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XJT Captain Downgrade Article in NYT

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Kit Darby sell this dream too?

Guys, since 2001 hit, if you are already in the industry, ok, good luck to you. Lets try to get thru this.

However post 9-11, if you went out and became a pilot to chase that airline dream? I am not so sure that was the wisest decision....
 
Upgraded too fast....

His response to some of the reader comments from the article:

I guess the real lesson is that he upgraded too fast, realistic upgrades don't happen in year two of your airline career. Long before the regionals it was sometimes the case that a new pilot at a major would sit sideways for a decade before even getting as spot as an FO and then Capt. Now, we just have join a regional, (the cheaper the better) and get your PIC logged in two years.
 
Three years from now, the immense hiring boom for pilots will erase all these gloomy feelings. Hang in there, no matter what happens...
 
I know what he's going through, although he has 4 kids I only had 1 at the time. After 9/11, I got bumped down to the right seat at ExpressJet for 2 1/2 years. He's only been downgraded for 1 and was a Captain longer first than I was. I was upset too like everybody was at the time, 02 and 03 where dead years. But at least I had a job and this guy should feel that way too. Btw, now I'm in a bigger house, 2 kids and furloughed from a major, so it's worst for me now that when I was like him. He needs to think about the 300+ XJT furloughes and count his lucky stars both him and his wife still have income coming in and tons of family surrounding them willing to lend a hand.
 
What is more sad is not so much that this situation exist as much as we as pilots accept it. With new rule changes around the corner, I'm truly hoping this will cut the supply of 400 hour 20 something kids living off mommy's teet.
 
What is more sad is not so much that this situation exist as much as we as pilots accept it. With new rule changes around the corner, I'm truly hoping this will cut the supply of 400 hour 20 something kids living off mommy's teet.

1. The theory that "we need to put our foot down" sounds good in the locker room but in reality is hard to put into practice. As long as newbies are willing to pay Gulfstream, et al, to be an airline pilot, those dream factories will exist. What are you (we) gonna do? "Put our foot down?" Ain't happening.

2. 400 hour wonders, as long as they buy into the dream, which today is invalid and I would argue nobody today, walking out of ACME AVIATION FLIGHT SCHOOL with their fresh Commercial Multi, that guy will NEVER see that 200K a year heavy iron salary, with a guaranteed pension, flying to Europe 12 days a month, (and off the rest), banging FA's on his trips, eating 5-star airline meals on board the flight. THAT Airline career just doesn't exist anymore. That dream (for the Kit Darby followers) includes promotion to Captain at 10-yr mark at your major, which you "should" have been hired at by the average age of 28. It included the recommendation to score 100 percent on your FEX written, so you "get noticed."

No, that dream is gone to the Airline Museum of the Past. Period, end of story.

The last big boom for majors (I mean all of them, not SWA by itself) was 1998-ish when everybody was hiring. Prior to that, it was late 80's to early 90's. (AMR's was huge in what? 1987?).

My kids may become pilots, but they will never become career pilots.
 
Aware of my above post, I concede the airline is cyclical and I actually believe a huge hiring boom will occur again. I mean big time, huge. But when? Who knows.

I won't be chasing it, but another generation of dreamers will be.

And I wish the the best of luck too
 
Three years from now, the immense hiring boom for pilots will erase all these gloomy feelings. Hang in there, no matter what happens...

Ha, ha, ha......heard that for 7 years now.

Majors are going get smaller and will not be hiring for attrition for a long time. Don't hold out hope for UAL, AA or DAL. It will be a lot longer than 3 years for them.
 
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Does not illicit a lot of sympathy from me. His somewhat brash attitude and irresponsible financial dealings do not make it a sob story. Hey I'm captain! Let's get a new motorcycle! Let's get in way over our heads in a house! Honey, I'm going to buy you a ring! Wait, I'm a newly upgraded regional captain, just maybe, take it slow and be thankful for you job slick. A more powerful NYT's article would be about the FO I am flying with who is a single dad of two and has another month before he will be on the street. That is reality!
 

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