s.r. 65 implications

[SWAdude]

Jim: Your entire career has benefited from pilots before you retiring at 60.

Flopgut,

When I got hired at SWA in 94 we had 3 retirements in my second year. Maybe 5 in my third. It has only been recently that our numbers have gone up. I believe this next year we have 160 or so total retirements which 40 are junior to me. This is our largest year for some time to come. Hardly comparable to the 500 to 600 that some carriers have during their peak years. Jim was hired before me and his upgrade was from growth alone as well as mine.

Jims entire career has not benefited greatly from retirements. Just growth.

 

[Falconjet]

Still those are more than would have occured with an older retirement age.

FJ

 

[Jim Smyth]

Flopgut,

When I got hired at SWA in 94 we had 3 retirements in my second year. Maybe 5 in my third. It has only been recently that our numbers have gone up. I believe this next year we have 160 or so total retirements which 40 are junior to me. This is our largest year for some time to come. Hardly comparable to the 500 to 600 that some carriers have during their peak years. Jim was hired before me and his upgrade was from growth alone as well as mine.

Jims entire career has not benefited greatly from retirements. Just growth.

Bingo, give that man a prize!

Growth is the way to the left seat and the higher pay. I was hired in 1992, rapidly approaching 14 years senority right now. I was hired as pilot #1277 in 1992. Right now I am #924. So thats 353 numbers in 14 years. But the big picture is that we now have 4700+ pilots. Growth is where the answer lies. Retirements is a very small picture at a growth airline. Eventually the airlines will recover and start the trend up again.

 

[SWAdude]

Still those are more than would have occured with an older retirement age.

FJ

But in this point it would have no bearing on the money side of the issue which is the issue.

 

[Cyclone]

bingo

jim

you described something that is true and it is history. the future will be different. southwest has 4700 pilots now. in 14 years do you think they will have 15000+ pilots? i don't but hey...maybe they will. nevertheless the point is your upgrade...was mainly due to growth. things are different now for your f.o.s their upgrades are due to growth (and retirements?). we'll see. 150 a year at your airline is significant...didn't use to be that way. times have changed so your point isn't necessarily valid anymore.

 

[SWAdude]

jim

you described something that is true and it is history. the future will be different. southwest has 4700 pilots now. in 14 years do you think they will have 15000+ pilots? i don't but hey...maybe they will. nevertheless the point is your upgrade...was mainly due to growth. things are different now for your f.o.s their upgrades are due to growth (and retirements?). we'll see. 150 a year at your airline is significant...didn't use to be that way. times have changed so your point isn't necessarily valid anymore.

The point is that Flopgut said Jim benefited from retirements when he did not.

Flopgut said...."Your entire career has benefited from pilots before you retiring at 60."

Of course the increase of retirements will benefit others.

 

[Falconjet]

Just because there weren't as many as there may be now doesn't mean he didn't benefit from the rule. Every pilot that retired at 60 (1 or 1000) was another number each of you moved up over the last 14 years.

Can't argure with that.

FJ

 

[PHXFLYR]

Bingo, give that man a prize!

Growth is the way to the left seat and the higher pay. I was hired in 1992, rapidly approaching 14 years senority right now. I was hired as pilot #1277 in 1992. Right now I am #924. So thats 353 numbers in 14 years. But the big picture is that we now have 4700+ pilots. Growth is where the answer lies. Retirements is a very small picture at a growth airline. Eventually the airlines will recover and start the trend up again.

Maybe so.... But what happens when the growth stops? Sooner or later it will,even for you guys. Just ask any American pilot who experienced all the rapid growth from the mid 80's to the early 90's. Quite a few are flying as 15 year F/Os today.

PHXFLYR

 

[Jim Smyth]

Maybe so.... But what happens when the growth stops? Sooner or later it will,even for you guys. Just ask any American pilot who experienced all the rapid growth from the mid 80's to the early 90's. Quite a few are flying as 15 year F/Os today.

PHXFLYR

Things do change but thats what makes it an interesting career choice. I have been there with no growth, slide backwards down the list, chapter 11, chapter 7. No fun for sure.

I upgraded in 5 years at SWA. Guys right now are running 6-7 years for upgrade. Not too much of a change from 14 years ago and we are setting up in our training center to handle 8000 pilots. It is a numbers game for sure and again growth is the key.

My Dad retired at AA with 47 years senority. He seen the days when guys got hired and sat sideways for 10 years, sat in the right seat for 10 years and then made left seat for 5-10 years to end there career. Then when they were in the "growth" mode guys went from on the street to left seat in 6 years total. There is alot of luck with who we get hired with and who manages the company we work for.

Did I benefit from the guys that went before me, Sure. Not much I could have done either way. Did I ever have a vote on it in my life, nope. When you are in the beginning of your career the last thing you are thinking of is retireing. When you get mid career where I am now, you see it coming. I am ready and have prepared for it. Some guys dont ever want to leave. Thats not my thought process. I dont perticularly like dealing with security,airports,hotels,check rides,rude people etc any more. Only thing I dont like is the fact that you get forced out with no benefits. If they made it to where you got Medicare and Social Security when you left at 60 I would be all for that. In fact make it 55 then. Biggest thing I see that can wipe you out is after you retire you get a medical issue that takes all your retirement funds away. So I guess this is why I look forward to the choice of maybe going past 60 to keep the medical insurance for me and the wife and not have to dip into the retirement funds until needed.

 

[fr8doggie]

My Dad retired at AA with 47 years senority. He seen the days when guys got hired and sat sideways for 10 years, sat in the right seat for 10 years and then made left seat for 5-10 years to end there career.

WOW!! Your father got hired at AA when he was 13! Now that's amazing!