The dark side of the pilot shortage.

NickH said:
But wouldn't you feel happier if you doubled it? The BS about people being happy and content with x is exactly that.
Click to expand...
People who aren't content with what they have and crave more probably won't ever be able to be truly happy. That's the jist behind that particular "money can't buy happiness" saying.

Of course money makes things easier but there are many inputs to ones personal well being. Friends and family being one of the top. Having too much money can become a burden as it can tend to alienate you or push you into relationships that exist solely because of money and not personal bonds.
 
wheelsup said:
People who aren't content with what they have and crave more probably won't ever be able to be truly happy. That's the jist behind that particular "money can't buy happiness" saying.

Of course money makes things easier but there are many inputs to ones personal well being. Friends and family being one of the top. Having too much money can become a burden as it can tend to alienate you or push you into relationships that exist solely because of money and not personal bonds.
Click to expand...

Ambition and Drive are essential for self actualization.
 
wheelsup said:
People who aren't content with what they have and crave more probably won't ever be able to be truly happy. That's the jist behind that particular "money can't buy happiness" saying.

Of course money makes things easier but there are many inputs to ones personal well being. Friends and family being one of the top. Having too much money can become a burden as it can tend to alienate you or push you into relationships that exist solely because of money and not personal bonds.
Click to expand...


This, but you can't explain that to someone who has never had that type of money. People who think money makes all your problems go away lack the understanding of the problems it creates. It truly is a first world problem.
 
Inverted said:
I’m not gonna shed a single tear for the plight of 91 and 135 companies. I hope they completely revamp or cease to exist. Bottom feeder 135s will get the bottom of the barrel crap pilots with a child porn charge and a DUI because that’s the bed they made, and I couldn’t be happier about it.

I think back to just a short time ago at my first 135 carrier making 28k, being told that if I don’t kiss their shoes for the opportunity to fly a crappy turboprops, they would happily kick my butt to the curb and find somebody else. Now, watching how the only way, literally the only way they get people through the door, is with a 500 hour FO program that locks them in until they can fly as a captain, or captains with shady records, makes me so happy.

Call it the dark side all you want, but those subsets of the industry created the problem they are in. The entire industry relies on economic downturns to create a frenzy of qualified pilots on the market to feed the companies that would otherwise be desperate for pilots. And that isn’t unique to 91 and 135, 121 feels it as well. Hell the only reason the regionals have stepped it up as dramatically as they have, is because the economy is good and they can’t staff. Just wait until it dips and there are pilots on the street, the benefits, hiring bonuses and smiling faces by recruiters will stop overnight, and we will be back to Envoy kicking 10,000 hour airline captains out of the interview because they were off by .1 in their logbook.
Click to expand...

I agree 100%. But the pilots with blemished records are getting hired at regionals, I know of some with multiple check ride failures washing out of training at multiple airlines and of course dui convictions getting on at some regionals.
 
Inverted said:
I’m not gonna shed a single tear for the plight of 91 and 135 companies. I hope they completely revamp or cease to exist. Bottom feeder 135s will get the bottom of the barrel crap pilots with a child porn charge and a DUI because that’s the bed they made, and I couldn’t be happier about it.

I think back to just a short time ago at my first 135 carrier making 28k, being told that if I don’t kiss their shoes for the opportunity to fly a crappy turboprops, they would happily kick my butt to the curb and find somebody else. Now, watching how the only way, literally the only way they get people through the door, is with a 500 hour FO program that locks them in until they can fly as a captain, or captains with shady records, makes me so happy.

Call it the dark side all you want, but those subsets of the industry created the problem they are in. The entire industry relies on economic downturns to create a frenzy of qualified pilots on the market to feed the companies that would otherwise be desperate for pilots. And that isn’t unique to 91 and 135, 121 feels it as well. Hell the only reason the regionals have stepped it up as dramatically as they have, is because the economy is good and they can’t staff. Just wait until it dips and there are pilots on the street, the benefits, hiring bonuses and smiling faces by recruiters will stop overnight, and we will be back to Envoy kicking 10,000 hour airline captains out of the interview because they were off by .1 in their logbook.
Click to expand...
Ameriflight, your referencing Ameriflight, right? That company, all I can say about them is their buttholery is non stop, and never ceases to amaze me.
 
