Originally Posted by UConnQB14
is it safe to say that many people opt out of the airlines because they dont want to put life on hold for the duration they are right-seating at a regional? i can see how it is tough to do especially if you are only making 22K a year and flying your tail off.. combo that with school loans, being in debt already from flight training and timebuilding... i would like to hear the perspective of people who have worked all the way up the ladder (from right seat at Colgan or the like, and now in a 75/6/7 for a major)
as a college grad, i would see it as being impossible to put my life on hold for 5+ years just to try and get a good paying job somewhere down the road... the industry itself discourages pilots because of the lack of vertical movement... everyone can fly regionals if they can sufficiently fly an airplane and know their stuff well, but you need to have someone die or retire to get a major job.. hardly seems fair
UConn,
You are smart to pick up on this. I have friends who have put off things like home ownership, marriage, children and many other very important things in life awaiting a coveted major airline job. The last time I looked the average age of a new hire at the majors is 37. Add to that another three years wait to get off probation pay and to build some seniority for even close to a normal life and you are getting up there. I choose to go ahead and start a family and have sacrificed my career for it. Others who have done the same are stuck at the regionals. Often though the ones who do make it stop and realize that they have left behind some very important things in life and regret it. It is a ruff decision though.
SkyHigh