Why's that?
It being laughable that is. Because, if we're honest, we recognize that flying contract is significantly different than flying for a 121 operator where benefits are paid, paid time off is provided, training is paid for, hotels are covered, per diem is offered, and insurance is largely not an issue, oh and you don't have to manage the craft on your own. These differences require a different perspective when determining daily rates for compensation.
Those that make their living flying contract work take on a great deal more financial responsibility than any person working for a "company" does.
Not even talking about this example that the OP was asking about but in the broader context of operating as a contract pilot.
Oh, and since you didn't reference any single member by name I'll take this moment to disclose what I made during my 11 months and change at my company: $22,322.86
First, a pilot is a pilot, pure and simple. You either fly airplanes for a living, or you don't. The "bene's" you get at ASA or wherever you work, are just that, benefits. They are not pay. Saying you are paid in "benefits" is like saying slaves got paid in food and housing. Whether you realize it or not, the captain is managing the aircraft, he signs off the flight release, he has final authority over airworthiness, and if its broke, he doesn't fly it until its fixed. The only difference is that and this guy, is if TrustMeI'mAPilot sees something broke, he calls up the local shop and has them fix it, which, btw, he's not paying for. If the captain sees something broke, he calls up mx and they fix it. Same game, different name.
As for the second, that's a very poor wage for 11 months of work. I made about $38k last year while changing jobs (which essentially resulted in about a month off for training and the like). I'll probably do about the same this year and I changed jobs again (had to change colleges, otherwise I'd have made at least $45-50k at my old gig). The stuff I'm doing isn't "hardcore bush flying" either, I'm not risking life and limb every day I go in. It's just 135. I lack benes (which is somewhat of an issue) but even if I had to pay for my own insurance (I'm on a family plan) I'd still wouldn't pay more than $6,000 per year. $38k-$6k = $32k. $32,000 > $25,000. The only bene that you really got more than I did is CASS, and even then I still got nonrev on Alaska, and several others at my old job, and ID-90s for a nominal fee here (don't know what the fee is, but it isn't much).
To be honest, even when I was a co-pilot at ACE I would have made more money than $25,000 per year. As a copilot there, I made $25/hr flight, and about 1200-1300hrs per year. Home every night (literally every night). Ace also had a full benefits package, 401K matching, and several other "benes." ACE also had quick upgrade for everyone who was eligible for ATPs (I was not, I had to wait 3 years or so because of ATP age restrictions, and pay stays the same, so I left, though I still would have made more than a lot of t-prop FOs). My buddies who were older and got there at essentially the same time, about 1 month before, are already captains. They're making $50/hr, at 1200hrs per year. Do the math.
I'm sorry, but I don't care how you write it out, or make it appear, $25000 per year sucks. I don't care what experience you got doing it, it wasn't worth pay that low. That's so low, its not even "paying your dues low." That's wild. How can you, or anyone else for that matter, stand up and tell people to better the industry, better themselves, and that they shouldn't sell themselves short, when you made roughly half of my yearly salary to fly an airplane that's way more complex and has way more people in the back. Even captains wages at ASA suck when you think about it, the newest captain (if he's still on 3rd year pay) there is making only $62/hr. To be responsible for what does the CRJ200 have, 40 seats? That's probably about $70k per year after per diem and the like. What should he really be making? I'd argue at least $80/year, probably more like $90.
