ptarmigan

I think the problem here is that we are talking about us as pilots. We are hardly wealthy yet as a group we tend to defend those that really are, and those that really are wealthy are just laughing all the way to the bank. To argue that the wealthy do not have an advantage is crazy. Even the WSJ disagrees with that premise.

It is not about those making $250,000/year, or even $300k, it is about those earning a few $million who are getting a real advantage and now pay virtually no taxes.

That said, yes, we all worked hard, but some a lot harder than others. Some had to start out really poor and made it, others really were born into upper middle class, never had to worry about anything, daddy paid for their flying lessons and college, etc. Are you really arguing that someone that had to work their own way to pay for their own roof over their heads, plus college and flying, or, if lucky, got a pilot slot in the military, worked no harder to get where they were than the kid who's dad paid for all their college and flying lessons, buying their hours until the kid could get hired?

727C47

you are right Albie, we can earn it all in one leg,and we all have our back stories whether its night freight in a DC3 or night traps on a CVN, where we paid our dues along the way, but I honestly don't think people resent pilots these days, or begrudge us our success, that raw envy is reserved for the financial sector,the hedge fund boys and girls, and the tech wunderkinds, God bless them.

Albief15

I am not here to defend anyone except my pilots. I didnt draw the "rich at 250k" line, thr POTUS did. You can lament about who pays what if you want.

My point is it is not easy to to the top of this profession, and when you do get here sometimes your catnaps in the sun get interuppted by moments that require years of prepartion and habit patterns.

727C47

i remember thinking that years back after a single engine approach to minimums years back in the DC3 that found us safe, and sound and ice free God's grace on the tarmac at Clarksburg ,W. Va. , freezing rain was closing in, it was January of '94, a jug had blown its head off necessitating our unplanned arrival, the thought crossed my mind that here it was January and we had already justified our yearly salary,and then some. I love the DC3.

onetime

Can someone please define work ethic? This has nothing to do with Anchorage, but work ethic does not have an exclusive correlation with affluence. There are workers in our country that have an identical or strikingly similar work ethic to many posting here, but don’t make anywhere near the amount of money we make. Are they envious? Who knows, but changing their work ethic alone will not make a difference. Obviously a variety of factors influence this reality (too many to discuss on this thread), but to say your work ethic alone has led to your $300+K per year and their work ethic is why they make way less is funny at best. At worst it’s borderline elitist.
work ethic
n. A set of values based on the moral virtues of hard work and diligence.

work ethic n (Philosophy) a belief in the moral value of work.

The belief that work has a moral benefit and an inherent ability to strengthen character.

727C47

very well said

mrzog2138

This "work ethic" topic started because some simpleton dismissed our compensation and what it took to get and do this job to "14 days a month". That is moronic and insulting, stupid and condescending at best. Yes, there are a myriad of things that influence success in life and nothing is guaranteed.

BizPilot

I agree with you but don't run for political office. You will be laughed off the debating stage.

MD11Fr8Dog

If this job was so easy, everyone would be doing it!

gcsass

Yep....just walked right into that 300K/ 14 day a month job....no dues paying, no countless hours of studying......just show up and go to work ......

This is part of "our" problem.....we publicly fail to value ourselves and the effort it took to achieve what we have achieved.....