right but I have seasonal work, spend 3 months of the year unemployed, and do not make much money. My point is regionals can be a HUGE pay jump for some people. I know some people flying jumpers who make $10/load and do that full time, needless to say they are living on 15k/yr, and are happy and budgeted for it. However going to somewhere like Eagle means 25k first year and 30k second, trust me they are not complaining at all. Esp those who are 23, single, low debt, college grads, and ready to move on in life.

As was said, I do not work for Lakes. I quit flying the Caravan when it looked like the company was going to be sold. I could have stayed on, but on a resume 2000 hours of turbine SEL isn't worth any more than 1000 Turbine SEL. In the seven years I worked for the air ambulance company flying a C421, we went from 7 fixed wing and 13 helo bases down to just two. I left about 6-8 months before my base closed, and I would have been unemployed.


This year I will finally make as much as I did in the 421 (four years ago), and things seem to be improving. That said, I do keep an eye on Mountain Air, Skydive Deland, Vintage Props and Jets (forgot, they went belly up :( ), and a couple others (nothing against Wiggins, but they fly where it is COLD!). You never know when things will change like a terrorist attack, speculators doubling the price of oil, or the mainlines miraculously taking back ALL of their flying. So you gotta have a contingency plan.

Talk about irony, but this is sounding a lot like the "move to a legacy and start over or stay senior at a regional" debate.

I know some people at Deland, shoot me a PM I might be able to help. Flying jumpers full time with a turbine will most likely max out at about 1k/week. so 50k a year is the max, if your on salary, per load will always work out to being less in the big picture.

Thanks Rick, but I am good for now.

As long as there are 300 hour wonders out there, willing to sleep under mom and dad's roof, this problem will forever continue. We are our own worst enemies. Second only to those people who claim the "shortage is right around the corner."

You mean it's not? :rolleyes: Oh, the Humanity!

Wow, wish that could be me...
I worked graveyards at 7-11 to help put me through college and did a tour of duty at Lowes while in flight school.
So, even though I've been "paying the dues" for a while now, I have no hindsight regarding change in my career path. I just hope we can all unite as a GROUP and get better pay for what we do. Going to GLA is like slu*ting yourself out for a piece of bazooka gum (the flavor lasts for about a minute then its gone).

I worked my way through college too... thats why it took me 6 years. I am still paying my dues too. Right now it sucks... I try to view this period of time as a residency/journeyman's apprenticeship... stay positive because it will get better in time and keep in mind that it could always be worse.

Been there done that... I worked 6 months on and 6 off... I know how it goes. After 2.5 years at my current employer I will make 30k... I have quite a few friends at places like Eagle, Air Wis, PSA, and Horizon that complain just as much if not more than those friends of mine at Colgan, CommutAir, and Gulfstream. Quite simply.. the regionals suck.

The plus side for pilots is that if you get hired by one of them, you can hopefully have a stable career... who knows.