What CHQ pilots really think!

[410dude]

Get a cheaper, used car.
Doesn't wifey poo have a job with her college education? If she's a kindergarten teacher, she should be seeing $40K min. Heck, at $90K you are getting close to not being eligible to even contribute to an IRA because you make too much.
Kids? Why are you having kids when you can't even afford to save for retirement or for their 8 years of education.
"But I'm a pilot. I am supposed to be living in the same neighborhoods as doctors."
Pay WILL NOT significantly increase in the future in this industry. You may not want to hear it, but the barriers to entry are the same as those for your Pepsi truck driver. If you WANT to retire comfortably, control what you are able to and quit wasting time on those things you cannot. Or don't. Either way, remember that each and every pilot in this industry will do what is in their OWN best interest.
As the senior pilots have shown time and time again that they will gladly throw the junior pilots in front of the truck full of hot tar if it's in their best interest alone, then the only way to protect yourself as a junior pilot is to grab what you can, when you can, as it ain't gonna be given back.
Start all newhire regional pilots at $40K a year and you'll see much less selfishness. Continue to start 'em at $20K and like someone on welfare, they get understandably become desperate. Question is, how do you realign pay so that a newhire regional FO makes at LEAST what a top major airline stewardess makes? Should they or should they not be compensated based on their level of responsibility ALPA? Anyone? I say give 'em some of Woerths salary.

Why do you people continue to defend the low pay at the regionals? Is it because you realize that you will never get on with a major and are trying to justify your plight? I say to all of you F--- you. You are now getting what you deserve, a career of mediocre pay and benefits. Good thing, I won't have to put up with that for a career. I for one, have some balls and I'm going to go out and get on with a major and make some real money. I'll be making $90K my second year as an F/O!!! not as an 18yr captain!!! Screw all you regional types with attitudes like the above as you are now getting what you deserve!

 

[viper548]

Why do you people continue to defend the low pay at the regionals? Is it because you realize that you will never get on with a major and are trying to justify your plight? I say to all of you F--- you. You are now getting what you deserve, a career of mediocre pay and benefits. Good thing, I won't have to put up with that for a career. I for one, have some balls and I'm going to go out and get on with a major and make some real money. I'll be making $90K my second year as an F/O!!! not as an 18yr captain!!! Screw all you regional types with attitudes like the above as you are now getting what you deserve!

I agree with you on the pay issue, but that is a very arrogant attitude you have. I'll also pretend that you haven't updated your profile in a while and you have more than 1000 hrs now.

 

[NuGuy]

Why do you people continue to defend the low pay at the regionals? Is it because you realize that you will never get on with a major and are trying to justify your plight? I say to all of you F--- you. You are now getting what you deserve, a career of mediocre pay and benefits. Good thing, I won't have to put up with that for a career. I for one, have some balls and I'm going to go out and get on with a major and make some real money. I'll be making $90K my second year as an F/O!!! not as an 18yr captain!!! Screw all you regional types with attitudes like the above as you are now getting what you deserve!

Man, I have to agree. To justify the low wages at the regionals is obscene.

Most everyone here had to get a 4 year degree. I would certainly classify the time and trouble everyone went through to get their ratings as worth at least a Master's.

You don't see MBAs, CPAs, RNs or any other skilled profession acting like whiny b!tches when someone points out how much money they make.

Flying is fun and all, but I did NOT get into this profession to make 90k a year when I'm gone from home 400+ hours a month (that works out to 50 8 hour days, by the way), have to maintain Federal certification, AND have the chance to blow a medical every 6 months. Don't forget to pee in the cup and blow in the tube. Not to mention that if I just even drop a wheel into the grass, the company and the FAA is going to look up my a$$ with a microscope.

Sign of the times? The new industry? Give me a break. The economy has had it's ups and downs, yet I don't see any MDs cutting their rates. Been to a lawyer lately? How about your plumber or the guy that cuts your $hitty ass postage stamp lawn (it's all you can afford for 90k, so I'll give you break)?

The guys that tell you that 90k is plenty are they same morons that tell you that being out of debt is bad because it lowers your credit score. Yea, right.

You know, the American Dream isn't just about going out and owning your own home, its about going out and having a better life than your parents. I see an awful lot of slackers around here content to tread water. Way to go!

