I actually had joined the Air National Guard, and planned to try to become a pilot. I, however, injured my shoulder during basic training, and had to come home. I will be given the chance to go back, if I want.

I also, before looking into the Guard, looked into AFROTC. The truth is, it is VERY competitive to become a pilot in the military. The military is also, last I was told, slowing down on the number of pilots they were taking. I visited an AFROTC message board, with a lot of concerned cadets about the manning issues with the Air Force, and reports that they would select significantly less for pilot slots than previous years.

There is one thing I will agree on, as far as SkyHigh, and Bla Bla are concerned. It is easier to become a pilot when you are young, and single. Trying to do it later on, with a family, can make it very difficult, to nearly impossible if you have a big family like SkyHigh. No doubt he cannot survive on regional FO salary. BUT, a single 23 year old should have no problem making it on $35K/ year for a few years, before becoming captain. I know plenty who do, who are FO's, or who work in other industries.

As far as regional captain salaries. Could SkyHigh survive on $70K/ year with a family of six? Maybe not. He says no. But I know people who make in that salary range, or less, who have a family, albiet not of six, but still a family, and own a home, nice vehicles, and are living a comfortable life. Also, a majority of families today are two income families, meaning both husband, and wife work, which adds to that income. I think it all depends on your situation. BUT, I still add; people are not exactly making much more, if more at all, outside of aviation.

 

I love sweeping generalities. Especially from someone who's admitted to being out of the business that he so aggressively criticizes for years. How the hell would he know who or what is being hired? Kit Darby and his crowd? They put out bad info all of the time.

I don't know the actual figures where I work. To the best of my knowledge, the company doesn't make them public. But I know what I see in AOC and on the line. My line dog guess is that the military is still getting the majority of the jobs. But I would not say that it was a lion's share. Again, purely guessing, I'd think it was in the 60%-40% range. But we do hire a lot of civilian people. And guess where they're coming from? The regional carriers that SkyLow is constantly flaming. (Don't bother, SkyLOw. I know it's a smalll percentage of the total.) The company wants glass cockpit experienced people. (Remember, glass cockpit people don't know how to fly. It has been written and decreed.) So the regionals are a good source for those pilots. In fact, a bunch of our Nuggets are out of the regionals.

More wasted keystrokes. When am I going to learn?

 

For FedEx, I'd say a newhire class is 50 50 when you look at what a persons immediate background is, but goes up to 75/25 (mil/civ) when you look at whether a new hire has any mil aviation background.

 

Hey guys I don't work for the New York Times. I can't afford to chase down every single statistic and reference them for you. I know what a bunch of piranhas you all are. I have to write in sweeping generalities or else you detail oriented geeks will nit pick my points apart by the details and avoid the real issues like you always do.

SkyHigh

 

A family of six would have a lower middle class lifestyle in a west coast city on 70K. I didn't sign on to merely get by. I love flying but it is important to me to have a stay at home parent and to be earning enough to live a responsible fully funded life that includes; self-funded retirement, college savings, help for aging parents and a generally upper middle class lifestyle.

A huge part of why airline pilots are in the situation that they are is that they are prepared to expect less than previous generations.

SkyHigh

 

Like I said, it depends on your situation. A family of six would have a lower middle class lifestyle in a west coast city. But, a family of 2 or 4 would be a little better off. What about those based in Georgia, or Texas, or Tennessee, because the fly for ExpressJet, ASA, etc. I was in training recently in a major airline hub up north. I was talking with a lady about home prices in the area (she lived there). Prices there were actually cheaper than you can find them here in the south, at least where I live.

Again, it just all depends on your situation. But, I still add that people aren't making more than pilots, in general. I was looking up average salaries of jobs the other day, and was actually surprised to see that there are a number of jobs that you can expect to earn more in Indiana, and Georgia, than in California. Also, one option pilots have, although many complain about it, is commuting. Where I live now, is actually a one hour flight from a majority of the regional, and major hubs, with numerous flights per day. This adds to it depending on your situation. In other words, someone doesn't have to live smack dab in the middle of LAX.

 

Well you seem to think that you have got it all figured out. Your next step is to head for a flight school. You seem to be focused mostly on the end results. I hope you carefully consider the sacrifices and difficulties and time it will take to reach that magical 70K. Things are good at the regionals now however like everything it will not last. By the time you get there the prospects most likely will be very different.

SkyHigh

By the way have you completed the calculations that I mentioned?

In addition my kids started back to school last week and I had a lot of paperwork to fill out on their behalf. I noticed on one of the forms that the cut off for a family of four to receive free school lunches is 55K of income per year and we live in a small farm town far from the city. Most other government assistance starts at 53k for a family of four.