Originally Posted by SupaflyGuy (Post 1231311)

Some of you are kind of jackasses. Sorry I wasted your time asking a couple innocent questions. I hear from my friends at Delta that it is a great place to work and that everyone is so happy. Now I question that, after some of your responses...

And, yes, mil IP with 14 yrs of service. Does that count?

Originally Posted by SailorJerry (Post 1231351)

Oddly I think this ties into a Regional thread about the "BRO".

Originally Posted by Bucking Bar (Post 1231487)

ABC affiliate, Channel 8, reporting Comair getting shut down October 1.

No Delta sources quoted on confirmation.

Of course thee billions of dollars flushed are not considered a cost of outsourcing....

Originally Posted by LOBO (Post 1231489)

WFAA???....

Originally Posted by nyc7erb (Post 1231408)

You can get about 5% in a Preferred share fund (Fidelity Focused High Income Fund FHIFX or about 4.5% in a Bond Fund (Fidelity Strategic Income FSICX). This is independent of the increased NAV share price. You can look it up, by I think they are averaging about 6% annually with these two funds. The best thing, I think, is to just buy the preferred shares themselves.

With a par value of 25, there are many offerings that pay between 7 and 8%. Check out Ford preferred, Bank of America Preferred, JP Morgan, Barclays, GM, Credit Suisse etc. If you look at a couple of the high income/dividend funds and compare the top ten holdings of each fund, you will probably see many of the same 'faces' in each fund. Simply buy those preferreds that you see in all of the funds on your own and you will make an extra 1% over the managed funds.

The downside is limited (unless the company goes bankrupt) to the par value in the case of a company recall of the shares.

You can also take some of your cash in invest in a Business Development Unit such as Blackrock Capital (BKCC) or Annalay Capital or Main Street Capital (MAIN). These payers usually pay >8%. They are required by the IRS to payout to the shareholders, 90% of their proceeds. There is more risk involved in these equities, so DYODD. However, if you balance a portfolio so that you have something like 50% in a managed fund, 30% in individual preferreds and 20% in BDUs or capital management funds you will come out with around ann 8% average annual return.

As always, take financial advice from a pilot with a grain of salt. After all, we were all dumb enough to choose this as a career instead of marrying rich.

Originally Posted by tsquare (Post 1231419)

A lot? Really?

Originally Posted by Bucking Bar

I-Team: Comair shutting down?

Originally Posted by flyallnite (Post 1231505)

Yes, a lot. I'd even go so far as to say most. I think if what I've heard on the line the past 10 years is any indication, most would reconsider their career choice. For your average over 50 pilot, that's probably not in the cards. But for a new guy starting out, I'd take a real long hard look at the reality of our profession before committing myself to a lifetime of being literally strapped to it.

Personally, I like it here. I've been very fortunate, extremely so, in this career. But I don't like what I see happening in the industry and to our profession. I'm not sure that in another 10 years piloting for a US airline is going to be something that attracts the calibre of person that it has traditionally. Probably more like a trade or long haul trucking. I don't know if it will come about via cabotage or scope fragmentation, or both... but I think it's coming someday. For our colleagues at LCC and UCAL and AA, that day is today.