Originally Posted by
SkyHigh
The guy who owns our McDonalds started out at 16 flipping burgers. He did not even finish high school and was promoted to the point where he was offered his own store as an owner. He is a very wealthy man today. (dead but wealthy)
I do not think the point here is to get line pilots to switch to fast food but moreover as an exercise in the opportunity cost of an aviation career. If a new pilot were to start out today in college by the time they graduate they could have as much as 300K invested in education and flight training for a profession that is a long way off from getting hired by a major airline that proposes to pay slightly more than a mailman.
Not worth it at all from a financial perspective. A mailman has nothing invested in their careers at the time of hire and yet they can reach DAL FO wages when their benefits are considered. An interview and a few years of good service at a fast food place can produce a similar income. Something is very wrong here.
Skyhigh
Skyhigh...very true. As I said before, I make more money from a couple of small side ventures I run than what I make flying 767s across the pond for Delta. If 2012 contract does not show significant gains, I will leave for full time business or fly for an airliner abroad where I make more and cost of living is much lower.
Airlines will lose out on a lot of good pilots in years to come the way things are going. They will not be able to attract an elite pilot group. I have given my best to the airline industry during the last decade. I have zero checkride failures, never required re-training, never had to see a chief pilot for any kind of issues on my part, never had a mis-trip and have never even once called in sick during my entire airline career. (I've never shown up for work sick either). But I have not been rewarded enough for my efforts. If I put half that effort into my side business I would be a multi-millionaire now. I will soon join others who vote with their feet if the next contract does not show a significant improvement....I will definitely leave with a heavy heart...because I enjoy airline flying.