Not a fireman...I was NYPD ESU and Delta Force instead. ;)

(Air Force) Lieutenants don't make 100K a year. There are plenty of us at Expressjet, on average one per new hire class (when we were hiring). When your unit runs out of money to keep you on orders, you end up in unusual situations. By the time you're making 100K/yr in the reserves, you have the logbook to get hired at a major anyways. As a Lieutenant, not so much. The potential existed when I got hired to upgrade and build PIC time faster (much faster) in Part 121 than Guard/Reserve bumming. At my previous unit we had a couple Skywest guys and at my current unit, myself and two American Eagle guys.

You also forget that a Guard/Reserve pilot will not make 20K. He will make at least 40k in the first year because of Mil Pay (Drill Weekends, AFTP's, Annual Tour) on top of that meager Regional pay. I made close to 55K year 1, and took frequent Mil Leave. If you get really short, you volunteer for a desert rotation.

For the record, I would have made 36K "bumming" at my Reserve unit as a Lt. You might be thinking of coming off Active Duty and going to a regional...I don't know of any guys who came to a regional coming off Active Duty besides management pilots. The rest of us Commissioned and went to UPT through the reserves and never made the "big money" on Active Duty.

USMC - what I think you likely heard was "I'll take the fat one" vs "save the fat one for me."

Grumble was probably talking about AD guys AND speaking of LTs in the USN -and possibly adding in bonuses. As I was reading his post and commenting on this thread - I was also thinking AD to commercial flying. Obviously guys already in commercial aviation or those who haven't built time in the AD side might very well find themselves in the Regionals.

That first year pay as a Regional Pilot and ANG/Reserve pilot looks promising though.

USMCFLYR

Well...it is the WINGMAN'S saying - so yes - I woudl expect the wingman to jump on any grenades rolling around - of ANY sort. :):cool:

USMCFLYR

Right. I was looking at it more from the age group of our dear Tim Martins. That article (minus the firefighter stuff) could've have been written about a number real-life 20 somethings who are actually doing all of those things without lying.

Pretty much right on. Forgot about the guys already in the regionals that get picked up by ANG or Reserve units. Still, Timmy's age and time didn't in ANY way compute, which was really kind of my point.

As far as his quote, which is directly out of Dos Gringo's as was pointed out, I found this quote on the same topic over at BO. I almost threw up I was laughing so hard.

"All I want to hear from you is two, mayday, bingo and lead you're on fire. Correction, don't tell me I'm on fire, maybe I meant to be on fire. You can say "lead you appear to be on fire." In fact, disregard that, I would rather burn than hear your voice. Any questions?"

Mid-80's to late 90's vintage. Maybe lack of PIC, or maybe "issues"...I never got to know any of them well enough to ask "so...what did you screw up to get stuck here?"

Actually one guy I know for sure is lifestyle oriented and wanted quick seniority in a domicile conducive to outdoor recreation.

Before I joined APC and learned much more about the airline industry from its' members, I very well may have chosen a *good* Regional for the lines, seniority, aircraft, and such; but I'm thinking that it would not be a good plan now. Doesn't look like I could get a job there either even if I wanted too!

USMCFLYR

You could easily get a CRJ job, learn the part 121 business, and apply to an airline you'd like to work at. The guy one ahead of me in seniority at SkyWest was only there about six months, and got picked up by Delta. Navy S3 guy.