You folks better work to get those FO wages up equal to or greater than 60% of CA rates during current and future rounds of collective bargaining.

With Age 65 on the President's desk waiting for a signature, attrition at all levels of 121 is likely going to slow, lengthening your time in the right seat of an RJ or turboprop making under $40/hr. With attrition due to upward career progression slowed and regional fleets under 70 seats being shrunk due to high fuel and poor CASM figures, you'd better hope and pray your airline grows net airframes with "large small jets" to speed along your career and income progression.

Take MAXIMUM ADVANTAGE of this situation (and the much-fabled "pilot shortage") and get every friggin' penny you deserve. Don't be afraid to slow down for safety or take negotiations to the brink of walking...because you're only worth what you're able to negotiate.

DON'T SETTLE.

 

Thats right guys, like I have always said, you never know how long you will be stuck at a regional, so you better make sure its a good one.....................

It's sad, but I am going to have to bust my cheeks to make over 50k this year, even if some of you F/O's at TSA, MESA, COLGAN, GOJETS fly as much as you can, is it even an option?

 

From the ALPA FastRead:

Senate Unanimously Approves Change to Pilot Retirement Age Limit
Legislation awaits President’s signature to become law

December 12, 2007

Just one day after the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R.4343, a bill that would raise the mandatory retirement age for commercial airline pilots to 65, the U.S. Senate followed suit tonight when it approved the same piece of legislation by unanimous consent—meaning that no senator objected.
“ALPA has worked very hard from the beginning of this process to make sure that the recommendations of the Executive Board—which were intended to protect our pilots—were included in any age change,” said ALPA President Capt. John Prater. “I am gratified to report to our members tonight that this legislation reflects the direction of the Board.”
The bill now goes to the U.S. President for his signature, which will make it law. The timing for this has yet to be determined.

 

Perhaps Pinnacle can lead the way?

 

What a wonderful Christmas present our elected officials, ALPA, the AARP, and the selfish bastard 55-60 year old captains at major airlines have given us. (sarcasm).

I think I'm going to go to India or China once I have enough hours on type. Seriously. The last reason I was going to put up with regional wages here (possibility of moving up before I have a family to feed) has been taken away.

I guess the Indian carriers, who have been existing off of 60+ year old captains from the US and EU, might be good places to be. Then again, it's India, which isn't exactly the living conditions I would have had here.

I guarantee some 60+ dudes--even though it's written into the law that it's non-retroactive--will file suits to try to get their seniority back at the legacies.

Sound the horns boys, and fight for more pay...we have nothing to lose now that we all know we're gonna be stuck wherever we are for another 5 years!!!

Regionals can no longer be looked at as "stepping stones." Now you gotta look at them more like the job you might very well have the rest of your life...or until you're 60ish.

 

Well, it's funny you should say that, HSLD was saying how a lot of foreign airlines wouldn't hire the guys who were lets say around 55 +/-becuase they couldn't use their certificates past 60, but know that they can, maybe a lot of guys will go overseas to finish up their careers, who knows, either way its a mess.


What really kills me is that these really senior guys who are right around 60 are making a lot of money and hardly ever work, so why wouldn't they work another 5 years, they get paid more and work less and less, meanwhile we fight with each other over petty regional issues making 30k a year, its a disgrace. A lot of these senior guys have no idea what life is like at this level, and never have, they got to where they are by those retiring at age 60..............I can't even talk about this anymore it makes me wayyyyyyyy to angry/emotional, Im glad most of the guys I fly with are in their 20's and 30's because it would make for a fun 4-day discussing Age 65

 

For once, I agree with Boilerup. With all the whiny old farts getting their way, we need to try and get raises since we might be here a while.

 

Welcome to life at Eagle. Most of the guys I fly with have kids MY age... and I'm almost 30. Very hard to relate. Heck we've got 10 year FO's, you can imagine how long our CA's have been here. And now they'll be here even LONGER. Yay. I wish I could fly with guys in their 20's-30's - I'd have a LOT more fun.

 

You worry SOOOO much about aviation, regionals, and stupid petty $hit like this...

WHY would you get angry/emotional about this? (Besides sounding like a woman during her "time" of the month) there is NOTHING you can do about it! Some pilots probably won't work until 65---its just an option for those who choose to do so, who cares!

If you stop worrying about EVERY SINGLE THING that goes on in this industry---you might make it to 65. Just relax man... flying is a job...its not the end of the world. If you want to change age 60/65 whatever it is now... run for Congress and plea your case, or impeach Bush, become president and veto it. Otherwise go to work, do your job, cash your check, and enjoy! It's all you can do.

 

I agree: