Originally Posted by SkyHigh

Hoss,

Please forgive me but I get confused. You hold many of the same positions as I do in regards to the industry, but when I post the same you criticize me. I don't get it. On one hand you acknowledge the same shortcomings yet on another want to justify it by claiming that you love it.

Is aviation a martyrs pursuit or a profession? If it is a profession then its return versus reward needs to be evaluated. Increasingly major airline pilot wages are coming very close to that of a regional pilot and aviation in general is closing the gap with grocery store wages.

I can not see it as a benefit to anyone to promote aviation as worthy vision quest. It is a career. It takes sacrifice to get there and needs to be compensated in the form of wages and benefits. I get that you want to try and find a positive if nothing more than to make yourself feel better but when does it become self defeating?

Just yesterday I had a conversation with a friend who works for the post office. He is in his early 40's. Lives an upper middle class lifestyle in a nice home with his wife and two daughters. I know that he earns a bit more than 50K and expects to fully retire in ten years. His life and family are intact. He has no student loans to pay back and is about as secure as anyone can be in today's market.

How are we supposed to feel good about being airline pilots when it obviously is crumbling under our feet? How can you be anything other than completely dissuasive in regards to an aviation career after the beating you have already taken?

I am here just trying to understand.

Skyhigh