Poor Kit Darby had to sell his girlfriends car -yea right

[WhiteCloud]

I have mixed feelings about FAPA (if you're old school) or AIRINC. I just hate to see anyone pumping up people about this industry without balancing the information with a "dose of reality".

FAPA lost any credibility with me when I finally realized (20 years ago) that "new jobs" (as reported by FAPA) was just ordinary turnover as pilots moved around the industry. Same number of jobs in the industry.......just different pilots filling them. Enjoy the new Hundai Kit.

 

[capt. megadeth]

I have mixed feelings about FAPA (if you're old school) or AIRINC. I just hate to see anyone pumping up people about this industry without balancing the information with a "dose of reality".

When I made $158k and took a pay cut to $125k, I didn't poor mouth about it. That's the business. I did poor mouth when I lost my job, however.

It is tough to generate sympathy from anyone when your paycuts take you "down" to $150k. He should have kept his mouth shut and directed the reporters to a junior FO. It would have played better.TC

That's exactly what I was thinking. You are not going to get much sympathy going down to $150,000.

 

[Devil Dawg]

As that carrot on the end of the stick turns into a turd, Kit may have to find another side job. I do admire the fact that Kit had the foresight to have a backup to his airline job. Maybe he can market a program educating us on how run a small business so when our airline takes a crap we have something to fall back on.

Long live United--The greatest airline that ever was and ever will be.

 

[Nostromo]

As that carrot on the end of the stick turns into a turd, Kit may have to find another side job. I do admire the fact that Kit had the foresight to have a backup to his airline job. Maybe he can market a program educating us on how run a small business so when our airline takes a crap we have something to fall back on.

Long live United--The greatest airline that ever was and ever will be.

Here's an idea. You rent one of those little booths at the local mall. Except your business is to advise other booth businesses on how they can go OUT of business without losing their a$$es.

 

[Hugh Jorgan]

You guys completely miss the point. The point isn't to feel sorry for Kit-few would. The point he illustrates is what is going on in the industry. Those who point to his article and say "Poor Kit", sarcastically, almost with satisfaction are morons. We are ALL In this boat together. It is skippered by the corporate raiders who are passing the cost of doing business on to the WORKERS. Better think long and hard about who the idiots really are.

 

[JB Bus Drvr]

I have to agree with the previous comments, too. when your income has dropped to 150k/yr. you don't get a lot a sympathy. I remember a wife of a major league baseball player here in PIT who was shocked that everbody didn't make a least 50k/yr. Talk about your lack of reality. I realize that it most cases, you spend what you make, but there comes a time whether through retirement, illness, or layoffs, that the bubble can burst. The question is that do you plead poverty and refuse to sell the vacation home, exotic sports car or plane, to take care of the basics or do you pull back and try to start again. The only two guarantees in life are death and taxes. yes they should have interviewed the regional F/O at Mesa or Skywest and see how their lives are. That's reality.

 

[User546]

Everyone seems to be chatty about Kit "having" to sell his car because he took that big paycut.

Who says he didn't have 5 cars parked in his garage, and now that he doesnt have that nice cushion, he had to sell "his car?" Still has four, but none the less!

I do agree with the previous poster though, this is a great article that I think everyone that is currently going to these "airline" academies should read and take to heart.

 

[ATRCAPT]

• Sudden decreases in income have caused stress at home. Darby said he and his girlfriend, a first officer for United, had to sell their car after she was laid off in 2003. She found a new job with a charter airline making $70,000 less than before. The pair's household income has shrunk by at least $150,000 a year, forcing them to rely on savings to pay the bills.

Kit and his United frirst officer girlfriend? Why does this just pi$$ me off!?!
Income shrunk by 150,000 a year!?! Cry me a river, Kit! Cry me a river!

 

[Paul R. Smith]

You guys completely miss the point. The point isn't to feel sorry for Kit-few would. The point he illustrates is what is going on in the industry. Those who point to his article and say "Poor Kit", sarcastically, almost with satisfaction are morons. We are ALL In this boat together. It is skippered by the corporate raiders who are passing the cost of doing business on to the WORKERS. Better think long and hard about who the idiots really are.

Yeah why are we sitting here saying Kit is an overpaid busdriver? Kit is a major airline pilot...somin I think most of us aspired to be at some point along the way..yes??? So he was paid well for it..and now he's not. But because he's piad more than you are now, he is a bloated rich dude?. Hugh, I'm with you man.

 

[Ty Webb]

Both you and Hugh seem to not know who Kit Darby is, or otherwise you would realize why this story is so ironic- Kit has made a career out of selling the dream, "COME! BE AN AIRLINE PILOT! THOUSANDS WILL BE RETIRING!". . . . just send your money to ol' Kit, and come live the dream.

Now, Kit and his squeeze are "struggling" . . . . not quite Ramen noodles, but the irony is still dee-licious. . . . kind of like one of those late-night "no money down real estate" infomercial pimps becoming homeless.

Second-hand Beemer sold upon furlough . . . $16,000. . . . . irony of the situation . . . . priceless.