Originally Posted by mike734
Skyhigh, this is why so many of us have thought you're out to lunch. The fact is there are many other jobs guys with our brains and skills can do for a good wage with some upward mobility. You insist the pilot proffesion will never pay high wages again. I disagree because of the competing careers out there. Time will tell. Wish the Alaska pilots luck. We are going to try to stop the slide with our next contract. We start negotiations now.
My position is that aviation is unlike other professions due to the "shinny jet syndrome". It is not a real job anymore and is becoming more of a working hobby. In addition it is much easier to work for the airlines now that we have highly automated airplanes with GPS and glass cockpits. Airlines don't really require a difficult search to find a large and growing population of eager pilots. As evidence when the regionals started hiring new pilots with 600 hours to fly the RJ it was over. Another fact is that the majors have been rapidly raising their minimums to compensate for the flood of overqualified pilot applicants. Why would they pay any more? How can the airlines pay more when the competition is offering the same product for less others must follow?
Aviation is becoming more of a religion to the younger generation. They almost seem offended when I suggest that 50K is not a whole lot of money to fly as a regional captain. It almost seems that they are prepared to work for free. I wish things were different. I am sure that many here think my ideas are crazy, but what other alternative do they have?
SKyHigh