Originally Posted by
Husker402
I'm sitting just under 1300 TT and am close to meeting all Part 135 minimums. I'm despirately trying to build some multi time so I imagine I have quite a lot less time than most others here. Quite frankly, I'd be happy starting at 23/hr with the hope of making much more in the future. I know the work will suck for quite a while and I'll be living on mac & cheese also...but I have too much invested to give up now.
Husker, stop and think about this for a minute.
You will eventually get your multi time, your jet time, your PIC time. Naturally, you'll want to get paid well for your skill set and experience, right? OK, you're thinking like a pilot so far.
Now, start thinking like a manager.
So Husker is drooling over a big shiny jet right now and is perfectly happy to fly it for $23/hour. Why should we pay experienced guys any more money when Husker is willing to fly it for $23/hour?
We are handicapped by unions AND management. Look up the term whipsaw and you'll see what the airline managements have excelled at in the last several years, and the unions allowed it through the seniority system concept.
The question you have to ask yourself is this: how many times are you willing to start over at $23/hour because I assure you, chances are that you'll have to do it several times.
There comes the time when you stop building flight time, and are looking for a true career position, and yet you'll be handicapped by younger Huskers coming in behind you willing to fly for $23/hour. It's a circle that somehow has to be broken if this is to become a viable profession in the US.
Just a food for thought, bud...