And this paragraph is why pay is slowly going down the drain from the bottom to the top. Bean counters see things like this, and know that in a few years they can pay you low wages because "who cares, he wants to fly a big shiney jet, and his wife makes good money, so we know he'll acept crap wages."
WTG for lowering the bar one more rung. Work for GL, thats fine. But give a crap about the industry pay for your future, or get out. Do you think things got the way they are in this industry overnight? It took years and years and years of attitudes like yours. Some of us have families to support, and would ike to earn a respectible wage, not minimum wage. There is also usually two ways of doing things, the right way, and the hard way. I was recently laid off because my boss didn't want to have to give me a paycut that could have put my family in jepordy. He would rather see me find something else that could support a family, than give me a paycut that might not.
BTW, I find it perplexing that you have spoken to exactly 24 GL pilots. You could work for a company like FLX, and double your pay. There are many here on this forum that have gone from FLX, with 100-150 hrs of ME time to sitting right seat in some nice equipment, making good money, and some who have gone to sitting left seat in some decent equipment, making good money. Take your time, getting to the top won't happen overnight. And if it does, it usually comes crashing down just as fast.
First off why do you care if I go to Lakes? Am I directly screwing you over? Of course not because you make it clear based on your sig you could care less about 121.
I don't live in So-Cal like your righteous self so sorry that there isn't boatloads of opportunity underneath Bravo airspace for me. I live in the midwest where aviation is certainly not loaded with flight schools, charter and random acts of flying you can get into. I am very lucky to have instructed 30 minutes from my hometown outside of DSM where I have had a lot of opportunities. Now 3 years later I am tired of instructing and want to do something else. I know what I want in 5 years and I won't be anywhere qualified doing what I am now.
I am utterly shocked that the conversation cannot end after the above paragraph. Do you and others not realize that EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT WITH DIFFERENT SITUATIONS? Why the hell can't someone post their thoughts of "I am not qualified for what I want so I am going to do something about it and this particular job/airline seems okay" and then, wait for it, receive a simple token of support or encouragement from a community of PILOTS!? My decision does NOT EFFECT YOU even though you have it in your head that it does. WTF do you and so many others have to go on and on because you don't like where I want to go or my path? Is it really hard to offer congrats or encouragement and be happy that someone is moving on and excited and HAPPY?
I am not lowering the bar at all. I am doing something for myself besides the stupid advice of "waiting" around I hear from everyone. Right now I have gotten an interview. I haven't had one at all from all the other regionals I have applied with. So sorry for not wanting to sit on my arse another 6 months doing something totally unproductive for my career. While it may not be what you think is right, since you appear to have been around and loaded with more opportunities, it is what I feel is right for myself at the time.
As for the pay and "lowering the bar" are you serious?. Lets take a look at Wal-Mart real quick. Wal-Mart makes approximately $38,000 every single minute. They are worth billions upon billions. Now how much does Wal-Mart pay 95% of their employees? Thats right complete garbage. No one is going to change jack at the regional level when it comes to pay. I am not lowering the bar and contributing to anything.
Now if you think that I am then be my guest and start some kind of revolution or activist group that can make it happen. Whats even more funny is I suggested, almost my first week, on this forum doing just that. I saw what Firebird could do for the families of Colgan and I said why not us? Why couldn't we as members try to change something. You know what I got? Crickets... Funny how people love to talk, but don't have the balls to actually process it and try to think of something.
"who cares, he wants to fly a big shiney jet, and his wife makes good money, so we know he'll acept crap wages." - Again re-read my take about Wal-Mart. I will bet you the pink slip to my car that even if Lakes or other regionals were to skyrocket in dough no one would see much of it. As I said above you show me how to fix it besides "dont take the job".
Also we are talking about a regional. Last I checked CRAP pay isn't at Legacies which is what YOU HAVE TO WORK TO GET TO. Hell its not crap once your established at most regionals. My commercial ride DE is excess of $70,000 at Eagle as a 4 year captain. Now of course if you are a moron with your money and live way beyond your means I guess the legacy carries and captain rates at top regionals are crap pay as well.
I know you prolly won't agree with it, but last I checked just because people spend money to go to flight school doesn't mean they are entitled to "dream" jobs immediately. I seriously believe that is a major flaw with society today. Everyone thinks everything is going to be theirs without working for it. My father spent a small fortune going through med school. Then he interned for basically zero pay and then residency and a lot of crap until he made it. Now he does what he loves practicing Neurology. He didn't start his own practice right out of school. Why the F do pilots think they should be left seat in a large airliner after a few hundred hours?
You want my take? I know you'll hate me for it, but I'll say it anyways. Your situation is different. Its obvious. "Some of us have families to support, and would ike to earn a respectible wage, not minimum wage" and your sig of "more to flying than the airlines" I think your bitter towards anyone who wants to pursue airlines because you made the mistake of having a wife and kid. I have seen it firsthand before people get tied down and really limited their job choices within aviation. Now before you flip out chill for a second.
It is great you have a family and I understand that your situation is different than mine. I'm not bashing you and what your doing at all. I am glad that charter is your thing and that, hopefully, it seems to be working for you and it sounds like it is.
My situation is different. I am not married and don't have kids. Eventually I will marry my long term girlfriend, but its not in the cards right now. She doesn't make a lot of money, but we live below our means smartly and it works. I know in the future we will have kids together. It is both of our goals and what we envision. I am 25. It is a lot easier for me to work at a regional now while taking less pay to further my career without kids and get closer to a legacy which has been my dream since 4 years old if you can believe that. Then I will have more than enough to have kids and will have made it where I want to be for a career.
I really pray for your sake and others that I have opened peoples eyes to the fact that people are different with different situations. And more importantly that even if you
don't agree with their decision or career path that you could have enough in you to offer that person
a token of support and kind words...
) . My wife makes pretty good money, but not enough to pay our bills while I get to rock out in the right seat of a Beech 1900. I took out loans for all my flight training after my PPL, PLUS 2 years of loans for my 4 year non-aviation degree. So needless to say a salary in the $16k to $24k pay range for me is out of the question. ESPECIALLY if it requires me to move and/or pay an additional $200/month for a crash pad on top of rent.
