First year FO at MESABA makes $30K. Thats not below the poverty level. Upgrades are about 6-12months. CA pay starts at $50K.
I do agree, don't borrow too much money. Don't fast track it then blow it on a sim ride at an airline. Get some experience.

Double Ditto!

I don't think you'll see AirNet go under anytime soon, but that doesn't make me right. It's all speculative. This whole industry is about having the minimum requirement, know a few people and being at the right place at the right time.

Beyond that you can only go on what you would like to do and what seems like a good career move at the present.

A LOT of AirNet guys come here fly the props and stay as a Lear SIC for 6-12 months and move over to Netjets. I don't think coming to AirNet will make any difference, though. It's all about you and your qualifications and personality, knowing a guy/gal over there is not going to hurt you either.

Macjet! If you don't mind me asking, because it wasn't apperent in your posting, where do you work?

well well thanks! Yes of course, my plan is to actually NOT borrow any money at all for flight training. I will have a bachelor's degree by May of next year and planning to get a full-time job. There's a nice FBO very close to home that has a 152 for $85, 172s starting from $112 and on. I know it's expensive but the FBO is extremely close and it's a very good place. Hopefully I can make a post by summer of next year saying that, finally, I have started my flight training!

I am just so confused right now as to where I should end up, such as a Fractional, a major, corporate, or cargo like Fedex or UPS, or even a 747 operator like Atlas. but I am sure I can figure this all out later. I mean how do you know?

The industry is fluid, so what might be the "great job" right now, might be dirt in 2-3 years. Regionals were impossible 10 months ago to get hired unless you had 1000+. Now they are taking anyone with a commercial/multi and 300hrs.

The Pinnacle side of Jetride.

R E L A X! This business changes too much and too soon. Don't worry about where you'll be in five or ten years. Enjoy the ride NOW. Have fun in that Cessna. Enjoy your first flight in a Bonanza. And try to wipe the grin off your face during your first King Air ride.

Learn all you can. Hone your flying skills. And INSTRUCT! I can't say that enough. You won't know how little you know until you start teaching.

This career is a constant time building job. You're never quit qualified for something else. Enjoy what you are doing now. The most fun I ever had flying was in a Piper Navajo. Everything after that kind of sucks. TEB-PBI. PBI-TEB. TEB-PBI. Jets look cool but they're pretty boring and just take you further from home. The only offset is that they pay more.

Tailwinds and fly safe.

LOL! I swear that in 6 months I spend half my life between freakin' Jersey and Florida! Find any 135 pilot on the east side that doesn't know the JAIKE1.

Airnet Pilots Rock!!! But Craig and Bill Suck!!!!!!!!!!

Not to dig up an old thread here, but how do you get $30K first year FO from $24 an hour/75 hour MMG? If I never break MMG I'm looking at $21,600 gross. Maybe if I'm flying quite often and I include per diem? Sorry, really trolling or flaming, just nothing else to do on reserve.

Day 5 of 10 in a row and not a peep from scheduling. Would be great if I lived in DTW, but I don't