What is our future?

[SaifAir]

And the pay will in turn go up.

Will the pay go up or when there is a shortage will the minimums to get hired just go down? 500 hour pilots will work for little or nothing.

 

[spitfire1940]

the problem

I think a big part of the problem, if we can call it that, is that we fly because we love to fly and management takes advantage of that.

how many times have I heard pilots say, "i can't believe I get paid to do this"? And these aren't guys who belittle their qualifications, like the shmucks who tell pax that they just push the button on the autopilot and have nothing to do until the plane lands itself. And they don't say that because they didn't work themselves silly to get into their position, or because they don't know they're among the highest qualified professionals in the world, and it's certainly not because they don't sweat out every checkride and medical.

No, they're doing what they want to do. Problem is, there's a high premium on that, so we accept very low pay.

Most non-pilots don't believe that the FO on a turboprop gets paid less than a social worker. But Mesa can pay that because if I don't take that job, someone else will, and I'll wind up being a CFI forever.

I just landed a part-time job flying Navajos and I'm stoked, even though I think I'm worth more than 25 bucks an hour. The problem is, the market says I'm not worth more because if I don't fly that plane, 200 other guys will trample each other to take it. And then I'll never get the multi hours I need for a real flying job (which will also have lousy pay).

Unless every single pilot put his or her foot down and says they won't fly for below a liveable wage (or an upper middle class wage at a decent airline), we'll always have this problem.

Face it guys, we're as easy as teenage nymphomaniacs after a glass of champagne. The blessing of loving what we do has the curse that we often have to do it on the cheap.

 

[Futura]

Will the pay go up or when there is a shortage will the minimums to get hired just go down? 500 hour pilots will work for little or nothing.

Either there is a shortage or there isn't one. You can't paint it both ways.
No matter what the min. requirements, companies that are having a hard time finding applicants will inevitably raise their wages in order to attract applicants away from the competition. Its one of those things that happens in this market driven capitalist society that the anti-union posters so often point out.

 

[100LL... Again!]

-----------------------------------------------
The downfall for our profession will be the guys willing to work for 150k max and no pension, not the guys making 300k annually flying the 777 and 747.
------------------------------------------------


I see. Blame the guy trying to make a living. Sooooo, if I demanded $250K, I would get it? How silly of me!

If it was only as easy as this you make it seem.

Rainbows and daffodils, fellas!
Don't worry, be happy!

If you are worth so much, how come you can be replaced?

 

[Timebuilder]

Will the pay go up or when there is a shortage will the minimums to get hired just go down? 500 hour pilots will work for little or nothing.

That's the way it has been, due primarily to the "light at the end of the tunel", the Big Iron Major Job, the one with the high pay.

If that job goes away, you may not see the large number of young pilots who see this as a viable career, one "worth the suffering" of living on a regional FO salary. Seriously, will Mom and Dad fund the education that leads to the salary of the guy that owns the auto repair shop down the street, or do they want greater possibilities for little Johnny?

Love of flying is a great motivator, but when you plan your life, and your lifestyle, it may not be enough in the future.

 

[SaifAir]

From what I am seeing most people are happy with the idea of 150/yr with a 401K. So if they want to attract new people they will just raise the starting wage and we will not see such a big spread between the junior salaries and the top salaries.

 

[Futura]

From what I am seeing most people are happy with the idea of 150/yr with a 401K. So if they want to attract new people they will just raise the starting wage and we will not see such a big spread between the junior salaries and the top salaries.

All of these theories are well and good but these things don't take place in a vaccum. Many things have influence over pilot salaries.

As much as unemployed/underemployed pilots are willing to work for what ever, the pilots who are currently employed at that company have more control over salaries than those who are not.
Even if by some big business inspired miracle unions were to dissapear from the face of the earth or if the McCain "baseball arbitration" BS actually passes, the pilots still have some control over their destiny.

Airlines know that if their pilots are not happy many operational performance areas begin to suffer. Things that break are written up immediately at non-maintenance stations, fuel burns increase, extra fuel added where it is expensive to buy, flights are just one minute late.........every time. The list goes on.

So as much as most of the recent posters think pilot pay is exclusively driven by the supply of qualified applicants, it is only PART of the equation.

 

[Futura]

I hope you dont lose your medical.

That's what long term disability insurance is for.
That might actually be the best thing that could happen to a UAL pilot right now. If you're on LTD the money comes from the insurance company. The airline can go down in flames and you'll still get your benefit until your 60th.