Would you.......

[Browntothebone]

Not many FO's making 150k/yr.

This one does. And that's without any open time or working my a$$ off.

 

[CopilotDoug]

The regionals is a 100k/yr job after 10 years.

That's a big roll of the dice. To put it more accurately: The regionals MIGHT be a $100k/yr job (If you're airlines doesn't go under, if you don't get furloughed, if your pilot group doesn't take pay cust, if...if...if...)

 

[Dubya]

The majority of my friends with professional degrees making six figures spent close to the same that I did on their schooling. (doctor, lawyer, MBA, Phd) Those that make that kind of coin in sales or other jobs with only a bach. deg. work their assses off to get that pay. It is easily conceivable that a regional captain will make six figures WITH 16,17 days off per month. ALL of my friends are flabbergasted at that. Throw in the travel bennies and the fact that my job ENDS the second I am released...i'd sign up all over again.

Well, we all know that the majors gave up on scope over 15 years ago allowing the creation/growth of the "regional" airline. Now the "regional/national" airlines fly their old routes on smaller, more efficient planes at a fraction of the pay because of their desire to hang on to the very top tier of pay at the expense of entry level jobs at the legacy carriers.

Now they regret it and glare at the kids flying LAX-SEA on a 70 seater. They are suffering now because of their lack of foresight and greed. Now they have to fly til 65 to make up for it all.

You can be greedy and overplay your aces and get busted, or you can value bet and stay in it for the long haul. Now they are on the street (without pension/ taking pay cuts/ giving up bennies...etc.) because of their poor decisions years ago.

W

 

[Browntothebone]

That's a big roll of the dice. To put it more accurately: The regionals MIGHT be a $100k/yr job (If you're airlines doesn't go under, if you don't get furloughed, if your pilot group doesn't take pay cust, if...if...if...)

I don't know why you guys have your bar set so low. You do realize that there are airline jobs that pay OVER $100K/yr after the FIRST year?

 

[Gobi Gred]

When I sat down with the head of the aviation program I was going to attend he basically told me there were no jobs in aviation and that my chances of flying for a major carrier were nil. He certainly didn't sugarcoat what I was getting into. Later the aviation club brought in a guy by the name of Wayne Philips to talk to us about flying for a career. He stood up there and proceeded to tell us that most of us would never fly for a major airline. There was a lot of gloom and doom in his presentation. Needless to say I had pretty low expectations for my career. But I pressed on because flying and airplanes had been a passion of mine for as long as I could remember. I've had some really good luck in my career and while I don't fly for a major airline and don't know if I ever will, I make a decent living flying airplanes. That's what I wanted all along.

 

[CopilotDoug]

The majority of my friends with professional degrees making six figures spent close to the same that I did on their schooling. (doctor, lawyer, MBA, Phd) Those that make that kind of coin in sales or other jobs with only a bach. deg. work their assses off to get that pay. It is easily conceivable that a regional captain will make six figures WITH 16,17 days off per month. ALL of my friends are flabbergasted at that. Throw in the travel bennies and the fact that my job ENDS the second I am released...i'd sign up all over again.

Some BIG differences:
-They can hit the $100k mark much faster
-They start over at a new job, they can negotiate higher pay.
-Total lack of control over career progression as a pilot: You have to roll with the punches. In other jobs, You can set the tempo.

 

[Nindiri]

Hypothetically speaking if there was no majors (SWA, FEDEX, Delta....ect) and the highest paid pilots made $60-70 bucks and hour.

I have always wondered how many would still fly as a career if the most you would top out at is regional captain pay. .

Absolutely. I like making more, but even if I had stayed at the regional, 80K for working 13-14 days a month in a nice aircraft is not a bad deal.

This job is incredibly easy. It's like getting paid money for enjoying a hobby.

 

[instructordude]

I would. 60-70K is a lot.

 

[Dubya]

Some BIG differences:
-They can hit the $100k mark much faster
Working 10 times harder and much more and longer hours.
-They start over at a new job, they can negotiate higher pay.
This MIGHT work in prosperous times and in SPECIFIC job arenas.

-Total lack of control over career progression as a pilot: You have to roll with the punches. In other jobs, You can set the tempo.

Really? Total lack of control? Come on.

Not such BIG differences after all.

W

 

[siucavflight]

In a second, the airlines are not the end all be all, I fly corporate now after a few years at the regionals and I really love my job.

