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State of the Industry?

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ePilot22

BuyTheTicket~TakeTheRide
Joined
Dec 16, 2004
Posts
903
So what is it like to be a regional pilot? I have been reading through the threads here and for the most part I'm getting a picture of an industry that doesn't match my apparent delusional expectations.

From strikes and scabs to contracts and negotiations, planes under this color and that size, my turf and your scope, what is all this and when is the flying going on and how much time is actually spent flying?

Just to save some time and a few post, yes, I am low time, no I'm not a scab and I'm not willing to fly for free. I am a CFI and currently instructing and more than willing to do so for at least another year (need to finish school). I will eventually have the time and experience required for the regionals and this is going to be the next step. What I'm looking for here and from those that post is what to REALLY expect when it's time to take that next step.

I don't want to have any misconceptions of what flying for the airlines is going to be like. Thanks to all that post something constructive and helpful.
 
It depends on where you are. I got lucky at Skywest, a good company and got a quick upgrade. One thing that you'll notice once you get to an airline is that complainers are always the most vocal, although their are alot of happy pilots out there. Just hope that your first airline choice is the right airline choice (furloughs, ect.)
 
Hello ePilot.

I began school about, geesh, 18 years ago to become a professional pilot and I must say I'm very disappointed with the outcome. Obviously the industry is not meeting my expectations. Fortunately for you, you have an opportunity to get opinions from those "in the field" to manage any expectations you may have. I did not have this opportunity since I didn't know anyone in the industry and the Internet isn't what it is today.

Tell me, what are your expectations in terms of income (short- and long-term), retirement, and quality-of-life?

Ward
 
Switch majors... Get out now while you still can. The ship has sailed for most of us. If you do this job for a year you have zero useful job skills. With no pension, lowering wages, etc... you will eventually need another job... When your 60.
 
Crash Pad said:
Switch majors... Get out now while you still can. The ship has sailed for most of us. If you do this job for a year you have zero useful job skills. With no pension, lowering wages, etc... you will eventually need another job... When your 60.

That is a little extreme, don't you think? Is it really that bad? Even if you stay with a regional for your career, you can make a decent living, especially once you upgrade. I think some of you allow the current state of the industry to fog your thinking so much, that you cannot focus on anything but the bad. There is too much of a 'dooms-day' like attitude about the industry. I would just be thankful you have a job period, because there are plenty of people, even outside of aviation, who do not right now. Things can always be better, and things could always be worse; regardless of how good or bad things are.
 
Expectations

Ward said:
Tell me, what are your expectations in terms of income (short- and long-term), retirement, and quality-of-life?

Good Question! I guess I really never thought to far past the whole" I want to be a pilot thing".

Money is not a big concern, I don't say that because my parents have money, they don't or because I'll fly for cheap, I won't. If I wanted/expected to make a fortune I would be in another profession. Initially I would expect somewhere from $14 to $20k per year, increasing to maybe the $60 to $80k range through 5-10 years.

Retirement, well that starts now and through my own financial planning. I don't expect a lot from an employer. Counting on someone else for my retirement could set me up for falling short of my goals.

QOL, as far as a big house and nice cars, nope, don't really care. Family and kids? Currently single so I guess I would have to start with a girlfriend and they really don't go for the above statement or the fact that I don't mind traveling as needed or wanted! So the 9-5 is not what I'm looking for either.

Work Environment, now there's the catch! If the stuff I deal with at my flight club now is just the beginning of my career then I'm in for a real shock. Managers that know little or nothing about what it is to instruct, but love to tell you how to do your job. MX, what is that? Let's just leave it a that! Other pilots that don't care about students, quality of instruction...blah, blah, blah. I'm sure all of you have been there and done this.

Most of the pilots I know are where I'm at. Thinking that Great Lakes, Colgan, Big Sky....etc is the great airline that ever will change their life and everything will be perfect. But again after reading here and talking to the few regional pilots I do know, MESA and Sky West, Sky West guy is Ex TSA and Lakes, both seem to try for the "angles" i.e. less flying, more money. Seems to be a lack of love for flying. I may just be naive, but that's why I'm asking.

airjackson said:
Go educate yourself. Or, if that proves too difficult, go f-ck yourself. Cheers.

The above quote is from another regional thread, but I'm trying to do the first before I end up doing the latter. Simple but true!

Thanks!

