Originally Posted by
Tinpusher007
I do see where you are coming from. But you have to remember that everyone's situation is different. Im 29 single and looking at an upgrade at the beginning of the year. I have 35 more years of 121 flying available to me. Take a guy who is older than me but has a wife and 2 kids to feed. He may enjoy the stability of a good sked and money more than risking being at the bottom of a major's list and taking a pay cut.
Plus, by your logic, if things become "too good" at the regionals that would mean less would leave and go to the majors...even when they are hirirng. That doesn't preclude guys with less seniority from moving on. Believe me, when those floodgates open again, people will RUN, not walk to the majors. Comfort at the regionals for the senior guys is not whats keeping the major from hiring. Guys are not going to quit the regionals to force them into a staffing problem so that the majors will say "the hell with RJ's, we need more mainline lift". I understand your theory but I think you know it just doesn't work that way. And its a flawed argument in blaming regional pilots for this.
Lastly, the company decides what kind of plane gets flown where. If they can't make money on a 737 and feel they need a CRJ-900 thats not the fault of the pilot(s) flying it. Its simply what the market demands. If the 900 wasn't available, they might pull out of the market altogether. With the economy the way it is and the cost of fuel as volatile as it is, I don't think its a forgone conclusion that if 90% of RJ's were suddenly gone tomorrow that there would be an automatic influx of 737's and A319's replacing all of that lift.
You too make some good points Tin, but the bottom line is that an airplane like the 900 should be a Mainline aircraft. The pilots at the majors let that slip away a few years back. Can we get it back? Don't know and probably not.
The point about the guy being comfortable with his schedule and pay at the regional level is exactly my point. It's TOO GOOD. We entice too many people into this profession by making it a descent paying job at the lower levels. If the only reward was at the top, more people wouldn't just jump into aviation, and many have. The reward should be harder to attain. The initial sacrifice should be greater, and the ultimate reward should be just that...THE ULTIMATE job at a major airline. Used to be that way, anyway.
I respect your point of view Tin. Good luck moving up in the regionals to get that PIC time. In time, you will get where it sounds to me like you desire to be someday. Stay within your means and keep climbing the ladder.