Originally Posted by
2StgTurbine
I don't know why you keep bringing that up. That is the same as, "I know a 747 captain that makes $400,000 and only works 10 days a month, so it can be done."
Most of an airline paycheck is out of the pilots control. The staffing of the airline and the amount of flying determines if the airline has 75 hour lines or 100 hour lines. Then your seniority will determine if you can get access to soft time by picking up extra trips (if they are available). When I was at a regional, my paycheck would fluctuate by 60% because of those variables. And to make it worse, the months I was gone from home the most (reserve) resulted in me bringing home the least amount of money.
And on top of a paycheck that is largely out of your control, you are acting like $50,000 a year to fly a jet carrying 50-90 people is a lot of money. The truth is, the pilots you know making that amount of money probably spent several years making far below that. A regional FO should be able to make $50,000 a year at year 1 without having to work on their days off and without having to fly more than 75 hours a month.
I never said it was alot of money.It is however a liveable wage that is attainable ,right now from year one ,once you learn the system. Most companies are understaffed right now and if you know how to use that to your advantage then so be it .Some do,some dont.
Should it be more ?Should first year pay be $75k?? I don't know but it should be more than what it is.I definitely agree.
But once again, my point is to go spewing off about this to passengers is worthless. The fact is,you don't know what every pilot makes and alot of variables goes into that.So just have a little pride and professionalism about yourself and leave the traveling public out of our pay issues.It never has or never will help.