How much more $ do FO's need to make per year
 

Take three seconds and scan the rest of the post in the regional fourm and you will notice that the majority of the threads deal with sorry FO pay. So my question is how much more per year do you think entry level FO's need to make per year. Say the economy is good but there is still no upgade to captain opportunity in sight, what would be a nice and realistic salary for a very junior FO?

$60,000 first year. $5-10K more per year after that until $100K.

As much as my old roommate who is an IT guy who complains he has nothing to do at work for weeks on end and has no real authority/responsibility. $80,000+

I think 35-45K is a good start for a junior FO.

I agree. While I don't believe we should make $100k on the first year (wouldn't mind, though) I think it can be a reasonable expectation to have to play the starving artist as the company would need to recoup initial training costs and union probation.

However, 2nd year FO should be into the 50s until they reach captain. Captains at the regionals should be in the 100k range where it should stay until you're flying something bigger.

If the airline pay scale was flattened out a bit, instead of now where you make the majority of your money all at once, airline life would be better for everyone.

JMHO

$45k would be realistic and worth the amount of responsibility.

People say "well, Doctors have to work unpaid or lowly paid internships before they make big money..." Most of us did that too - it was called flight instruction. And then there is the fact there is no big money any more...even after 10 years a regional FO is going to be capped at around $40/hr.

Starting at $45k then ramping up by a few grand every year would make it worth my while.

I agree that in theory this is how it should be. However, it will never ever ever happen. Even junior FO's at some of the majors (United, Continental) don't make as much. Junior FO's there start in the 30k range, and make in the high 50-60k range passing year 3 or 4. Unfortunately we can never expect to make as much. Once again, as long as people are willing to work for 17k, that's what will be paid. We are all guilty of it.

In all honesty if I had no student loans, my pay would be fine. Just about three years down and only around 40K a year is a little tough on the finances. I couldn't do this job if it weren't for my wife to cover the gaps. So really an extra thousand a month would be great. Or just figure out a program that reimburses your flight training. It's so stupidly upside down. It may be the wrong mentality but I don't think of flying as my primary career. It's more of a hobby that I get paid a little to do. You can't take as much pride in being a professional pilot anymore since you can't make a living at it. Someday I might be able to but that isn't anywhere in the foreseeable future.

And there in, lies the rub...

You want a realistic scale, something that is reasonably attainable and would provide a MASSIVE raise in compensation based on current book rates making the job financially viable for a large number of highly experienced pilots?

For a 50 seat FO:

$36,000 guarantee for the first year, which is $40/hr assuming 12 bid periods and a 75hr guarantee. 10% raise for the 2nd year, followed by 5% raises for years 3-5, then 3.5% every year thereafter to a 12 year scale.

This would mean a 5th year FO would be making $50.94/hr...more than $10/hr higher than current book ASA 50 seat rates.