With all due respect your entitlement mentality is what has led your generation to have a work ethic that for the most part is in the toilet. Are there exceptions to the rule? yes. Are you the exception? Perhaps. Lets just use a bit of that 10% of our brains here to see this entitlement philosophy leads to a spoiled society interested in nothing but themselves and working hard for nothing. No I'm not some crusty WWII generation person with the dustbowl mentality. I am just someone who THANK GOD had parents that left me with a solid work ethic and the belief that I am entitled to NOTHING unless I work hard and prove that I am capable of handling what it is that ever comes my way. Hand it to me and I have no appreciation for it and little respect as well. Just my .02 cents

I believe that if you work hard and have a good work ethic, then you are entitled. It is important to make that distinction because of people who don't do any hard work and feel that they are entitled just as us who have worked 2-3 jobs while attending college, etc.

Just make sure we do not "hate" on people that work hard and are rewarded with better things than us. It creates animosity amongst the same group of people- and no, I wasn't that person rewarded with the "better" object.

In many respects I totally agree with you man, especially where "spoiled society" comes into the picture. When I was in college a news story came out that the kid of a rich studio exec ran his car into a crowd of other college students and killed a couple... because he was on drugs. What a piece of work huh? I couldn't believe it- the kid had EV-UH-REY-THANG handed to him, and what did he do but go trash his own life and a couple of others' in the process. So, we are totally in agreement there.

BUT, on the flip side (I don't know your background- if you work for a 121 operator or whatnot), we are highly educated and have MASSIVE debt incurred during training. Then, we shoulder tremendous amounts of responsibility... remember Bluegrass, or any other accident for that matter. For our efforts, we should be treated like kings- heck, in other countries pilots are treated in this manner. For SOME REASON, in the US it isn't that way. Why? Emerates treats their pilots like royalty... in a practically 3rd world nation. 2+2=? In the US, we are second class citizens to the almighty dollar. WORSE, we are second class citizens to the fat pigs in the upper echelons of management. Pilots are working class... we are labor. And, we should not be ashamed to feel entitled to get $$$. Sports players get the big bucks... how many lives are in the hands of... Mark Macguire or Tiger Woods? So, talk about a society with its priorities out of whack. Truck drivers make big bank... longshoreman do too. So yes, I should be making the really really big bucks... in an RJ.

Thoughts?

I don't think anyone is entitled to anything. If you want something you are going to work for it.

Great post ERJ Driver. I guess we are in much more agreement than I thought. I do work for a 121 and certainly have worked very hard to get to where I am. In taking a long hard look at myself I do have a certain sense of entitlement to better pay and treatment than I currently receive BECAUSE I WORKED MY ARSE OFF. I think I was talking to the 20 year old kid who's daddy paid for all his/her training, half heartedly passed all his ratings, got the wet multi commercial ticket, lands the regional gig (possible through daddy's connections) and now expects $100K a year because he/she is an "airline pilot". I think its those types that I want to slap back to reality. Guys like us yes, we are entitled to much more than we get. Doogie Houser in the right seat is not until they earn it. Sincere apology for getting on your case brother.

Oh, its all good mate- a beer to ya! I know what you are saying there... Ya see, I went through a fairly painful process of learning to be a professional at my job (its been tough at MAG, being a bottom feeder, there is certainly bottom feeder culture here). I gotta admit, I had to learn what professionalism meant: keeping current on the book knowledge, looking good in uniform etc etc. Initially I just chocked that all up to my crummy paycheck- but these categories do go beyond the dollar. I have come to understand that a greenback should not dictate my professionalism- that category is more of an ethics thing. So, there was a learning curve for me, and I'll bet for everyone else to some extent. The problem is that Doogie Houser is on the same payscale as me, so I have to take the good with the bad. Doogie is going to learn, especially at MAG what a hard days life is. Trust me, Doogie is gonna learn over here. Hence my career mantra to all the peeps with silver or gold stripes on their shoulders:

I am entitled.
If you want to join the club, the door's open and the fire's crackling.
:D

I think I will!!! And the beers on me since we are MAG bretheren.

I cant stand all these young damn whipper-snapper pilots. They all seem to think that they are entitled to livable wages and working conditions. They are simply here as assistants for real pilots, and by real pilots I mean mainline captains, like myself. Seriously these young kids dont even remind me to take off my wedding ring before I go visit my girlfriends on overnights anymore. What kind of team work is that. Now I have to go vote to give up all of my airlines scope to try and keep a little of my well earned retirement.

Nice post. In my opinion, Bush's administration has stolen the american dream... from airline workers too. Years of sweat and hard work for a pilot to become a regional FO just to make as much as a ramper that only trained for a month. Nothing against rampers... I just want to get by!

We need democrats back in the White House to fix this top heavy country we used to call America. Pilot wages should be paid in reference skill, not by supply demand.

Vote Obama. We don't need just two familes in the White House for 7+ terms. Bush Bush Clinton Clinton Bush Bush Obama!
http://www.suntimes.com/news/sweet/3...weet15.article

PS - So yes I do think that new pilots shouldn't have to pay their dues any more than they already have.

So if you are a new pilot what "dues" have they paid in your eyes? Flight school is only 1/4 of the battle.