FO. And oh, by the way, I had no direct experience in either of these (non-flying) areas of employment.
So, yes, I guess professional pilots could be termed as "bottom feeders" because over the years they have allowed pay & benefits to go down the toilet, while quality of life got worse. I can understand wanting to keep your job and your airline afloat, but this is ridiculous. I was told by an older pilot that in the early 1970's a senior captain at AAL made about $140K/year. That is around a half million in today's dollars. An airline captain today making $140K is probably not too far from the average - that's too bad, since there are many other jobs out there, with a lot less responsibility, making same or much more, income. And you will be home every night and have weekends & holidays free.
I chose to get out before it was too late and start another career. Now I only fly for fun, and I actually still enjoy my two-seat Cessna going 120 kts at 1500' and below. It sure beats flying for poverty wages and living in hotels.
What is really humorous is the fact that when I left the job for which I had trained for the last 12 years of my life (airline pilot), I was offered an executive position in sales and a project manager position with a homebuilder - both jobs having a base salary of four times what I made as a regional FO. And oh, by the way, I had no direct experience in either of these (non-flying) areas of employment.
So, yes, I guess professional pilots could be termed as "bottom feeders" because over the years they have allowed pay & benefits to go down the toilet, while quality of life got worse. I can understand wanting to keep your job and your airline afloat, but this is ridiculous. I was told by an older pilot that in the early 1970's a senior captain at AAL made about $140K/year. That is around a half million in today's dollars. An airline captain today making $140K is probably not too far from the average - that's too bad, since there are many other jobs out there, with a lot less responsibility, making same or much more, income. And you will be home every night and have weekends & holidays free.
I chose to get out before it was too late and start another career. Now I only fly for fun, and I actually still enjoy my two-seat Cessna going 120 kts at 1500' and below. It sure beats flying for poverty wages and living in hotels.