My best friend is a full time fireman (he has an aas in fire science). His wife is a teacher with a masters degree. I make what they make combined and I am a 5th year Captain. I work 83 per month 15 average per month.

Do we deserve more...absolutly. But keep it in perspective.

I love my job. I like my lifestyle. I miss my family when I am gone, but when I get home I understand what I missed. Most people cannot say that. I will help fight for this industry to imporove, cuz thats what we deserve.

being on reserve really sucks the life out of me...i can't stand commuting to NY just so i can sit ready-reserve at the airport for a week without flying once...you begin to wonder what the point of you're job is anymore...i pick up open time on my days off at least once a month to make ends meet. you do this once or twice and you find you're never home...the Mrs. is at home alone while i'm what? hours away doing what? sitting by a phone?

that's how i see it from a reserve stand point...

I'm sorry you didn't research your career choice better. You should be happy you are busting your ass doing manual labor, or pushing papers behind a desk. Everyone has to start somewhere, Rockstar.

I thoroughly understand this thread and ones nature to question his or her commitment. I too have been wrestling with this concept for months now. I loving flying, I’m good at it, and it’s never felt like work, not once. But at what price? I’m in the second half of my twenties and I watch my childhood friends (the ones that chose more conventional paths) start to break the six figure mark, get married, perhaps even have kids. For me it seems like a never ending series of middle seats, ipods, airport food, and unfamiliar beds. Years away from a true living, lost relationships mounting, and the gap between today and my dream job widening… is it really worth it? The question that scares me the most is the one I never saw coming.

Watch yourself chief… recent scheduling cutbacks and base reductions have seen me go from 39 in base to 83. After a year of holding a line I find myself sitting reserve hundreds of miles away from where I live. Every other phone call is some guy that’s just this side of retarded trying to assign me yet another airport appreciation shift until 3am when the last flight leaves at ten. I spend hundreds of dollars on hotels, deadhead more than I fly, and pick up trips off the trade board on my days off to finance this glorious lifestyle. I’m well aware of the paying your dues concept, it’s become my existence. Don’t you dare go criticizing me or anyone else for voicing their feelings.

"I watch my childhood friends (the ones that chose more conventional paths) start to break the six "figure mark"..."

Not sure how easy it would be to "join your friends", but, more power to you if you go that route and walk away from the career. I'd only ask that you tell the story of how you got to that six figure job in the "leaving the career" forum.

Personally, I'm guessing, in today's climate, it's not so easy to just walk into a six figure job outside of flying.

I didn't start this thread for people to start fighting and blaming one another about any issue. I wanted to see what the general consensus is amongst pilots out there to see if there is another point of view. To see if there is another way of dealing with these tough times. To see if others think if this is part of a "Cyclical" industry or the industry has changed its method of existence.

Im glad to see you dont find this career and climate as uncooperative as some others and I would really like to know how it may be different for you or how you deal with a bad situation better then the rest of us, but please dont attack or judge someone you dont know.

Share you experience, advice, and thoughts, leave the rest to Management.

"Can't wait for all the vietnam era retirements then things will turnaround."

I said the same when I was 21 there junior.