Originally Posted by
Truman_Sparks
Huh? Why do you spread your incorrect opinion as some sort of fact, to deter people? Your statement is 100% false.
I raise a family, save for retirement and live a decent life while flying. I am an Regional Captain, 7th year. My wife is a stay at home mom. My pay feeds, clothes and raises my family. We live in a 2100 sq foot home on a 2 acre lot on a cul-de-sac. We take a couple trips a year to the beach or some fun location. We regularly attend sporting events or go to museums, amusement parks, mountain cabins, etc. I save between 15-20% of my pay for retirement. Are we living like Jay Z or A Rod? No. But neither is 99.9% of society. My neighbors all have jobs like office manager, police sargeant, delivery driver, salesmen, or middle management. My pay puts me on par or ahead of them. Where do you come up with this kind of statement? Why can you not live a decent life and raise a family on $75,000 - $100,000 per year? Most Americans make less than that. One most certainly can live a decent life from flying - even at the Regional level.
Not to hijack, but I don't think that the point was that the numbers don't jive. After 2 or 3 years, even an FO can at least contribute to household income bringing in 35-40k. A CA can bring in more.
The idea, if I am correct, is that the lack of job security makes it tough. For example, an FO gets hired and flies for a year or two, is just starting to get decent pay, then gets furloughed for a year. The effective annual salary earned, allocated over the period including that year of no pay, is reduced substantially. Never mind paying on loans if he/she has them. Then a recall, stays at FO pay for many years, finally gets an upgrade to the left seat and better money. Flies as CA for 6 months or so, then a downgrade back to FO and commensurate pay.
Soon enough, back to CA pay again, then gets on with a major airline (a crap shoot now days it seems). Gets furloughed from the major airline after a bit. Gets recalled and flies as a major airline FO for many many years. Company eventually goes out of business. The pilot is on the street again and is forced to take another job at first year pay all over again and/or faces another few years on the street.
Throw in a medical problem and he's done for good.
In the regional airline world playing musical domiciles, commuting can severely reduce the time (not money) that you have with a family.
Is everyone's path going to be this rocky? No. But many will experience something similar.