Complaining about the money

Doug Taylor said:
Even another twist.

$70K today is a lot different than what $70K will be by the time you make it in the future.

Heck, that's less than a bus driver in many cities, DOH! :)
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ohh..thats cold blooded! Well, he's probably been driving for 20yrs to reach that pay, and we've been captains for 2 yrs! Plus we get to fly a big shiney jet and nonrev to Japan for free!:sarcasm:
 
777forever said:
and nonrev to Japan for free!:sarcasm:
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I dunno... a non-rev to Poughkeepsie on Greyhound is a pretty attractive benefit!

:sarcasm:

I guess it all comes down to the fact that almost EVERYONE complains about money from time to time. In most cases, there could always be more. With the published info out there on hourly rates, at least we know what we're getting ourselves into and where we can hope to improve it.
 
70k to me right now is a lot of money, probably because I live on 12k or less a year. Personally I want to be making 100k by age 30
 
meritflyer said:
Prior to UPS, what did you do for pay? AF? Instruct? Both those are real bread winners. :sarcasm:
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I'm flying for the AF currently, and have been for the last 9 years (I've been in for 12 years). I make about $80-85K all together, and that doesn't even count the "free" health care that is NOT coming out of my check.

That's not an insane amount of money, but it certainly is a comfortable living. I would make MUCH more by jumping ship and going to a Major, no doubt (after two-three years of a pay cut, obviously).

What would a comparable pilot, who STARTED flying with "zero" time nine years ago be making right now? Would I be a regional Captain making about that same amount?
 
Hacker15e said:
I'm flying for the AF currently, and have been for the last 9 years (I've been in for 12 years). I make about $80-85K all together, and that doesn't even count the "free" health care that is NOT coming out of my check.

That's not an insane amount of money, but it certainly is a comfortable living. I would make MUCH more by jumping ship and going to a Major, no doubt (after two-three years of a pay cut, obviously).

What would a comparable pilot, who STARTED flying with "zero" time nine years ago be making right now? Would I be a regional Captain making about that same amount?
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That's gotta be just your base pay, or your net, and certainly excludes your aviator incentive pay!
 
That quoted pay is about spot on for -15. After he gets past that initial committment is when it is jacked up "real good"...I tell people that we do make a fair wage in the AF, but not many jobs involve getting shot at either. Not only to mention that when you get tired of the wages at XYZ regional airlines, you can quit. That's a bit harder in the AF...

I am torn on the pay deal...I think most people know what they are getting into, but that isn't to say that it shouldn't be improved upon, especially at the lower levels. 19K to start at a regional is nuts...but I think it isn't going to change, at lease significantly, so I have to make the best decisions for ME. My Granddad was flew and was involved in the Eastern strike(s) and left before they folded...he went into business for himself and says I am a damn fool for wanting to fly commercially. Perhaps I am...but I will have the security of having a master's degree done and having my pension (hopefully!) for the rest of my life that will at least pay a mortgage and buy a case of mac-n-cheese once a month. Would I love to punch out of the AF now and do the regional thing in the pursuit of the "Life of Dough"? Hell yeah I do! Am I smarter than that? I sure hope so... I do have one wish, that perhaps my Granddad will live long enough for me to show him that things are better...but I am willing to bet it ain't happening.
 
GalaxyIFE said:
That quoted pay is about spot on for -15. After he gets past that initial committment is when it is jacked up "real good"...I tell people that we do make a fair wage in the AF, but not many jobs involve getting shot at either. Not only to mention that when you get tired of the wages at XYZ regional airlines, you can quit. That's a bit harder in the AF...
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The reason I asked is because he and I are on the same payscale. No difference between Army and AF payscales, except flight pay, which AF officers get considerably more of.

Even though I've been in 12 years, I have only been an Officer for 7. If he's been an Officer for 12, he should make more than me.
 
He may be figuring with or without BAH or COLA...he may not have gotten an ACP depending on when he did his committment...it's whacked out and they change it about every 15 minutes! :laff:
 
Yeah, I was talking about net, not gross.

I even overshot the number a little. I read the number right off MyPay...and adjusted by a little because the last two months of '06 I was stationed in the UK, and have a HUGE BAH and COLA ($2500/month for OHA....and every cent of that goes for rent -- overseas housing allowance) which throws the numbers off.

I actually just ran the numbers using my BAH for when I was stationed in Georgia before PCSing to the UK, and my take home pay (Base, BAS, BAH, FLY PAY) after taxes was just over $6,400 a month -- about $77,000 per year. My before taxes income is $7,543.79/month or $90,524.28/year.

I am not a "pilot bonus" acceptee, so that's not figured into the mix -- just the standard $650 monthly ACIP.

Either way, in the current airline pilot payscale environment, the military guy is no longer getting the short end of the deal like he was a decade ago (except in the QOL department -- I am typing this from a plywood building in Afghanistan).
 
Hacker15e said:
I read the number right off MyPay...and adjusted by a little because the last two months of '06 I was stationed in the UK, and have a HUGE BAH and COLA ($2500/month for OHA....and every cent of that goes for rent -- overseas housing allowance) which throws the numbers off.
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Fair enough - it just seemed odd is all. You an O-4?
 
I personally wish it was more to start with, with smaller increases. Of course, more to start AND big increases is nicer, but I'd be happier if the increases were leveled out more so it's not so painful for the first few years.
 
TheWife said:
I personally wish it was more to start with, with smaller increases. Of course, more to start AND big increases is nicer, but I'd be happier if the increases were leveled out more so it's not so painful for the first few years.
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Are you thinking about becoming a pilot?
 
Looks like someone on our property is about to do something about it (its not me, I swear!). I just heard there is a resolution about to be introduced in the LAX base to deny jumpseat privileges to ALL non-union carriers.

Why? Because its the non-Union guys who are dragging the industry standard for pay and benefits down. Now, I don't give that resolution much of a chance of getting passed at the MEC level, but its an indication of how guys who've gotten their pay slashed and lost their retirements are thinking.

The Unions "jack the house" up. Non-Union pilots "jack the house" down. The guys pushing this are looking for a way to get the attention of those who take jobs at non-union carriers.

"No soup for you," - the Soup Nazi
 
Ian J said:
How was the field grade lobotomy? Did it hurt much? ;)
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I didn't really notice...until the Lieutenants in the squadron all started calling me one of the 'old guys' and a 'dinosaur'. THEN I knew something was different!
 
777forever said:
70k to me right now is a lot of money, probably because I live on 12k or less a year. Personally I want to be making 100k by age 30
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Heck, I made more that at 30, back in 2000. It wasn't as much as you think it is then, much less by the time you're 30.

We're getting hosed by wage stagnation and inflation :(

I still remember when a whopper w/cheese was $.89 and gas was $.95/gallon.
 
Ya the low pay is pretty much why I have never entered into the industry. We all say that we need to stop taking the low paying jobs but everyone takes them anyways.

I can't remember the whopper at .89 but I do at .99 I prefer the whopper over any other fast food burger. Actually that should be a poll question in the Lav.


P.S. 70k - 100k isn't as much as you might think it is.
 
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