The only QOL in this business has been with those with HIGH senority numbers ...I dont care if it was 10 years ago,,, or 30 years ago. I personally know guys who rode side saddle for over 20 years because of NO movement in their companies and retired as FO's. Pay and working conditions have been a moving target for 30 years. Maybe they were the glory years but the sitting around complaining about how things were so much better THEN as to now does nobody any good. If you dont think there were guys 30 years ago who had dreams of being an AIRLINE pilot but who just couldnt get there for what ever reason and was stuck flying smaller airplanes for crap pay most of their life you are kidding yourself. Its nice to put on the rose colored glasses and think that every guy who got into aviation in the 50 or 60 or 70's ended up in the left seat of a major carrier working 8 days a month and making a kings ransom but it didnt happen then,,,, and its not happening now. Being in the right place at the right time ( its called luck ) is about 80% of this business.

So much of these discussions revolve around pay and QOL and while I believe and want for my self something that is reasonable, its also fair to say that may be different for other people. Im a military trained pilot thats no secret, and I certainly didnt join the military for great pay and QOL 20 years ago, I did it because I wanted to fly and those other things were secondary. The pay was a fair wage after a few years ( sorta like now ) but the QOL well it pretty much BLEW. I got our after 7 years for many reasons the most important of which were NOT money or QOL. I knew going in those things would suck... they did... so there was nothing to ***** about in my opinion.

I am not saying things shouldnt get better or that the Unions and the various pilot groups shouldnt work for better contracts with better wages and better work rules. We should and they should but this is a profession you better really love if you want to get it in. If its all about flying the biggest piece of equipment you can to make the most bucks you can maybe you should have chosen another profession. Or in the case of those not in yet... chose another profession.

I wish everyone the best of luck. Unlike SKY I believe there is still something worthwhile in this industry, is it an easy road...NO... but I dont think it ever was really in the first place.