450knotOffice

Really? Think about that for a minute. For those out there like yourself (C-17 left seat) or myself, this means nothing. For those who are just beginning in this industry, those with a fresh ATP and no appreciable turbine time, this (meaning the bottom feeders, as you guys so eloquently put it), this is how they build the time and experience to someday become competitive applicants for a major major airline job. Would they all like to skip this step and move straight from flight instructing, banner towing, charter work, etc. to the Major airlines? Without a doubt. Is that possible. Almost without exception, no. Therefore, they can get excited about the entry level airline job market opening up. Yes, they will be very poorly paid initially, but then again, AA pays only $40 an hour to start there too, and since I'm a flowthrough about to head over there, I'm taking that ridiculous cut in pay to better myself in the long term. In a Utopian world, ALL FO's would make substantially better money than they presently do now. In the real world, I don't see this happening unless and until there is a REAL pilot shortage.