Timbo, I agree completely. But I think guys maxing out their time is also a function of the times we live in. There are months I drop a lot and there are months when I'm compelled to max out for financial reasons. I, too, live in an older home, small, with three kids. I honestly don't know how junior FOs live in Southern California without a military retirement and book royalties. Sure, most commute (as do most CAs) but I don't think most guys WANT to fly to the max. There are a few that I know of but not most. With the pay cuts and benefit cuts we took, most of us have to fly our ass off to make ends meet. I relish the day when airline pilots are, again, compensated for the responsibilities we have. When we can, again, make more than the ATC guys we're chatting with. Then we wouldn't have any guys hitting the max limit by choice.