Sr. Barco

To add to the spirit of this thread I will relay the following info from a good friend who does not post on forums:

He has his ATP, 2,500TT, 1,000+ turbine (SIC), late twenties, furloughed from Eagle. He now flies for a grand canyon tour operator and says he is not going back to any regional airline. He's home every night, his wife has a good job and he sees no reason be abused for peanuts at the regionals.

Red Forman

Thanks for being "that" guy. I nominate you for TOTD.

JohnnyG

Agreed, 50K should be the absolute bloody minimum for flying a turbine aircraft full of people in almost all weather.

2,500 hours, fresh pilot, fresh ATP, turbine experience.

I moved on after they weren't hiring and I couldn't get interviews when I reached the magic numbers. I have regrets about what equipment I fly, but my lifestyle is much better and I'm compensated well. I'd like to go to the airlines, but:


1. 50K should be starting pay.
2. Those who commute should have company hotels and crashpads on off days. Nice ones, which treat pilots as professionals.
3. A retirement plan that begins building when you start at your first 121 or 135 carrier and transfers with no penalties as you switch carriers, because now everyone has to,
4. An ounce of respect from those that interview, schedule and manage pilots. The public holds pilots in great esteem, but I've noticed the corporate culture at airlines is leaning towards not just poor compensation, but looking down on pilots.
5. Laws that require airlines to pay pilots when they are performing ALL duties, not just when the door is closed. It's shameful that a pilot can be required to be somewhere and not paid.
6. Unions gone. No more crooked racketeering, no more buyouts to help send the career to the bottom, no more union dues, nothing.
7. The ability to strike and walk the **** out. Anyone who does not like their job should be able to walk away from it at any time, even en masse. That's what liberty is.



I am someone who, with the current rules, should be a ripe candidate for an entry level part 121 job. The problem is, I'm a qualified and college degreed professional already. You never stop learning because there is always a next step, but I'm light years away from someone who should be treated or paid like an intern. I won't go.

SkyHigh

I believe that the current generation that has grown up during the financial meltdown will not be conned into a fruitless career that costs a fortune to get into.

There is no pilot shortage but rather a shortage of people who are willing to put their life through the ringer for such crummy treatment in return. Regional and legacy airline pilots need to be paid the same.

People who work for the post office in my town earn 72K per year plus get a full ride retirement. A major issue with part 121 today is that it takes so long to reach a middle class income that the pilot is permanently behind the financial power curve.

If the regionals can not afford to pay more then they need to be more flexible for pilots to work a second career. Line sharing? Part time positions? Based at your home and flown in positive space.

Skyhigh

flynavyj

1.) Describe your aviation experience (time, type, hours, etc..)
2,500 TT, 1900 Turbine, 450 Turbine PIC (EMB145)

2.) What are you doing now? Does it pay well? How much if you are willing to share? Compare and Contrast your quality of life.
Work for the DoD. Pay's well, started in the upper $50k's, after two promotions I'm in the upper $80k range. My salary will top out around $130k without additional promotions, so I can't complain much.

3.) What would it take to bring you back to the airlines?
I left because of money and QOL, and I'd go back for money and QOL.

All in all, I don't imagine I'd get back into the business again...but I'd love to. I flight instruct to keep my currency up, and like all of my associates I miss flying. But I value my time a bit to much, and realizing you can make good money and have a great sense of accomplishment without waiting years for a major to hire you has changed my perspective a bit.

FlyJSH

10 years 135, 7 years 121.

Currently flying a KA200 air ambulance. Starting pay about equal to 8th year 50 seater CA pay. What would it take to get me back: 6 figure pay, minimum 15 days off, home based, interesting flying (if I never see another class B airport it will be too soon).

Packrat

How do you propose to do that without a Union. A mass walkout is a de facto "Union" action.

You can walk away from any job at any time now as an individual. You seem to want Union protection without paying Union dues.

Somehow that is a logical disconnect for me. Just like Tea Partiers who want smaller government but cash Social Security checks and are on Medicare.

JohnnyG

We get it, you are pro union and anti-tea party. Good for you.

Fact: some official, company and government recognized labor unions have been and continue to be corrupt.

Fact: The unions have failed to prevent the race to the bottom.

You can call a mass, organized walk out whatever you'd like and I'd generally agree that people should retain the right to do so under your terms. If you want to call that a union, fine. Maybe I'm not anti-union then. I'm anti corruption and anti paying for unions that don't do anything.

hindsight2020

this thread is awesome. Sounds like the gig is up.

tom11011

Let's try and stay on topic