A year or so....... Better look around the pay sucks for much longer than a year or so. Until you get on with a major (which may never happen at the rate they are loosing flying) pay will be terrible. QOL has/is deteriorating at all levels from the regional to major. Heck after 9/11 I took a 50% cut in pay and benefits. Now 8 years later and flying a much larger aircraft I still don't make what I did pre 9/11, and I even work for the best US major airline (at least in my opinion).

This isn't the first time this week that similar thoughts have been brought up on these boards.

I chimed in in favor of ATP minimums being the standard qualifications for all new-hires at 121 carriers.

The reality for the next couple of years, is that (close to) these higher standards will prevail, i.e. pilot surpluss.

Common sense says that regional airlines will ALWAYS pick up less qualified applicants rather than pay more for more experienced pilots.

Crappy for our profession? yes. Potentially unsafe? Certainly.
Going to change? I would bet against it.

This proposal is just another in the long line of pipe dreams that are not credible in today's system. Get over it, or get a new career.

THAT is the perfect analogy. Very well said and I totally agree. If I could do it all over again I wouldn't be in this career. A guy told me the other day that HE heard from ANOTHER guy that said:

"Neat job....horrible career" and I couldn't agree more.

I think I just threw up a little. People that fly because of "passion" or love should stick to GA otherwise it clouds judgement. Do I enjoy flying absolutely, would I pick another career if it pays better and home every night. In a heartbeat.

One day the number of people willing to spend 100k for training only to earn 40k after five years will dry up. When that happens pay will come up. That is the only way I see it happening.

So why don't you then? (just ribbin' ya;))

Being a pilot is a job, when you do a job you care about money. You do a job for money. Flying a jet should pay a lot of money. Money pays off debts.

Captain Pay
 

If airlines and others expect regionals to hire experienced pilots there needs to be some fundamental changes to the current system. Why is it that a captain makes around twice what the average FO makes? How is an experienced pilot with a family to feed expected to accept a job that pays less than the local grocery store?

If pay was taken away from the captains and given to the first officers then this profession would regain a lot of its lost security. Currently even if you are an experienced pilot and were to loose your job or switch employers you have to start over at zero at the next company. If every company paid a moderate wage to each pilot then that risk would be minimized.

Currently however each company has a small percentage of the pilot group that makes the bulk of the available wages. Incidentally they are also the ones who usually negotiate the contract often years before the new hire even has a chance to voice their wishes. It is not a fair system especially during times when a guy could be stuck as an FO for most of a decade.

As the current system is established the position of first officer is clearly intended as an apprentice job. Therefore they need to go to young single low experienced pilots who can afford to live on those wages in trade for gaining valuable experience. Grown up and experienced pilots with families to feed need to be able to earn a good living. If companies wish to hire lifelong professional pilots then they need to shift the balance to more of a parity situation.

Skyhigh

Co-Captains/ Professional Pilots
 

Plenty of companies operate with co-captains. If it is your leg you are the boss. We need to foster an environment of lifelong professional pilots.

Skyhigh

And many of them are Part 91 or Part 135.

You can easily have two captains in the cockpit but only one designated PIC...

I hope you grow some integrity by the time you get hired. If not, you wont go far!

JJ