Nu

 

[Nindiri]

lol

I guess I'll just have to be content with my 90K. Imagine, only 90K and only 16 days off a month and travel benefits to use on those off days. Just horrible. I should of gotten a job as a plumber so I could work 22 days a month knee-deep in crap for half the pay.

 

[Cracker]

I haven't read any of the previous responses to this thread. I am only writing to say that CHQLounge.com is not a secure website and anyone can log onto without verifying that they do indeed work for CHQ/REP Airways.

The only secure website with authorized CHQ employees is our IBT747.org website. This website is THE only one with supported and valid information.

Any info taken off of CHQLounge.com MAY NOT come from ACTUAL chq employees and therefore must be considered flamebait at all times.

I can guarantee that any childish or crude remarks made about any aspect of the airline industry are not made by any true CHQ Employee.

Or, at least, I hope not.

 

[BenderGonzales]

Inflation is around 7% per year.

Have air line pilot salaries increased 7% per year since, say 1980?

No? What has happened to the spending power of the average pilot?

And, if past performance is indicative of the future... what will your $90,000/yr be worth 10 years from now? 20? 30?

Project forward what you'll need to live in retirement. It's not good news folks.

 

[Nindiri]

Source for that 7% figure?

 

[RP170]

Why do you people continue to defend the low pay at the regionals? Is it because you realize that you will never get on with a major and are trying to justify your plight? I say to all of you F--- you. You are now getting what you deserve, a career of mediocre pay and benefits. Good thing, I won't have to put up with that for a career. I for one, have some balls and I'm going to go out and get on with a major and make some real money. I'll be making $90K my second year as an F/O!!! not as an 18yr captain!!! Screw all you regional types with attitudes like the above as you are now getting what you deserve!

Check your profile before you make these types of comments.

 

[miles otoole]

Why do you people continue to defend the low pay at the regionals? Is it because you realize that you will never get on with a major and are trying to justify your plight? I say to all of you F--- you. You are now getting what you deserve, a career of mediocre pay and benefits. Good thing, I won't have to put up with that for a career. I for one, have some balls and I'm going to go out and get on with a major and make some real money. I'll be making $90K my second year as an F/O!!! not as an 18yr captain!!! Screw all you regional types with attitudes like the above as you are now getting what you deserve!

Hey, FUKC O, show me where I defended the low pay at the regionals? I think $20K is absurd. I also think makling $90 K as a regional CA is good. You must have done really well on the reading comprehension portion of the SAT or did you not take it?

So, you don't have to put up with a career of mediocre pay and benefits while other more lazy pilots will have to? What's your plan? Where are you going to go? Remember thousands of pilots are infinitely more qualified and just as motivated to go and get on with a major than you are. Where will you get your thousands of hours of turbine PIC? Again, good luck with the "I'm going to go out and get on with a major and make some real money" thing. But do remember, there's a little thing called seniority in this industry.

 

[FatAlbert]

Hey Hey Hey!!!!!!

190 are a commin! Might as well enjoy them at Republic!

Later b!tches

 

[shuttlepilot]

90k

Boy this thread is really taking off. To clarify to my response on page 2, i do have a wife, she makes 1/2 of what I do as a 4yr Saab captain. We do have a house in a nice neigbourhood. Not a cookie cutter house either but one that is extremly unique.
3br, 2bath,2200sq ft, basement, yard,less than 130k.Two cars one a '98, the other '02.
The wife is thinking about coming home to stay. All this on less than 60k a year. It's all in how you live and how you budget.

 

[KeroseneSnorter]

Boy this thread is really taking off. To clarify to my response on page 2, i do have a wife, she makes 1/2 of what I do as a 4yr Saab captain. We do have a house in a nice neigbourhood. Not a cookie cutter house either but one that is extremly unique.
3br, 2bath,2200sq ft, basement, yard,less than 130k.Two cars one a '98, the other '02.
The wife is thinking about coming home to stay. All this on less than 60k a year. It's all in how you live and how you budget.

Shuttle, Sounds like you guys are doing OK. Add a few kids in the mix and that 60 looks a lot smaller.

