When I was in flight school in the mid 90s, DAL and UAL pilots were topping out in the high $280Ks (almost $350K in today's dollars), and a pilot shortage was eminent. The plan then was spend a year or two at a "commuter" like ASA, Mesa, or Great Lakes, then make it to the big time. Sound familiar? The "promise" has always been assumed, but not since the 1960s when TWA and PAA were hiring engineers and copilots with wet commercials has it actually existed.