MTSblue

I whole heartedly agree, but all I could think of was this.

CBreezy

Pilots are some of the most fortunate group of hourly workers in the country. The fact that there are hourly workers making $200k+ a year with 16 days off just shows you how strong our unions are. You claim that I'm an idiot for not being upset with $75k a year with 4 years of airline experience. Maybe a little perspective will help you see my point. How much do you think firemen and police make? Their lives and jobs have an imminent inherent danger every day. They actually save lives. I'd argue that showing up to a fire, wreck or crime scene gives them more responsibility than I experience each day flying from ORD-PIA. How much do you think a USAF pilot makes in the prime of their flying career. Captains will make less than $65k and they are tasked with not only flying people and things but many actually operate a complex weapon system and fly into the most dangerous places on earth. They also have to flight plan and lead their crew unlike many Captains who take the "it's not my responsibility" attitude. When they aren't flying they do the jobs of airline equivalent safety officers, drug testers, and manage regulations. Many of my friends, when they hear i show up to an airplane an hour before my scheduled departure and just fly for 5-6 hours a day and when i land or get home I'm done for 3-4 days are incredibly jealous. I make about the same money as they do, I never have to deploy and spend half the month at home and free of work while spending the other half flying.

So don't sit here and lecture me like a child that I'm the problem with this career. I will never vote for concessions. I'll never agree to scope relief. I'm merely providing a perspective to a guy asking about my QOL. It's not bad. It's not as bad as people make it sound. Maybe you should actually work a few years to make a living and then come back and tell me that I'm an idiot for enjoying my job, making money and investing towards retirement comfortably.

CBreezy

Did you know a 2nd LT in the AF only makes $35k a year to fly turbine aircraft?

Punkah Louvre

But an implicit part of that agreement is they have no University of Flight Training debt...

ArcherDvr

That 2nd Lt. Is also getting housing, substance allowance, and paid medical. After two years he'll be a 1st Lt. Making 46K and still have those perks.

That being said, while we pilots may feel we're worth more, we are worth what the market dictates. And right now regionals are filling classes with base rates less than 30K. Until that stops, we won't see 50, 60 a year starting pay.

CBreezy

The approximate value of those things is around $12k a year (tax free).

After two years at my airline, I was making $70k a year. My military friends were making $65k and had to work way more and were away from home 6 months a year.

Utah

I work as little as 60 hours a month or up to 90 or so. Rarely go above 90, but the option is there. After 15+ years I'm making $100 an hour or so. It pays the bills but not much more. If I'm not doing split duty trips I'm in my own bed every night. I've had the typical hotel stay only a dozen or so times in the last year. Typically I show up at work around 10:30am and get off at 7pm. Usually for around 5:30 of pay. 2 round trips. Do that 3-4 times a week. Or I'll do a split duty with a show around 9pm - release the next morning around 8am. Another 5:30 of pay.

I rarely bid trips but decided to next month. A bunch of three days with 30 hour overnights. I'll rent a car and make it a mini - vacation.

I have no problem getting 7 days off in row without using vacation time. Dropping or trading the shorter trips is pretty easy. I never miss a birthday or holiday or any other day I want off.

-- and I do this with middle of the road seniority in my domicile.

I've been in the military. I've worked behind a desk. I've been a manager at a good sized manufacturing company. This is by far the best QOL I've ever had. Best of all, when I leave work -- I leave work. The day is over and I don't have to think about it again. Very low stress compared to the other stuff I've done.

CBreezy

That's true. So, with an average equivalent cost per month of $700, their salary after two years is increased about $8000k. So, $56k per year

ArcherDvr

Well, life is great until the hiring slows, or the planes get whipsawed again. Hopefully everyone will get to the majors, but with over 50% of the flying done at regionals vs. 12% in 2001, something tells me we will have people stuck at these pathetic FO rates.
And there is no way you are going to tell me that a military pilot is sitting over there salivating over a regional airline job, not an Air Force pilot anyway.

RJpilot94

When giving my "life story" testimony of being in and out of the airline industry, now that I am back I can say confidently that flying beats working.