NineGturn

Finally! He says something that sounds like a pilot.

Just an FYI...no real pilot would ever presume to brag about being "a better stick." But...if you'd like to meet me at the merge...

tom11011

They don't take scope back, they have to buy it back. They sold scope for $$$. We know airline pilots are not about to give up money, so where does that leave us? It means the airlines themselves have to be willing to fly near 100 seat aircraft on their certificate. It's no longer up to pilots.

Salukipilot4590

They'll do it as soon as regionals become un-reliable.

ArcherDvr

Wow. No one is saying that a pilot making 20K a year can't be as safe as one making 200K. The problem is offering that by paying these lower wages, you are opening the door to less competent pilots as well. This is because a number ofpeople that might otherwise be more competent won't pursue the career field for that much. It also increases turnover, there by taking some of that valuable experience out of the industry, making it less safe.
So while Cbreezy may very well be Maverick of the regional airlines, I guarantee there are a number of people, albeit a relative minority, that are airline pilots only because more competent peoe opted not to work for such measly pay and work rules.

sqwkvfr

Again, you are worried about public perception, a notion that has absolutely zero influence on our pay or quality of life.

PotatoChip

I'll have to completely disagree with this. There is a very real reason workers picket with signs, and this is it; to gain public sympathy and support. It DOES make a difference. At the very least, you cannot say it has "absolutely zero influence".

We should all be concerned with public perception.

CBreezy

You do when you put a little troll in your comments.

JathinB

Yea you're right. They were unemployed, in school, with something like 250k in student loans.

JathinB

Hahahah keywords for what? You've yet to actually make a point, only guess about employment status. I can't read your mind!

sqwkvfr

Would you care to provide even one example of how the public perceiving airline pilots as professionals has served to enhance, or even help to enhance, pay and quality of life for airline pilots in the last few decades?

I can't think of a single one...in fact, the two major changes (age 65 and 117) came to pass, at least to a certain extent, as the result of somewhat negative public perception.

This fight is not going to be won in the USA Today. It will be won in courtrooms, at the negotiating table and in the halls of Congress; which is full of people who understand that political survival involves avoiding land mines and getting the negatives up on their opponent.

Now, I'm not advocating that we all start running around unshaved with our shirts untucked, top button undone and use the word "dude" during PA announcements...in fact, I think that personal appearance and conduct are extremely important.

The point is that the article's author speaks for no one but himself, so I fail to see any damage caused by the profession as the result of it's being published. However, if he had written "all pilots are experienced and things are super-safe," you can bet your last dollar that lobbyist for the RAA would have forwarded it to the chiefs of staff of every congressman on the commerce committee and a whole bunch of others.

As it's written, it helps to stymie the movement to repeal of the 1500 hour rule, which is causing, at the bare minimum, my company to experience serious staffing shortages and finally forced them, after EIGHT YEARS to finally take contract negotiations seriously.

...so I'm all for it.