Still want to be an airline pilot?

FlyChicaga said:
I saw this article posted elsewhere, and it was pointed out that SWAPA has put out a letter stating that the pilot quoted in this article was never interviewed by the New York Times, and that quote is a complete falacy. Imagine though, the New York Times making something up?
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again??? NO way.. NOT the NY times!!! :p
 
Indeed, those guys are real SOB's for sacraficing so much to get to that point in their careers.

I hope you go from making $80,000 a year to $40,000 a year and lose your retirement. I mean that'd still put you above the national average income, and your engineering skills are probably not even worth that.

CAPITALISM WOW!

Edit: The problem with cutting your salary in half is that you take our a loan on your house assuming that you will make the same amount of cash next year. If there is no predicitbility with that, then the economy will fall apart. If there is no consumer confidence then nobody will buy anything and out economy will stop working. I do know that much about capitalism.
 
I sympathize greatly with those pilots. I wish that at the regionals we could attain the payrates that the majors currently have post-concessions; however, I still have observed how difficult it is for friends of mine to take a 40-50% paycut, even if the original salary was upwards of $150,000 a year. That is a massive percetage of money to lose when you have established yourself at a certain cost of living. I'm not going to sit and argue with you about the current major airline concessions, because it seems you have a chip on your shoulder somehow about the issue.
 
John Herreshoff said:
Then why'd you bail on the career if you think it's so cushy? I can't say I blame you for getting out, but if you think it's so great then why leave?

And I'm making the assumption that you think it's great because it's less work with more pay, which I think everybody wants. If you don't want that, and you want to really work for your paycheck, then why didn't you stick with flight express and earn that paycheck?
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I left because it isn't cushy anymore and I can make more money still sitting in the flight deck.

I think we'd all like to work less for more pay. As for why I didnt stick with Fright Excess, I guess I figured my life was worth more than risking it on a nightly basis and being with friends and family.
 
When was the last time Flight Express had a fatal crash? And if Flight Express wasn't your gig why didn't you go to a regional? They were certinally hiring.

Again, I'm not disagreeing with your choice to leave the industry, but don't come on here talking like you were down in it when you were flying a 210 around and couldn't hack it. I've already decided before I even get there I don't WANT that lifestyle, so I won't go there. You're not going to hear me bitching about it.
 
Ahh, he sympathizes with the regional pilots.

So I don't count I guess. Interesting!
 
Nope, you make too much money. You should be happy that you ONLY took a 50% pay cut.

That article did have one thing right, if M.I.T. told the faculty that they needed to take a 35% pay cut and they were losing their retirements, there would be riots. Same thing would happen in ANY industry. I'm not sure why we take it so well.
 
braidkid said:
I sympathize with your regional pilots who make low wages. However, it is hard for me to feel sorry for major airline pilots once making $220k now earning $120k.
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well, i have to admit that it's a good thing your ducking out and stopping at this point cuz i'd really like to dare you to say that to your 20+ year veteran family members and see what they say....of course, that would just be asking for a paddling...
 
I really don't know what's the bigger issue of the thread. Another skirmish in the "Class Warfare" game (everyone else makes too much but me!) or another New York Times reporter getting busted for fabricating facts.
 
Oh, not the pooch!

My blood pressure doesn't spike the way it used to over this stuff because without actually walking in my size 12 Doc Martens for my last four day trip, people haven't a clue what the job actually entails, but they're very quick to pass judgement on those that do.

I've made peace with it.

Well, kinda.

I'd certainly like to invite a reporter, an analyst or folks that think it's a lot of money and only a little bit of work to a recurrent simulator session to see how easy the job is.

It's friday, I'm going out for way too much drinking with my beautiful bride, the sun is shining and it's in the 70's here in Scottsdale.
 
Sorry guys for stirring the hornet's nest. I certainly don’t mean to cause frustration and anger.
What I originally stated is my opinion that this job once was cushy and high paying but is not anymore. We all know the majority of pilots are not well compensated. I was referring to the top percentile (who the article was referring to) in my remarks. I believe that historically pilots were paid too much for the work they did.

It is hard for me to explain fully my thoughts on a message board but understand the sensitivity of these matters to you in the pilot community. I post articles like these to help keep the pilot profession in perspective so that newcomers know all the facts before committing themselves.

