QUOTE "Then don't go to work for Lakes. Base pay at SkyWest is just shy of 20K, not counting per diem. Second year is 28K if you stay on the Brasilia."
Actually, training at SkyWest is paid at 60 hours a month at $22 an hour with no per diem. So year one base pay is around $19,000.
Instructor gig over 2 years is $64,000. SkyWest on the brasillia over 2 years is $47,000.
A year instructing followed by a year at Amflight would earn you around $60,000 and get you some turbine PIC on your resume.