Aye-Men Jetblast
As you can tell by the amount of times I’ve posted, I stay quiet and troll the shadows but I couldn’t resist jumping into this hijacked topic.
Jetblast77, you’re spot on. I’m there with you. I’m eight years deep, weathered one furlough, on my second regional, haven’t broken the six fig mark but am not far away either.
To point out the obvious, we work in a seniority based system. My generation that came through is either pretty senior regional captains or junior mainline FO’s. Those of us still on the farm team, like me, are just packing away the PIC time (almost 3,000 hours in my case) and waiting for 2012 and the retirements to begin again coupled hopefully with some measurable growth. And then we’re in the cat-bird seat for the hiring. It’s not a merit system here, good or bad. So unfortunately those who are of another hiring wave are yup, still throwing gear or even worse, furloughed. Is it fair? Nope. But it’s life.
Wading into this forum can be a dicey proposition with the vitriol and cynicism, especially on this regional side. If you say you’re delighted with your spot, then you must be oblivious, and if you slash and burn, then you must get it and you’re in. But my clique that I run with, all with seats representing a variety of regional and main-line carriers are happy. I’m happy. Love my job, get paid more than most of my neighbors and know that in a few years it’s going to get even better. A close friend who’s a pharmacist came right out of school and made $90,000 his first year. He has massive student loans too and works long hours every day, picking up shifts at other pharmacies on his weekends. I make a little less than that, but ironically, and contrary to what’s been written here, I’m more present with my family than he is with his “nine to five” job. I have a great family life, wife, two kids and have found my balance. Am I the exception? Not among my friends. I’m stock average among them. I’ll say I’m the exception of those willing to speak up on this forum and say I’m happy. There’s always room for improvement but am quite pleased with my career trend line taking into account all that’s happened in the last decade.
And before I hang it up, let me clear up so many misconceptions of other careers. Unless you have a specialized education or skill, there is a lifestyle / ceiling everywhere you go. In most of the coastal cities, Chicago and maybe Denver, you may come out of college and roll into that 80 to 100 thousand a year job, but that’s the minimum you must earn to live a middle class, (a subjective term), lifestyle similar to what 40 to 60 thousand gets you in many of the other land-locked cities. To make above that level, you’re going to have to work long hours and more than likely travel quite often. To make the amount of money I make with 14 to 16 days off consistently is something I’d never trade for some consulting, computer, IT, mid-level managerial position. Ever.
If you’re timing was bad and you’ve had a bad run missing the upgrade slot or getting displaced or furloughed, I truly am sorry. I was there and know of the aimless days fading into a beer soaked evening followed by sleepless nights observed by a very patient wife. There’s nothing I can say other than it’s not fair, it’s just timing, as sick as you are to hear that and I am to say it again.