My question is why are intelligent folks such as the pilots on these boards defending payscales that do not even match what airline pilots made in the mid seventies? None of my posts have blasted the guy that is out flying an airplane, I am trying to get some eyes to open on what is occuring industry wide.

90k is Top of scale here folks(and probably a 20 year scale at that)....that means that most of the RJ pilots will be making 50 or 60k for a hundred seat jet!!! Convair 580 Pilots in 1970 made 40k!!!!!!! And that was when a new Cadillac cost $6000

Why do you now think that you are not worth more than a Coke truck driver makes??!! I really am trying to understand the mentality going on here. Sure you have 15 days off......and you are GONE the rest of the month...not working during the day and home at night...gone 24-7 for half the month. How is that better than the plumber working 22 days a month? HE IS HOME MORE THAN YOU ARE!!! Just ask your kids whose dad is home more, you or your neighbor in the 9 to 5 job.


I never have been able to understand why pilot will defend these crap RJ scales. I guess you have been programmed from day one in the pilot factories that you are not worth squat and now you believe it.

You do realize that there are only about 100K of us in the US don't you? Thats right, only about 100,000 ATP's in the country, and of that number there are a lot of the over 60 crowd that still show up in the ATP registry. Geeze people, wake up and realize that without us the United States does not have an air transportation service........You are worth a whole lot more than 20k a year or even 90k a year!! Yeah Yeah "it's what the market will bear" NO it's what you settle for, and the CEO's are taking the 7 figure bonuses all the way to the bank in a fit of hysterical laughter!!!!

 

[miles otoole]

Kerosene,

Why don't you quickly summarize a realistic solution for all the young uns out there? Other than stay a CFII making $12k a year until starting regional wages increase. Over half of all major airline CAs started out as a regional F/O making less than $20K a year.

Very few go straight to the majors without doing time in the minors. Oh and "go fly freight or corporate" won't do as most freight operators know as soon as they see a considerable increase in applications, salaries will plummet. Simple supply and demand combined with low barriers to entry.

Any ideas?

 

[410dude]

Kerosene,

Why don't you quickly summarize a realistic solution for all the young uns out there? Other than stay a CFII making $12k a year until starting regional wages increase. Over half of all major airline CAs started out as a regional F/O making less than $20K a year.

Very few go straight to the majors without doing time in the minors. Oh and "go fly freight or corporate" won't do as most freight operators know as soon as they see a considerable increase in applications, salaries will plummet. Simple supply and demand combined with low barriers to entry.

Any ideas?

It's actually quite a simple solution. Allow only pilots coming directly out of the military to fly for the airlines. That way all the civilian whores would not be eligible to fly for peanuts. Supply would be resticted, therefore demand and wages would go up. All you civilian CFIs could continue to teach private pilots and such because who cares how much they make as they are not eligible to become airline pilots.

 

[KeroseneSnorter]

Kerosene,

Why don't you quickly summarize a realistic solution for all the young uns out there? Other than stay a CFII making $12k a year until starting regional wages increase. Over half of all major airline CAs started out as a regional F/O making less than $20K a year.

Very few go straight to the majors without doing time in the minors. Oh and "go fly freight or corporate" won't do as most freight operators know as soon as they see a considerable increase in applications, salaries will plummet. Simple supply and demand combined with low barriers to entry.

Any ideas?

The big difference is that the "half " of the Captains at the majors starting at 20k did it on 19 to 37 seat turbo props!!!! Not a 100 seat jet! Big Big difference here.

Solution?

Mainline MEC's need to grow some nads and shut down the 70 to 100 seat RJ at regional carriers right now.

Regional MEC's need to grow some nads and shut down the crap wages for the 50 seaters right now.

I know this will require team work....something that has been sorely lacking lately, but bottom line, If nobody will fly them for the garbage wage, the pay will go up......and in reality, since the RJ is actually more costly to operate on a CASM basis, I will bet that the CEO's will cease to have their infactuation with them and go back to the cheaper airplanes to operate....you know, 737's and 320's.

Nobody else is going to do it for us, burying your head in the sand will not help you. It does not affect me as bad as it does you guys, The RJ put me out of my 737 seat four years ago, but so far there is not much threat of an RJ taking my 747 seat away.....yet. But unless it is stopped now, It will eventually affect everyone in aviation that is trying to make a living at it.