I must be missing something – I thought Per Diem was to eat, etc.? It is not pay and it should not be counted as compensation. Also, $49K is better than a stick in the eye, but you had to fly almost 80 hrs a month and I am guessing you spent a fair amount of time on the road. I don’t know about your age, but if you are in your twenties, single, etc. it's no problem. After grinding it out like that for year after year it will become unbearable for most people. I think pilots should be able to make a decent living in this business without having to become road *****s.