One thing rarely talked about... From the FAA NPRM:
"Based on a 35-year career, the FAA estimated the total cost of a one-year
delay in a part 121 pilot’s career to be $130,298, with a present value cost of
$67,598.16. The FAA estimated the total cost of a one-third year delay in a part 121 pilot’s career to be $43,433, with a
present value cost of $21,226.17. In order to put these results on a basis comparable to the 20-year estimates of the other costs and of the estimated benefits of this proposed rule, the present value cost is annualized to $5,221 per year for a one-year delay and $1,639 per year for a one-third year delay. With these estimates, the FAA calculated the total cost of the ATP certificate 1,500-hour requirement for the estimation period 2013–2032. These calculations are shown in Table 11 of the initial regulatory evaluation."

Basically, the idea being, if it takes longer to get to the airlines, there is a cost to the sub 1500 hr pilot. Remember to demand a $130,298 sign on bonus to compensate for the loss in career earnings.

What in the world is this based off of? If I understand correctly, this is saying that since you have to actually learn how to become a pilot now instead of jumping right into a jet with your bubba, binky, and juice box you are loosing out on potential earnings.

So what happened to guys 10 years ago when only a small percentage went to the regionals with under 2500 hours? It's only been in the past 7 years or so that the regionals have figured out how to grow exponentially at the cost of the employees opening up many positions for flying. Therefore the job potential never existed.

So even if you can get to the job quicker now, it takes much longer to actually earn an acceptable wage to even pay off the initial investment of becoming a pilot in the first place. It was normal in the past to see a legacy carrier or major after chugging away at the job for 10 years. Now you will be lucky to get off of reserve as an FO at a regional after 10 years.

Sounds like a lot of lost potential to me:rolleyes:.

Of course I may have absolutely missed the point of that all together.

Were you hired at a regional with 1500 + and an ATP?

I was. In 1996 at MESA you needed 2000 TT. 500 multi and your ATP just to interview. To get that I did 3 years as a CFI, and 1 year flying night cargo in a Baron. Thats just the way it use to be.

That was also in 1996 when their weren't any RJ's and regional airlines were in fact regional. There were probably a fraction of the total number of available seats/jobs than today. Of course the competitive minimums were higher.

Mesa had Fokker 70 jet aircraft in 1996 before any RJ's were on the property. I know because I was there. The Fokker's were on a different operating certificate own by Mesa whereas pilots were allowed to transition into the various divisions. Mesa was requiring the ATP, 2000/500, somewhere in that range with part 135 experience in which I had at the time. Comair was the first regional flying the RJ in the early 90's.

Comair had the RJ. I believe they got it sometime in '91. Not 100% sure on that date but they definitely had them well before any other commuter airline out there. Not to mention the fact that Comair air started the whole PFT sham.

You're right. My point is that RJ's weren't as common place as they are today. 1996 = less jobs. Less jobs + a lot of people wanting those jobs = higher mins.

That wasn't the case the last decade when mins dropped drastically.

What was the pay while CFIing (adjusted for inflation)? What was the starting pay at Mesa? (adjusted for inflation)?

H.R. 5900 will be a joke. My airline is already handing out ATP's like candy. It's a regular recurrent with stalls and steep turns added in. An oral? Lol, my private pilot oral was infinitely more in depth. It's pathetic. We had a chance to take a step in the right direction as pilots, and improve this career. On the other hand, aside from ALPA lobbying, I'm not sure exactly how we would have accomplished anything with how in bed the airlines are with the FAA. Safety costs money, and the dollar value of life is well below the cost of these types of changes to the industry. (In the FAA's and management's eyes.)