Originally Posted by chrisreedrules

You do of course realize most lawyers and doctors don't make anywhere close to that much right? And I can tell you that being an airline pilot requires less school, less financial investment, and is less work on an hour-by-hour basis than either of those professions. We are delusional to think that this is something other than a "higher-level" blue collar job. We operate heavy machinery and are members of unions. Everyone should read Flying the Line volumes 1 and 2... Automation is coming in the next decades and all it takes is another financial downturn or major war to happen and we're all out on the street again. This profession will never be "what it was". The truth is I try and discourage people from becoming professional pilots. I enjoy what I do, but this industry isn't that great. And the lifestyle will wear on you after a while. And there is no real hope of making it significantly better for future generations of pilots because time and technology simply aren't on our side.

Originally Posted by chrisreedrules

You do of course realize most lawyers and doctors don't make anywhere close to that much right? And I can tell you that being an airline pilot requires less school, less financial investment, and is less work on an hour-by-hour basis than either of those professions. We are delusional to think that this is something other than a "higher-level" blue collar job. We operate heavy machinery and are members of unions. Everyone should read Flying the Line volumes 1 and 2... Automation is coming in the next decades and all it takes is another financial downturn or major war to happen and we're all out on the street again. This profession will never be "what it was". The truth is I try and discourage people from becoming professional pilots. I enjoy what I do, but this industry isn't that great. And the lifestyle will wear on you after a while. And there is no real hope of making it significantly better for future generations of pilots because time and technology simply aren't on our side.

Originally Posted by gzsg

I started at a regional and am now in my 30th year as a Delta pilot. (Former Northwest)

To some, I'm sure it sounds crazy that the minimum starting salary for a first officer in a 50 seat jet needs to be $100,000 and $160,000 for a first year captain.

Open your mind and embrace the value of your education, training and experience.

THE MYTH

The regionals can't afford to pay those wages.

Imagine jet fuel goes to $4.00 a gallon. Your management says to the supplier, "we cannot afford $4.00 per gallon, you will have to accept $2.00 per gallon."

Do you think this would fly?

The supply of pilots was so strong that management got used to paying us little to nothing.

THE PARTY IS OVER

LIABILITY

If a $750,000 per year surgeon accidentally kills a patient, what is the liability?

If the pilots of a 50 seat jet make a mistake and kill 53 passengers and crew, what it the liability? Why is the cost?

Tens, if not hundreds of millions.

I ask you, what other job has this kind of responsibility? This kind of pressure?

What does your CEO make?

If he makes a mistake, he could get a paper cut and possibly an infection.

Management makes excellent money to run the airline. To cope with $4.00 jet fuel. To cope with paying professional pilots what they are worth.

THIS IS NOT YOUR PROBLEM

Buying into management's story that they cannot afford to pay you what you are worth is nonsense. The legacy carriers need the feed and will pay for it. They are printing money.

One penny less than these numbers must be a no vote.

Every word from your management's mouth is pure manipulation.

PILOTS COST WHAT PILOTS COST

LANDING FEES COST WHAT LANDING FEES COST

SPARE PARTS COST WHAT SPARE PARTS COST

If you hold your ground, there are two possible outcomes.

1) they will agree to these wages

2) they will move all the flying to mainline

Legacy management cannot have hundreds of cancelled flights every day due to lack of pilots.

You have all the leverage you need and more.

Take a stand and restore the profession forever.

Jerry Fielding

Originally Posted by BeatNavy

Delta pilots have a huge chunk of profit sharing under their current contract so they are in no hurry to vote in garbage and know mgmt needs to pass a TA to reduce the pilots share of PS. We have no such leverage. That said, I wish regional pilots as a whole would band together, demand more unanimously, and burn the FFD model down and send the flying to mainline. By retirements alone, not accounting for growth, we will all be at majors in the next 5 years anyway.

Originally Posted by stillcantfly

so let's get something organized! i'm down for informational picketing. we can start with I have $200,000 in debt I make $30,000 a year, I collect $280 in food stamps a month! and I'm on Obamacare!!! what a joke. The problem is as others have said there is zero unity between the pilots. ALPA has done an amazing job at playing us and getting us to hate each other, while stabbing each other in the backs. I think it's time to take a stand and change this industry back to what it used to be! what are they going to do fire me? Great keep your $30,000 year job I'll go work at Walmart make more and be home at night. all while watching my kids grow up

Originally Posted by A330Pilot

I totally agree..Regional FO's should start at a 100k..Captains at 150-160k...

Majors should start at 160k for a first year FO, 250k for senior FO's...starting CA pay at 350k...Top Captain pay should exceed 400k..

This is where we were supposed to be...

Originally Posted by gzsg

I can't argue with that. ALPA has failed the regionals 100%.

In my opinion, Moak and now Canoll, would let you work for all the Oreo's you can eat.

They are puppets for management.

It needs to be a grassroots movement.

Solving their problem is a huge mistake. All your leverage will disappear.

Originally Posted by gzsg

I started at a regional and am now in my 30th year as a Delta pilot. (Former Northwest)

To some, I'm sure it sounds crazy that the minimum starting salary for a first officer in a 50 seat jet needs to be $100,000 and $160,000 for a first year captain.

Open your mind and embrace the value of your education, training and experience.

THE MYTH

The regionals can't afford to pay those wages.

Imagine jet fuel goes to $4.00 a gallon. Your management says to the supplier, "we cannot afford $4.00 per gallon, you will have to accept $2.00 per gallon."

Do you think this would fly?

The supply of pilots was so strong that management got used to paying us little to nothing.

THE PARTY IS OVER

LIABILITY

If a $750,000 per year surgeon accidentally kills a patient, what is the liability?

If the pilots of a 50 seat jet make a mistake and kill 53 passengers and crew, what it the liability? Why is the cost?

Tens, if not hundreds of millions.

I ask you, what other job has this kind of responsibility? This kind of pressure?

What does your CEO make?

If he makes a mistake, he could get a paper cut and possibly an infection.

Management makes excellent money to run the airline. To cope with $4.00 jet fuel. To cope with paying professional pilots what they are worth.

THIS IS NOT YOUR PROBLEM

Buying into management's story that they cannot afford to pay you what you are worth is nonsense. The legacy carriers need the feed and will pay for it. They are printing money.

One penny less than these numbers must be a no vote.

Every word from your management's mouth is pure manipulation.

PILOTS COST WHAT PILOTS COST

LANDING FEES COST WHAT LANDING FEES COST

SPARE PARTS COST WHAT SPARE PARTS COST

If you hold your ground, there are two possible outcomes.

1) they will agree to these wages

2) they will move all the flying to mainline

Legacy management cannot have hundreds of cancelled flights every day due to lack of pilots.

You have all the leverage you need and more.

Take a stand and restore the profession forever.

Jerry Fielding

Originally Posted by CaptUnderhill

I don't understand why there ever was a large supply of pilots. If flight training is so expensive no matter where you got your training. Shouldn't that be a high barrier to entry and reduce supply?