My apologies.
 
Someone from a newspaper attempted to contact my dad last month about United coming out of Ch.11 and pilot pention being cut ect ect. That reporter was hoping my Dad was going to bash on United for taking away a lot of his retirement. He declined to interview. Im not sure what publication it was but how on earth did they get his personal information such as phone number and email.

Its 40 degrees here in Vegas, windy and snowing in the west part of town. Im coming down to PHX :)
 
Not that this matters much, but I was talking to the son of a senior US Air CA today who said that 85% of the US Air pilots will retire in the next 5 years. There's still a little hope for us out there...
 
braidkid said:
I sympathize with your regional pilots who make low wages. However, it is hard for me to feel sorry for major airline pilots once making $220k now earning $120k.

And with that I will duck out of here before everyone starts throwing things at me!!! :D
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You should feel sorry. These men and women deserve every penny. $220K is a lot of money HOWEVER, to take the men and women flying these airplanes and cutting their salary in half is wrong.
 
I do believe I still want to be an airline pilot. If not, like said before, there are tons of other ways to fly for a living out there. I don't understand why people limit themselves to airlines.
 
John Herreshoff said:
Nope, you make too much money. You should be happy that you ONLY took a 50% pay cut.

That article did have one thing right, if M.I.T. told the faculty that they needed to take a 35% pay cut and they were losing their retirements, there would be riots. Same thing would happen in ANY industry. I'm not sure why we take it so well.
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Pilots take it so well because they don't have a choice. You have pigeon-holed yourself into a career flying airplanes. It's a skill. And if you decide to riot (aka strike) your company goes under or fills your seat with someone less qualified willing to do your job for a fraction of the pay. That IS why.

I'm not saying it is right, but before you accept a career as a pilot I think it's important to understand that flying is a skill; therefore, you have very little control over your "career."

Professors, on the other hand, could find a job anywhere (that would probably pay twice as much) if they weren't happy. Supply and demand folks.

Don't flame me....i'm just calling it the way I see it, and I don't think you could disagree. If this is really the ONLY thing you could see yourself doing for the rest of your life then so be it. To me, it's not worth it. I'm going to dental school and plan on flying on the side.
 
fsuflyer said:
Pilots take it so well because they don't have a choice. You have pigeon-holed yourself into a career flying airplanes. It's a skill. And if you decide to riot (aka strike) your company goes under or fills your seat with someone less qualified willing to do your job for a fraction of the pay. That IS why.

I'm not saying it is right, but before you accept a career as a pilot I think it's important to understand that flying is a skill; therefore, you have very little control over your "career."

Professors, on the other hand, could find a job anywhere (that would probably pay twice as much) if they weren't happy. Supply and demand folks.

Don't flame me....i'm just calling it the way I see it, and I don't think you could disagree. If this is really the ONLY thing you could see yourself doing for the rest of your life then so be it. To me, it's not worth it. I'm going to dental school and plan on flying on the side.
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Dentistry isn't a skill? Law isn't a skill?

The difference between flying and and any other professions is senority lists. We are literally married to our jobs, for good, better or worse we do not have the option of jumping ship for greener pastures.

Yet, if we did not have the senority (and the unions to go with it) we'd be in a worse position than we are now.

Don't come on here and state supply and demand when it's not that simple. I know there are plenty of people on here who think it's simply supply and demand and that this theory works completely unaffected by other things but guess what, it is affected by many things.
 
pilot602 said:
Dentistry isn't a skill? Law isn't a skill?

The difference between flying and and any other professions is senority lists. We are literally married to our jobs, for good, better or worse we do not have the option of jumping ship for greener pastures.

Yet, if we did not have the senority (and the unions to go with it) we'd be in a worse position than we are now.

Don't come on here and state supply and demand when it's not that simple. I know there are plenty of people on here who think it's simply supply and demand and that this theory works completely unaffected by other things but guess what, it is affected by many things.
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I had a long-winded response typed out, but then realized I was wasting my time... you're right, i'm clueless. Remember, this is a message board, not a dissertation...therefore, points will be simplified. Also, last I remember you don't own this place so what's with the "Don't come on here and state.." ??
 
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