Economists call it the "marginal utility" of money. The peace of mind, security and happiness (@ATN_Pilot ) that can be bought for me is huge when you compare say $25k to $60k. As some mentioned earlier, I think the usefulness of money drops of abruptly somewhere in the $100k range as a rough average. Of course that is relative, in most countries I would be well into the upper class on my mediocre income.
 
ATN_Pilot said:
Honestly, if Musk can get the autopilot working completely on small city streets and everything, and get regulators to approve it, I'm on board. Laziness beats everything else. :D
Click to expand...
Nah, the Euro-luxury stuff is awesome, but to each his own.

I still just want an E39 M5 for a daily.

nibake said:
Economists call it the "marginal utility" of money. The peace of mind, security and happiness (@ATN_Pilot ) that can be bought for me is huge when you compare say $25k to $60k. As some mentioned earlier, I think the usefulness of money drops of abruptly somewhere in the $100k range as a rough average. Of course that is relative, in most countries I would be well into the upper class on my mediocre income.
Click to expand...
It depends on your goals.

All of the things I want to buy are really expensive. A large plot of land to build a cabin on, an airplane, cars/trucks, a few more motorcycles... The usefulness of money above 100k for me is high, because that's all gravy. I could probably save for some of those things at my current pay rate, but I'd make massively quicker progress if I was at 200k or more, especially for the big ticket items.
 
pete2800 said:
Nah, the Euro-luxury stuff is awesome, but to each his own.

I still just want an E39 M5 for a daily.


It depends on your goals.

All of the things I want to buy are really expensive. A large plot of land to build a cabin on, an airplane, cars/trucks, a few more motorcycles... The usefulness of money above 100k for me is high, because that's all gravy. I could probably save for some of those things at my current pay rate, but I'd make massively quicker progress if I was at 200k or more, especially for the big ticket items.
Click to expand...
That's just it. What we're saying is those things won't necessarily make you happier in the long run. The euphoria high of purchasing something quickly goes away as you settle in and adjust to that new lifestyle.

People who go down that route end up with lots of things but are no happier than those without it. Not to mention, when you get to the point where you can buy stuff, it loses its appeal.

The biggest thing for me at this point is financial security in that income comes in without having to work. I would propose that the $75k figure wasn't so much earned income as it is passive income.
 
pete2800 said:
Nah, the Euro-luxury stuff is awesome, but to each his own.

I still just want an E39 M5 for a daily.
Click to expand...
You sir have good taste! They are aging and good copies can be hard to find that are not overpriced.

Don't forget to BMW though.

B - Bring
M - More
W - Wrenches
;)
 
JDean3204 said:
Has anyone ever wondered what if we got a minimum wage per duty hour? This has been getting to me lately as I fly a ton of 20-30 minute legs but have 5 or 6 a day. It turns into a 10 or 11 hour day and with weather sometimes more until we time out. Plane swaps and pre flights, paperwork review and all thing necessary to conducting a safe 121 flight and only the time the door is closed and the motors are running do we get paid. I know, it's been like this since the wright bros etc... It could be as simple as subtracting your credit time from your duty time and getting paid min wage for the difference. This is what I think about on my 30hr Wenatchee layovers... lol
Click to expand...

You mean like a min day guarantee rig? Ours is 3.5 hours. I'm sure the majors have much better rigs.
 
wheelsup said:
The euphoria high of purchasing something quickly goes away as you settle in and adjust to that new lifestyle.
Click to expand...

Not really.

Not to mention, when you get to the point where you can buy stuff, it loses its appeal.
Click to expand...

Nah, not really.

Being able to buy what you want when you want to buy it never gets old. I think you're just stingy and you're going to die having not enjoyed a penny of what you've earned. At least your heirs will enjoy it, I guess.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top