Take current 1st year regional captain wage and make that the starting point for new FO's.

As for captains, 30% more than they're currently making.

 

Just flatten the payscales- increase FO pay and decrease captain pay. Base pay on longevity only, not status.

 

Any sign on bonus will be subjected to an automatic government take of 40%. The rest typically is distributed not as a lump sum payment, but over a period.

After a little math, that big number sign on bonus quickly loses its luster.

 

1.) 91K, 121, 135. 5K hours, 3600 turbine.

2.) I work for a contractor doing root cause analysis projects on various systems. The pay is less than what I was furloughed from, but about 3 times as much as I'd make starting over at a regional.

3.) Pay and quality of life. Two things that don't exist at a regional.

 

I assume you meant 9K?

 

Could be 91K, fractionals.

GF

 

Roger that. Thanks.

 

I was with a 121 cargo company for 12 years - planned to make a career there. Ultimately the flying was outsoured and we were all on the street.

When that happened, I never considered the regionals - and it was 100% because of the starting pay. (Ok, 90% - I also cringed at the idea of commuting/crash pads, etc.)

I initially took a 135 job on a Pilatus at my local airport. No commuting, 10 minutes from my house, and paid more than double what RJ first year pay would have been. That pay was bad enough - no way would I have considered 22k/yr. Insane that a mom-and-pop 135 Pilatus outfit pays over double what a 50 seat jet 121 company does.

So I suppose that, at that time, I might have considered a regional if it started at 50k - provided I felt the commute wasn't going to suck too much.

Since that time I have moved to 91/135 job on a CL604 at my local airport and now make what an RJ captain makes and I really enjoy it. I might would leave for one of a small handful of 121 airlines (not regionals) - but I've actually been working on taking my aviation career in a different direction.

 

Can you reveal your hours breakdown and whether you have the ATP or not? The point of the thread is to figure out how many pilots are able but not willing.

 

Sure - when my "career" job shut down, I had about 6,000 total, ATP, 4500 turbine, 900 PIC turbine, 3000 jet SIC (190,000 lbs), and 1 type rating.

I should also mention that, in addition to needing about 50k at the time to go to a regional, I would have also needed to feel like there would be an upgrade in the not-too-distant future and some future for the company. I really was uncomfortable with the idea of being a "contractor" that could be under bid (leary of the whipsaw stuff).

Currently at about 7500 tt, 2000 turbine PIC and 4 type ratings. Content in my little niche now and I can count on about 4 fingers which companies I would be willing to leave here to go to (and they aren't all airlines).