 

[Salukipilot4590]

Of course I would do it all again. I cant imagine growing up dreaming of flying and doing something else willingly!

 

[Goose Egg]

This job is incredibly easy. It's like getting paid money for enjoying a hobby.

Mind-numbingly easy sometimes. I tend to look at getting paid to fly for an airline is like being compensated for being bored. That's work, not a hobby.

-Goose

 

[CopilotDoug]

Really? Total lack of control? Come on.

Not such BIG differences after all.

W

Yes, they may work harder Dubya. But hardwork does pay off. My former college room mate just transferred companies in October because he nogotiated himself better pay and benefits with a new company. Don't get me wrong, if I had a trust fund, flying would be my Job of Choice.

 

[Lynxman]

Ok I'm still new to aviation but have a decent amount of sources in the industry. They all can agree that times are crap now one of which is without a job albeit hes 62 and made more than enough in aviation to retire but.... The others tend to agree on this. There will be a shortage of pilots. Lets look at it mathematically. I've spent lots of money on flying way to much. Many people are not as lucky as me to be able to do this. The number of student pilots going in thinking they want to do this as a career is less and less each year. Continental's pilot group apparantly from what I'm told is a much older pilot group than the other majors. Age 65 delayed the inevitable the mass retirements of the baby boomers. There is no denying those facts. Will we see a pilot shortage? Right now? Of course not. In 3-4 years? I think so. Maybe I'm being optimistic, and I'm not banking on it happening that way I won't be upset when it takes me years to make it to the airlines. But I sure can hope and pray there is one!

 

[Flyer1015]

What other line of work can someone like me make over $150,000 a year (still an F/O) with just a high school diploma.

Try drug dealing, sell crack! You don't even need a high school diploma for that one!

Once you're furloughed, that high school degree won't get you far.

 

[Browntothebone]

Try drug dealing, sell crack! You don't even need a high school diploma for that one!

Once you're furloughed, that high school degree won't get you far.

I'm way too senior to get furloughed.

 

[Salukipilot4590]

Try drug dealing, sell crack! You don't even need a high school diploma for that one!

Yeah but you'd do MUCH better on the street with an MBA to be totally honest.

Also you'd probably be less likely to spend the money on 48" rims too...

 

[OUPilot01]

Lynxpilot

I agree with you that there is going to be a mass exodus of pilots in about the next 3-4 years. I doubt this will cause the extreme pilot shortage everyone talks about. You are right that you have to either come from well off means or have loads of debt to afford all the flight training in this day and age. However 1-2 years ago when we where starting to see what a pilot shortage might do, management just kept lowering and lowering the minimum flight experience until some of the lower tier airlines only required your commercial. This in many cases greatly reduced the cost and time it took to make it to the airlines. Management is smart and know that not only could a severe pilot shortage happen but also how much leverage it would give pilot groups. For this reason they will do all it take to mitigate one including ab initio. Although I hope that I am wrong on this matter history shows that a pilot shortage brings about lower and lower quilifications for pilots until all you will need is a GED to become one.

 

[lionflyer]

Lynxpilot

I agree with you that there is going to be a mass exodus of pilots in about the next 3-4 years. I doubt this will cause the extreme pilot shortage everyone talks about. You are right that you have to either come from well off means or have loads of debt to afford all the flight training in this day and age. However 1-2 years ago when we where starting to see what a pilot shortage might do, management just kept lowering and lowering the minimum flight experience until some of the lower tier airlines only required your commercial. This in many cases greatly reduced the cost and time it took to make it to the airlines. Management is smart and know that not only could a severe pilot shortage happen but also how much leverage it would give pilot groups. For this reason they will do all it take to mitigate one including ab initio. Although I hope that I am wrong on this matter history shows that a pilot shortage brings about lower and lower quilifications for pilots until all you will need is a GED to become one.

Yup! And after that they will start pushing hard for the "Multi Crew" pilot license and if that doesn't solve the shortage problem they will pursue unmanned flight. It's not gonna happen tomorrow but it's comming. Of course the most automated, sophisiticated, bad a$$ computer/autopilot in the world will never be able to do what Capt Sully just did.

 

[Goose Egg]

Of course the most automated, sophisiticated, bad a$$ computer/autopilot in the world will never be able to do what Capt Sully just did.

Amen to that!