I am sure I am speaking for Luv2Rotate when I say this, but we are not bragging about money made because we know is crap, what we are trying to say if in the right situation the chance of breaking 30K on first year pay is durable. I was a line holder from day 1, people in class 1 month behind me didn't get a line during their first year. That difference in class made a huge difference in QOL and money! Pay sucks at the regionals, there is not way to sugar coat it! And I think we are starting to see FO pay increase but CA pay is starting to take a hit!

I had between 11 and 16 days off a month. Typically I was getting about 12 days off a month, but I regularly got trips removed for other people to do IOE and twice I had stretches of 10 days off in a row.

For those that think first year pay is fine because there are a few posters who did well their first year, you are wrong. The only reason I was able to make that much was because I lived in base and could pick up single turns and day trips that come up quickly. The fact that I held a line is the other big plus. If I were on reserve, I would have brought only $18,000 home. Now I am on second year pay but I am lucky if I can bring $2,000 a month home all because flying is down and more senior people have moved into my base.

Pilot compensation should be less focused on the hourly rates and more focused on stability and consistency. I can think of no other industry that has such a wide variation in pay among employees who all do the exact same job.

You know what the most pathetic thing is here. People are almost making it sound that their proud of making 30k as a professional pilot.
Check out AC Jazz pay rates and then we are getting more on target. Speaking of playing into management. If a regional CEO was reading this thread they would be patting themselves on their back on a job well done that pilots are happy with 30k.

Who said we are happy?

There is a difference between saying I'm happy making 30K a year as a regional airline pilot, and I made 30K my first year. I don't like the pay and I hate the corporate bull**** that we have to deal with in this industry. I've always wanted to fly and I will continue doing it as long as I am healthy and as long as I can provide for my family and I'm happy. There are cons to this job and there are pros, in my case the pros outweigh the cons and so I am sticking with it.

Agreed, definitely not happy. I had horrible seniority and a miserable QOL my first year. I averaged anywhere from 10-12 days off a month. My girlfriend got to the point that she didn't even believe me when I said I was coming home due to the junior assignments. I only picked up one out and back the entire year and learned my lesson. I took it because I missed my commute home and they would give me a hotel. They gave me a junior assignment the next day. At least this year is a lot better, holding weekends off and a line living in base but still only 11-13 days off.