Amen. Also, did you get my PM?

 

Let me Check there Buzz.

 

ACL

I agree they have a right to fly that way but that is not my idea of living. As a Capt if you "need" to fly 100 hours a month to make ends meet you are doing something wrong. I understand the occasional high months to fill your flying bank, take a vacation, pay an unexpected bill, but not a consistent 90 to 100 hour a month schedule

I am a twice furloughed FO getting ready to send my first kid to college next year. I fly fly 75 to 80 hours a month, unless I get a GS If I was a Capt making $30 or more an hour then I am now I can't imagine consistently flying 100 hours a month.

Then I again I like my family and want to spend time with them.

Marvin,

Your right a pay raise may not help reduce everyone from flying as much as they do but it would reduce some of the flying. Either way more pay is more better.

 

His experience should serve as a lesson to the rest of us to live below our means and save for the future for any future pay cuts or furloughs. If you follow this guy's advice you'll be in good shape:

Dave Ramsey Homepage - daveramsey.com

I'm praying for scholarships for my kids! Plus I was lucky enough to get into the new GI Bill (as a soon to be retired Air Force guy) which allowed me to transfer the benefits to my kids.

However, I think in the next few years we'll see qualified pilot supply go down, demand for air travel (especially international) go up, and wage increases should logically follow.

 

Caddis, and Elvis;

I 100% agree. Even with a side business and a wife that works we will never buy that "Captain's" house. Why? No need to.

Problem for these guys as they explain it to me is this. Wife did not work onB scale, never has worked, and they got though that. Wife never went to school, met in the military, had kids young, as no job experience, and for the most part could only do hourly work now. Some wives of the guys I have flown with have gone back to school and gotten good jobs, but most have not. Add to this, bought a big house in 2001, kids went to school in 2004-2008, no retirement savings, have 15-20 years left on house note, etc. In effect, they have no option with the housing market where it is but to work their butts off.

Now add, a boat, fast car, second house, and a second wife, girlfriend etc, and these guys are in a corner.

I agree it is not the way to live, but when these guys lost their retirements and then could not sell the large house, they lost options. Yep, I shake my head because I live on less than I make, but it is always a good reminder of where I do not want to be in my mid 50's.

May of these guys want to get rid of the max pickup, they want to fly over vacation, etc. The good thing is that it is widespread. Some guys I fly with on the other hand drop have of their trips and are coasting to retirement.

 

A long time ago, a 727 CA told me, while I was wrenching for him (I was 28). You do not need to save, your pension will be enough. Go have fun and soon in the next ten years (tenyearsgone) you will be a whale captain (dtw,reserve).

Good thing, I took my Father's advice and started saveing and studying for a different career, just in case. 14 months later, i was on the street..

Have fun, but take care of yourself first (financially).

TYG

 

It is a good job, and an average career these day. The sights and experiences are awesome, crews are great, but the money is not what it was. Stay with wife one, buy slightly uses cars, and live well within your means.

I laughed when I heard, that, but now I get it. Good thing I started saving money the day I got my first job. I would have to have options taken from me due to debt.

 

Heyas,

The above situations are not unique to the post-9/11 BK airline world.

There were guys pre-9/11 crying to the SPCC about how they CAN'T miss a paycheck while out on strike, or stories of captains driving a cab on their days off to make ends meet.

Nor is this unique to the airline industry. People are stupid with their money all over...a lot of which contributed to the meltdown we had.

Some stories are legit... like the pilot who had their husband/wife go absolutely bat-**** crazy and they needed to extricate themselves from the situation as best they could, or had a child with a really terrible, expensive ailment.

But a lot of the cases you hear about are self-induced. To those people I'd say "A lack of planning on your part, does NOT constitute an emergency on mine".

Nu

 

Nu, agreed, but they are per the PWA well within their rights to do this. I know it is not what I prefer to do but there are a lot of guys that fly their butts off.

For me it is just not worth it.

 

I find it truly sad that some choose to live like this.

I think anyone who wants no max pick up & open time pick up on vacation is a selfish jerk. It reminds me of those greedy individuals that will fly extra time with guys on the street. An airline that starts with C & ends with L comes to mind.