EDIT: I'm finishing up a BS in Finance, the whole "eggs in one basket thing". My first flight instructor recommended that I not get a degree in Aviation for the reasons stated in an earlier post.
 
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Ok let me calm it down a bit. Here goes.
I do this job for the travel and the travel alone. That will soon be stripped to crap at my current employer.
I do love flying. Actually that is a lie. I used to love flying. Flying at an airline is just like sitting in the back with a better view. I don't see many passengers who want to fly 20 days a month 4+ legs a day... Because it gets old.
Here is what I love about the job... Overnights... The old kind "Great Lakes" style (only lakers will know what that means). Drinking and raising hell all night in some sh!thole outstation. Talking about it the next day and then doing it again the next night. Those have gone too. Everyone at the regionals has settled in for the duration so tearing up the town with a 54 year old isn't what it used to be.

Pay. Sure as a Captain you might break $100 dollars an hour when you hit 18 years or so... If you are 22 now you will be 40 then. Current inflation rates etc... $100 an hour won't be what it used to be. Don't forget you are now 40 with a family, kids, tuition, etc... I know the industry will rebound in a couple of years.... NWA is looking for $61 an hour for top end FO on the DC9. Delta is looking for $89 an hour for a 12 year captain on the 100 seat model. JetBlue is already there. What this means is regionals will be forced to cut pay to compete with mainline rates.
Like I said I do this for the travel... So move on to the big boys and take the 777 across the pond. Sounds good I'll meet you there! Then I can go on the overnights that I love in Munich, Milan, Buenos Aires, or Tokyo... With a huge crew of 58 year old hotties...
Oh and before I forget I have been lucky. Mesaba, ACA (FlyI), Comair, I'm sure I'm forgetting some have turned into a loss of job and or a dead end career if you don't have the PIC. All of those companies were highly regarded at one point in my career. I remember when I wished I could just get a shot with one of those guys. Shows you what I know.
So in closing let me restate. Change your major. Pilot is like joining a frat or being a stripper. Sure it is fun for a couple of years but then you need to get a real job.
 
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Dont let some of the unhappy people sway you. This is a great job in a horrible industry. The job in general is great. I get alot more time off then i would with any other job and eventually will make decent money. First year pay sucks but it gets better. Do everything you can to get on with a good company and dont settle. I am not going to get into what company is better because of pay but more of how the pilots are treated and the contracts they are under IE work rules. Every person i know that went to Mesa hated it and got out ASAP and everyone i know that went to Skywest, XJET, Eagle have enjoyed it. Yeah it could be better and you could make more money but once you make Capt. you can make pretty good money. If you come in to this job with a good realistic mindset you should be happy. Just dont be that guy who says i would fly for free if i could just fly a jet. At some point this becomes a job and we deserve to get paid right for the amount of responsibility this job entitles. Just my opinion but keep flying and working your way up. Hopefully the industry will see its upswing within a few years. Good luck
 
Dude its all about how you look at it. There are some days that I really just want to quit and get out of the airlines. Then there are times at work were you see something and it puts it back in perspective. IE shooting starts, nice sunsets, sunrise, or a clear night on the east coast up in the high 20s low 30s and you are abeam DC Baltimore area and can look up to coast and see the lights of Philly, New York, and Boston all at the same time. I can never imagine sitting behind a desk every day. Heck even sleeping in the same bed for more than 4 or 5 nights in a row freaks me out now. I'm currently single and could actually live off of my FO pay. However I see how little that pay really is and am willing to fight for more pay. Hence the no vote I gave about a month ago for something that gets discussed on here too much so I won't hijack this thread with that kind of stuff. Besides that its the best job I can think of. However you have to remember that it is a job and you will get burnt out every once in a while. And for me about once a year or so I try to fly some GA just for fun. No release, no pax, no gate agents, just get to go up and fly just to keep the fun in it a little bit.
 
Thanks

great cornholio said:
Dude its all about how you look at it. There are some days that I really just want to quit and get out of the airlines. Then there are times at work were you see something and it puts it back in perspective.

This is true for any aspect of life, I guess it applies to being a pilot as well! Work sucks, that's why it's called work. We take something we love to do and do it as work and it's bound become undesirable.

great cornholio said:
I can never imagine sitting behind a desk every day.

I don't need to, 40 hours a week and I don't even get a window!

Thanks to all that have posted so far, I appreciate it!
 

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