I do not disagree, although, I wonder:

When work rules were crazy dangerous and people were falling asleep while flying more frequently, we still found plenty of people working there. Did those people deserve to just die due to an accident, because it was "their choice" to work there? Or do we have some accountability for the company as well? Does it work just to say "don't work there", or are there higher responsibilities?

My argument is that the loan providers should be held accountable for performance. The providers in turn would hold the schools responsible for performance. Everyone wins (so to speak).

 

Pinnacle Airlines paid out >30% of the company's profits to two retiring executives. Their unncessary bankruptcy deprived countless state governments and federal agencies (a.k.a. taxpayers) of money owed. They broke contracts and reduced pay across the board for people who hadn't seen a raise in a decade (or more).

With that said, it's comical hearing regional airline pilots in this thread telling other regional airline pilots to exhibit "personal responsibility" and not utilize legally-permitted reduced payment plans, considering that almost everyone here has endured financial hardship at some point directly due to the exploitation of the bankruptcy code by our employers.

When corporations (like our employers) are held to the same moral standards of repaying debts and honoring contract obligations as individuals are, I'll gladly reconsider the arguments being made in this forum about "personal responsibility." Until then, everyone should exploit every opportunity possible to improve their position within the limits of the law--that's what American capitalism is all about.

 

Seriously--go look at Pinnacle or AMR's bankruptcy docket--tally up the unsecured claims of governmental entities and then come back to this thread and chide some poor Commutair FO about making reduced payments on his friggin student loans.

 

Wow...I haven't ranted on here for a while--thanks for inspiring me all you Dave Ramsey worshippers!!!!

 

 

Yeah, I wonder if these same people are reporting all their internet website purchases on their taxes?

 

OP, I have no quarrel with the loan forgiveness program for those who qualify. I do sincerely ask you: you did know what a regional pilot makes at the onset right? Do you feel it was a sensible thing to go in debt in order to qualify for a job that does not provide an income that can service the debt you incur in order to get it?

The reason I bring that up is that it is my belief that people who dismiss the economics at play in that choice are people who not coincidentally find themselves perennially struggling economically throughout their lives. I just want to know if you find yourself in this situation out of innocent financial illiteracy or is it because you fundamentally believe you are entitled the opportunity to be employed in whatever capacity your heart desires and therefore it is society's responsibility to subsidize the shortfall. Because if its the former I think there's a lot of resources in order to help you become better at money management at your disposal. But if its the latter I'm afraid you're part of the problem. I wasn't born with a silver spoon either and I too turned my nose at the idea of living in my parents basement. The difference is I didn't go borrowing money I couldn't repay and I did my homework on what kind of income my educational background could afford me.

I dont agree with jamesnobrakes in that i DO believe regional pilot compensation IS a matter of public and common knowledge. I do however agree with him that we need to deflate the education bubble by unsecuring the loans and allowing lenders to discriminate based on their own assessments of expectation of repayment based on wage market study. Unfortunately that would have probably meant you would have been denied financing in order to get your ratings.

All that said I sincerely wish you luck in your attempt at attaining a living wage.

 

Look at you doing math!

 

I'm sorry, I didn't realize that we as pilots sit on the board of directors, or make financial decisions. I must have said "no" that day when they junior manned me into the CEO's office to ask my opinion. Always someone else's fault isn't it? Using your logic, I should be personally liable for the Colgan crash and the families should be able to come after me personally! Guilty by association! Or i guess since my employer is not financially responsible, that gives me the right not to be! Brilliant!