Basing your lifestyle on a recent promotion at any job is a risky idea. It's even more irresponsible to do it at a regional airline, which in itself is extremely unstable. Did he really think the Socal flying was 100%?
This will be a interesting thread to say the least. I'm glad he had the gumption to speak out. I've seen a number of reporters and such on here trying to get a story, all they usually get is a bunch of "NO's we'll get in trouble".
The real story is not the downgrade it's the crappy FO pay. This guy is bringing it to light when no one will. We all know that downgrades and changes are part of the game but to go from a livable wage to crap(what I make now) is horrible.
__________________
The Dream that was told has already been sold.
I hate to say it, but if he ever jumps ship to a major, the first couple years could be rough as well. I feel for the guy being downgraded, but everybody has had to make adjustments - regardless of what industry we work in. It's called reality and it's a b**ch sometimes.
Reality as it is. Not as it should be.
__________________
The Dream that was told has already been sold.
This is a standard story of what happens in this industry. Someone once told me, "You haven't truly worked for an airline until you have been furloughed or down graded"
That is a popular quote that I have found is spoken, more often than not, by those who have been neither.
In the boring, stale, worn out fashion of what pilots should be compensated for vs. the amount of work put into it, I'll ask you this; what do YOU feel should be a "solid income"?
I cannot assign a figure to this. However, average household income across the country is around this figure, slightly less I believe.
I can say that at 28 years old, I've never earned this amount and have lived a comfortable life.
The downgrade is unfortunate for him. But, it could be so much worse and is for many many folks out there. AND, he's got a marketable skill outside aviation. All things considered, he's in pretty good shape.
Did I win the "d-bag of the thread award"?
__________________
My pilot blog: http://www.passionaviator.com
Twitter ID: PassionAviator
In the boring, stale, worn out fashion of what pilots should be compensated for vs. the amount of work put into it, I'll ask you this; what do YOU feel should be a "solid income"?
Didn't he voluntarily take a $25,000 per year job a few short years ago to start him down the long and brutal path back to... RJ FO? But this is not about regional airline pay.
I'm trying to teach my children to not derive their happiness and identities from material things. Unfortunately my airline has been all too helpful in that goal by taking everything away.
That is a popular quote that I have found is spoken, more often than not, by those who have been neither.
I have three furloughs, but fortunately, just one wife who has stuck with me through them all. I'm junior at my airline, and some of the senior folks have quite illustrious resumes, with airline names that many people aren't old enough to remember. I've heard the quote from people who've earned the right to say it.
I cannot assign a figure to this. However, average household income across the country is around this figure, slightly less I believe.
So I guess you're OK with a pilot making "average" household income. Hooray for you, I hope you don't have aspirations of being on the NC at ANY airline
Quote:
Originally Posted by bryris
I can say that at 28 years old, I've never earned this amount and have lived a comfortable life.
And I'll repeat it for your, over 9 years as a 121 pilot. 3 of those years exceeded 50K, 2 at just above 20k, the others in between. I can live a life just fine on 36k a year, NEVER lived above it. I'll ask you AGAIN, what should a pilot be making?
Quote:
Originally Posted by bryris
The downgrade is unfortunate for him. But, it could be so much worse and is for many many folks out there. AND, he's got a marketable skill outside aviation. All things considered, he's in pretty good shape.
See my first response in this post. For those like you that think it's OK for a pilot should make as much, or less than a garbage man, please, stay off your airline's NC.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bryris
Did I win the "d-bag of the thread award"?
Too early to tell, but you're working on it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by 3XLoser
Didn't he voluntarily take a $25,000 per year job a few short years ago to start him down the long and brutal path back to... RJ FO? But this is not about regional airline pay.
Hasn't EVERY pilot voluntarily taken substandard pay at one point? For many of us, the SECOND time we had to take it, it WASN'T voluntary.
Please, tell us YOUR story about how you've held the high ground and never accepted a crappy wage. Whether because you wanted to or had to. It appears you've had to suck it up yourself. I should take a similar tact with you, "Boo hoo, you've been furloughed multiple times whaaaaaaaaaa".
Quote:
Originally Posted by 3XLoser
Unfortunately my airline has been all too helpful in that goal by taking everything away.
Amazing you can write what you have with this in mind. Please, write Sullenberger immediately. Tell him to stop mentioning pilot pay every time he publicly speaks.
I think the piece is silly myself. This guy walked away from a lucrative career as a chemical engineer to pursue his dream of flying. With FOUR kids at home and a wife earning teacher's pay, I could have flagged this career jump as risky at the time. The risk was taken, worked out for a while, and then didn't.
He still has a job and a paycheck, more than many people can say, despite the shock to his ego for not feeling "in command and powerful".
Many pilots suffer this same plight over and over again. Through a career as a pilot, one must live below their means. Purchasing a Harley upon upgrade seems to indicate a problem with prioritizing where the finances need to be going to plan for this sort of thing that is inevitable in this industry.
Sounds to me like they are making $75,000 a year between the two of them, even after downgrade. That is a solid middle class household income. He's got no sympathy from me.
What Bryan Lawlor did takes a lot of nerve, I know him personally, and he stuck his neck out in an effort to educate the masses about the inadequacies of pay for pilots, and for the benefit of everyone including furloughed pilots like yourself.
What all of you should be doing is thanking him for putting his personal life out there so that folks find out what we really go through as pilots.
So I ask you, what have done lately to improve the career? Oh that's right you're leaving to be a CPA? Incidentally why did you remove the link to your blog from your signature? It's a bit hypocritical of you don't you think?
__________________
"There's nothing more difficult than to initiate a new order of things" -Machiavelli
LinkBacks (?)
Linear Mode
