What the data means is that if you care about your future then you had better understand what the odds are.

Most other professions have some kind of competition however almost no one would pay the price of a house in training and education for a one in ten chance of earning it back.

So yes, even sanitation workers have some competition but if it doesnt work out their only loss is the time it took to fill out an application.

SkyHigh

The events of 911 "tweaked" the industry a great deal. Still new pilots in, while a bunch on furlough. Age 65 will do that a little bit too. Forget wages going up in our lifetime with RJ's out there. You are correct-As long as people are willing do "donate" their time, working for just about free, the ones that want to get paid will get paid less. Obviously getting all of your ratings is a risk. The degree is yours forever, however, and those who don't make it to a major need to reevaluate and maybe make a career change, losing out on the money they spent on flight training. Maybe work 9-5 somewhere, and at least instruct on the weekends. (Some peolple are happy working for a regional for life, though)--Maybe live in a trailer park or subsidised housing. I wouldn't as a persional choice, for my son did not chose to live like that. But some will, and ys, that will tweak down the salaries of those who made it to a major. But your ratings are yours to keep, and you never know if you'll use them someday, even if to fly your own set of wings that you may afford working in a "real" (sorry) work environment.

Does anyone have retirement numbers beyond 2012 for Southwest?

Wait a damn minute. SWAPA is one of the biggest flag flyers for age 65. Talk to those you sit next to. Don't worry about management on this one as you guys have pushed for it as much as anyone.

Everyone here understands supply and demand and how the over supply reduces pilot career earnings.

Why would XYZ do ABC or say EFG?

Airlines support 65; supply ^

Airlines support MPL; supply ^

Airlines put out to the media misleading claims about pilot earnings; supply ^

Airlines put out to the media misleading claims about pilot shortages; supply ^

Even though you understand the concept, you don't have a clue who hit you.

http://www.aircon.org/

I cannot for the life of me understand why so many pilots want to fly themselves into the grave. Poor financial planning on their part does not constitute a crisis on my part. A very wise (and very wealthy) friend of mine told me when I was in the Air Force that if I didn't put away for my retirement, I had no one to blame but myself if their was nothing to spend when I finally did retire. I'm not planning on working my butt off so when I'm gone those who inherit my stuff can live a life of leisure......... There's way to much to do and see in this world other than the cockpit of an airplane. Pilots who say they are in such great heath and should be flying are fooling themselves. Sure their are a few, but I haven't seen too many. I don't know ANY who can see as well, hear as well, or react as fast as they could when they were younger. As a matter of fact, many of these older pilots seem to relish taking "safety naps" right after the gear pulls up....................... I plan to be gone by 60, or earlier if the lottery rolls my way. Flame away.

Yeah, I agree. The SWA pilot who is gunning for this needs his fricking @ss worked off. He can go buy his own plane and fly it till he dies, but quit trying to make me work for the rest of my life. He says it's about money, but correct me if I'm wrong.............didn't SWA give out their government "bailout money" as profit sharing? How have the SWA pilots been financially harmed by 9-11. That's what I thought........they WEREN'T. Apparently that guy doesn't have nor need a life.

2012 117
2013 101
2014 63
2015 64
2016 68
2017 90
2018 82
2019 80
2020 77

making six figures a year with 18 days off a month(including holidays) after only 10 years of seniority? I dont think that is a bad deal and it is possible at some of the better regionals. Especially if you had a side business or just invested wisely... you could do fairly well for yourself. ITs time for a reality check if you think the majors are going to keep being the "greener side of the fence". If the majors don't get scope back the regionals WILL be a better career choice. Slightly riskier in the long run but so are majors.

skyhigh i also dont agree with your opinion on "losing out on money." I dont know about you but learning how to fly outside of huge universities is still about 30-40G's which can be viewed as expensive as a masters. Most MBA or equivalents earn about 40 - 70 g's out of school. This is what you could have been making if you got your 4 yr degree, flew for a regional for two years and upgraded somewhere around the 2 yr mark. You would still have made more then that masters degree student. I wish we got paid more too but for young people getting into the industry its comparative to what you could be earning in the outside world. If you want to blame regionals for the major pilots problems then i wonder how they voted on their contract with the scope agreement.

I can understand your comment; flying domestic narrow body is exhausting- I did it for 20 years.

International flying is considerably more relaxed. While some people have trouble with the body clock thing, for the most part it's like a short vacation. If the tempo of a 3 day trip with a 24 hour layover is too fast, try a 4 day trip with a 48 hour layover, or even a 5 day/ 72 hour layover ( the longer layovers tend to go junior to the shorter ones).

We have senior guys who will drop their schedule down to one or two very nice trips (72 hours in Nice is nice!). They are financially able to retire, but don't want to. I don't have a problem with them doing this (even to age 65, when that happens), and I plan to do the same thing when it's my turn.