A mistake is to assume that the future will be as it is today. The current boom in regional hiring will not last much longer. In ten years we most likely will have a much different situation. Once management begins to realize that pilots are going to make a career out of the regionals I am certain that you will see those pay scales reduce and upgrades drag out. Even now after you calculate all the money spent on training and the low wage years spent on building basic experience it doesn't pencil out at 50-70K. In my estimation it would take 100K plus for over a decade to make up for all the losses to takes to get there. Lastly much of the current turnover at the regionals is not due to hiring at the majors, so where are they going? I think most have realized that they have reached a dead end and quit for careers outside of aviation. In the end it is still a difficult weary job with few rewards.

SKyHigh