Originally Posted by
freezingflyboy
Hope you didn't get used to eating when you were at your corporate gig.
Skybus: $65,000 salaried for A319 CAPTAIN! $30,000 for FOs.
VA: $95/hr for A319/320 CAPTAIN! $44/hr for FOs. Merit-based upgrade (whatever that means. I bet their workrules are industry-leading too
)
YGTBSM! You'll make more than that at most good regionals such as XJT and SkyWest and upgrade at both places is 2 years or less. For what its worth, I am on pace to break $30,000 second year at XJT flying a lowly "R"J.
Sure, but those are starting wages for CA and FO. Look at most all the Majors and Legacies, you'll see about the same pay scale. $25 (US Airways)-$54 (SWA) an hour for first yr FO's and once you upgrade you'll make between $90-#130 an hour based upon yrs with Co. The pay is not what it used to be, I agree, but if you start at $95/hr at VA you'll probably top out around $145-$160/hr (around JB pay range). You can't make that at ANY regional unless you're one of the few employed as sim instructor. If he goes to SKW or XJT then he's stuck with 2 yrs (est.) FO pay ($19-$23 first yr and $34-$35 second) and a starting CA pay around $60-$65/hr (2-3 yr). DAL FO pay beats RJ CA pay when you compare 3 yr RJ CA (60-65) to 2 yr Maddog FO pay ($68). Top out as an RJ CA around $95-$105 (18yrs) and top out DAL FO at $129 (12yrs) while on your way to CA in the mid to upper 100's.
Just numbers, but I'd take the chance if I had his numbers.