TV Report: PILOTS ON FOOD STAMPS

[instructordude]

WOO HOOO! I don't give a frog's fat a$$ what a church says. It's filled with some of the biggest hippocrites in the world. I would do the opposite of what a church told me to do.[/quote]


Really???? :laugh:

 

[highsky]

Spoken like a true ignoramus.

I'd like to be there when life gives you a swift kick in the balls and 'hard work and spirit' become irrelevant factors in the situation.

It's because of morons like yourself that I and everyone else in my 'circle of trust' will be voting a STRAIGHT Democrat ticket in 08.

The first two sentences alone told me how you'd be voting.

Imbecile.

 

[Captain Morgan]

Cpt. Megadeth: Actually it's not the churches fault, people believe what they want and take the ideologies that they want and leave the rest. Hence the term "Cafeteria Catholic." But I respect that you believe what you want. Let's talk about airplanes now, isn't that why we're here?

 

[Box-Hauler]

How about getting to the root of the problem. The RJ. This piece of crap has caused our industry more heartache and pain than a bad mexican meal.

The RJ has given rise to "the shiny jet syndrome" Now guys will cut off a nut to get into a jet. It has caused the majors to "down size" due to the fact that an RJ will do a "short" flight. The RJ drivers get paid less than the Major pilots do. They are flying routes once served by Major pilots. The unions needed to put up a scope clause limiting the types of routes a commuter can do for them. Not a very good comparison but TWA had a scope clause limiting its commuters on the speed of the aircraft. I assume the logic was if it went to fast it could take away a mainline route. (wow that is exactly what happened, no more baby 9's flying for a mainline, just POS RJ's).

Please do not take any of this as an insult to the fine pilots who actually fly an RJ. When I was at the commuters I would have loved to fly any jet. This rant is my opinion on how we have gotten to the point of low pay. When the commuters had props flying routes the pay was low. The difference was that the majors had "small jets" serving markets that were to large for the props. This meant more jobs at the majors which meant more turnover at the commuters. With the higher turnover the poor starting pay did not matter as much. Guys were spending less time as an F/O due to the fact you could upgrade in less than a year.

This is how one type of A/C has changed our industry forever. It has given rise to the Skybus and Virgin airlines. The same person who jumped at the chance to fly the new RJ is now jumping at the chance to fly the new A320. As for charging more to the pax, I believe that most people would pay $5 more so that the guys up front are making a livable wage. The problem is getting the $5 from the management to the pilots.

 

[YourPilotFriend]

The economy now is totally dependent on air travel. Air travel now moves 40% in dollar value of the national GDP. No other profession has that kind of economic impact. That's why this profession is going the way it is. What's bad for us is good for the rest of the economy.

 

[Dizel8]

The economy now is totally dependent on air travel. Air travel now moves 40% in dollar value of the national GDP. No other profession has that kind of economic impact. That's why this profession is going the way it is. What's bad for us is good for the rest of the economy.

Well, the economy is also highly dependent on the kind of infrastructure FDX, UPS etc. provides and it is good for them and the economy. Hence I disagree with you deduction, inasmuch that if airtravel is so important, then the customer should be willing to pay more, but he/she isn't.

Air travel is important, but it is in many cases discretionary spending, in other words, the first to go when the economy is in the dumps, so how important is it really?

 

[SkyNation]

I made @25K my first year at a regional.

Made @53K second year, still as an FO.

Third year now, as CA I'll make mid-80K range.

it's all about credit vs. block.

 

[bluefishbeagle]

At a commuter in Central cal early 80's we in fact qualified for food stamps...as the company recieved got wind of it they gave us a raise...5 dollard above the qualifying threshold....and they complained when the yearly pilot turnover was 108%

In the mid 80's Eastern Air Lines did the same thing to get their FA's off food stamps.

Sad that now the bar is so low that pilots are in the same boat.

 

[capt. megadeth]

PS: Maybe we should use your tax dollars to subsidize stay at home moms and families instead of destroying them through abortion and other negative family programs.

Don't worry, we already do that. It's called welfare and it's out of control.

What kills me about all you guys that want your wife to stay at home with the kids but when divorce time comes, you are b!tching that she's taking you to the cleaners. What do you expect? You have a woman completely dependent on someone else for money for years and with no skills. Now, she is supposed to just go out there and make it without you and your money. You reap what you sow.

 

[capt. megadeth]

I'm sure most people would think an extra $20 a ticket is a bargain to ensure a better qualified pilot and a safer trip.

LOL! That's funny right there. Yeah right. They'd
b!tch about it because they think we are all paid $300K a year.