To a certain extent that is true. Especially the part about all the sub-contracting... however, since we are all working it isn't like musical chairs... everybody is working (yes, there have been some cuts, but if you look, it has mostly been the places that didn't pay well in the first place, so it wasn't the best paying jobs that got it.

The problem, is us. We show up for these wages, and there is a continuing line of people behind us to show up for even less if that's all that was offered. The mentality of US pilots is the problem.

 

If we know what the problems are i.e. whipsawing labor groups, showing up for peanuts, a thousand CFI's waiting to take our jobs for said peanuts etc., why are fighting over all the reasons? Instead, lets look for solutions to the biggest five reasons to our wage problem. Someone with more forum knowledge should set up a poll on many of the reasons, majority vote for your five, then we all work on solutions together instead of fighting amongst ourselves. This has to start out grass roots with all of us promoting it, in an educational fashion, in order to make changes that will better all of our lives. A huge undertaking but hey we went from never flying to getting metal to Mars in just over 100 years!

 

Speaking of, this is so painful to watch. I love how everytime they say "Regional Jet Pilot" they show a 727 or Md-80.

Jet University :: Training Programs :: Express Airline Pilot

"No longer is it necessary to train for a job as a flight instructor, or to train for a job flying a turbo-prop. Nor do you have to fly single pilot IFR at night in severe weather with an aircraft of questionable condition. You can now train directly for the Jet Pilot Job you have dreamed of...." Oh BOY!!!

 

disregard, post.

 

what's an express airline pilot? one who flys fast???

 

OMG those tools wear those monkey suits to class????

 

Nobody mentioned that European airlines can strike at will, and often do. We're hamstrung by the RLA.

If we could simply walk like say, Boeing's machinists did a few weeks ago, we'd be paid much better. Like Boeing's machinists.

 

Yeah right! Which is why whenever they do rankings of the countries with the highest standards of living, the Scandinavian countries come first. Countries which are socialist. IIMPORTANT don't confust socialist with communist, which is what I think you're doing. I'm sure your comeback will be that these rankings are made by left wing crazies. Typical.......

 

I have not read the whole thread all the way through yet,
Idea though, maybe cause for some, most or what ever, entry level airline pilot is still the most money the have ever made in their lives to that point.
I would suspect the statement is more true with the younger the age of the person.
Even for me flight instructing. Trans states was still more. For where I flew at, we were cheaper than any other flight school. I wonder how many others look at it that way. With luck though, maybe the will leave a crap job with crap pay and crap QOl, and come home everynight back to flight instructing for crap money, and crap pay, but now I am home everday, I can even now go home for lunch, after two years of trans states, Priceless

 

Why can airlines pay so little? There is a huge supply of pilots.

Why are there so many pilots? Because it is too easy to get the training today. For a long time, the only way to get flight time was through the military. Later, flight time was available without joining up, but it still took a ton of money... equal to one to two years of pay for most folks. Not many were able or willing to put in that kind of effort. Today, all one needs to do is sign for a $40,000 (or more) loan. As we have seen lately, banks a THRILLED to loan you all that money..... after all, one day you will make $250,000 per year.

Also, 10-20 years ago, a hopeful airline pilot had to spend a few years working hauling checks, pipeline patrol, traffic watch, towing banners, etc. trying to get enough flight time to apply. In my first regional airline ground school class, the instructor asked how many hours each of us had. The instructor (in his late fifties) said when he was hired by an airline, everyone in his class was either military or had at least 4000 hours. In my class of 25, only two of us would have qualified. I am not saying those pilots were better or worse, but with the time and money a pilot invested, the airlines HAD to pay well in order to get anybody to apply.