Good post, but you forgot the third part of the passenger trifecta: On time, Safely, and most of all for the CHEAPEST price. I hear people say all the time that "I don't ride on these things" or "Stupid Puddle Jumper", ect. as they are getting on the dash, but they get on and I haven't seen a single one of the complainers get off before we left. As soon as they arrive safely at their destination it doesn't matter what they rode on, as long as they get there.

Exactly. This is why the 70-100 seat RJ's are the domestic flying future. SUre Boeings/buses will still be flying, but in order for those airlines to compete, they will have to pay "regional" wages. The seperation of classes in this country is going to keep growing. 30 years from now, you're either gonna be REAL rich or (like most) real frickin' poor.

Pilotpip, thanks. I think HotMama slightly misunderstood. I was trying to state the public opinion of safety. For what its worth, maybe they're right. A 747 could be safer, since it will have more experienced pilots. I'm not trying to start a war on pilot time/requirements. I'll stop now.

PS I still hate flying as a passenger in coach on anything. I'll let everyone know if hell freezes over and that changes.

This is the biggest part of the problem. The flying public is unaware of this situation. When I tell people that I will gross less than 40K this year I have had some people say, "You mean 140K, right?"

I tell them the truth.

But the general public thinks we earn a lot, don't work much, the airplane flies itself, we have lots of cute flight attendants, all have long paid vacations, etc.

Most of them simply don't comprehend that a new F/O on a jet aircraft these days earns around 20K, give or take. It just goes right over their head.

Eventually the pendulum will swing in our favor because the pilot factory flight schools will no longer be able to recruit suckers to do this job. The shortage is starting, but it will take a while 'til we feel the benefits of that shortage.

What's scary is that this is true for some major airlines also. Some people I know don't even tell others that they are pilots. However, what's even more scary is that a lot of pilots I talked to that are trying to go pro don't really care that the pay is going down.

I had no idea what pilots made when I started learning. I guess that others don't have to worry about trying to support themselves on 1st year pay when they get to the regionals, and for that matter, second and third year at some of the places that hire with really low times.

People need to travel. Whether it is to visit friends and relatives, enjoy a relaxing break away from home, or to do business in distant cities, air travel makes it possible. And transportation of goods by air brings to us the things that we need and want from around the globe. Demand for air transport will be driven by global economic growth and will, in turn, contribute to that growth. The need to expand the existing fleet to meet growing demand, plus the need to replace older airplanes with newer, better ones, creates a market for 27,210 new airplanes worth $2.6 trillion to be delivered over the next 20 years.
(Source: Boeing)

This stuff is really interesting: http://www.boeing.com/commercial/cmo/pdf/CMO_06.pdf

I will start a new thread titled "Boeing 2025" in case you want to post any comments.

Listen guys I know the past few years have been rough, but in the next few years there is going to be a mass exodus of pilots (retiring), and not only are the big boys going to have to replace them but they are going to need to hire a ton, becuase they have been flying the past 5 years with the bear minimum of pilots. 9/11 hit us pretty hard but I feel that things are slowly starting to turn. I think we are in at a good time. And the money for airline pilots was never all that great for just starting out and that is what most of us are doing, JUST STARTING OUT. Look at the payscale of SWA, FED, UPS, CAL etc........THEY MAKE GREAT MONEY. American, Delta, United even though they used to make much much more, still is pretty good, and that is going to change, especially with the airlines once again making profits. I am excited for all of our futures and just remember we do have the option to go sit in a cubicle and make enough money to have a house, car, blah blah, we are Airline Pilots we do for a living what alot of people can only dream. The fact that I can still say this and be in debt and have to work two jobs to just get by just shows how much I love what I do, and how much you guys all do too. We can all leave the industry but then we would be bitter and hate ourselves for it. Just ask SKYHIGH hell tell ya!

WHo is it this time? the vietnam era guys? I've been hearing that old line since my first day of college.