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darkwing 4
QuoteThe sad thing about all this is that pilots are a dime a dozen right now...
Welcome to America, capitalism, etc.
If anything, it was worse when I started in the early 1970s. It was years before I ever knew of a pilot getting paid. They did it for time, and considered themselves lucky. There are many professions that share similar realities. Ii is a microcosm of the greater economy. Young guys willing to fly free or cheap is no different than the factors that drive outsourcing, or the current widespread transfer of jobs to India and China. Is a person who is willing to work for less somehow less of a person? I'd like a world where everyone made a great living, but it ain't going to happen.
-- Jeff
My Skydiving History
riggerrob 613
Pacific Skydivers usually hires one young pilot per year to fly our Cessnas, then pays them a small wage.
After a season or so, our junior pilots then apply to companies like Navair, to fly right seat in "beater" Navajos. The scary thing ist that they take a pay cut for the privilege of flying more complex, poorly maintained airplanes in far worse weather (shooting IFR approaches to "minimums" in the mountains).
Oh! Wait a minute, didn't Navair crash an MU-2 a few months ago?
Didn't Navair recently go out of business?
Isn't Sonic Blue undergoing similar scrutiny because one of their Caravans suffered an engine failure and crashed on Vancouver Island?
After a season or so, our junior pilots then apply to companies like Navair, to fly right seat in "beater" Navajos. The scary thing ist that they take a pay cut for the privilege of flying more complex, poorly maintained airplanes in far worse weather (shooting IFR approaches to "minimums" in the mountains).
Oh! Wait a minute, didn't Navair crash an MU-2 a few months ago?
Didn't Navair recently go out of business?
Isn't Sonic Blue undergoing similar scrutiny because one of their Caravans suffered an engine failure and crashed on Vancouver Island?
QuoteQuoteThe sad thing about all this is that pilots are a dime a dozen right now...
Welcome to America, capitalism, etc.
If anything, it was worse when I started in the early 1970s. It was years before I ever knew of a pilot getting paid. They did it for time, and considered themselves lucky. There are many professions that share similar realities. Ii is a microcosm of the greater economy. Young guys willing to fly free or cheap is no different than the factors that drive outsourcing, or the current widespread transfer of jobs to India and China. Is a person who is willing to work for less somehow less of a person? I'd like a world where everyone made a great living, but it ain't going to happen.
It doesn't have anything to do with working for less. The fact is that they think that they will pay their dues flying for cheap because something better paying is out there. The majors are still calling people back that were furloughed years ago, and don't let me get started on their paycuts (my guard squadron is made up of a lot of furloughed airline guys). The jobs that are reasonably paying are places like Southwest, FedEx, NetJets, and a few corporate jobs. The competition for these jobs is ridiculous right now. If these new pilots want to have a family, it would be pretty hard to make it happen with airline regional pilot pay.
I guess what I'm trying to say is the big pot of gold isn't waiting for them at the end of their regional career. I know this current climate will change, it is just going to be a long time. If I didn't get with NetJets, I was going to work full time with my family's company, still doing 1 week a month with the Guard. I was surprised at how competitive the civilian market is right now. It was a definite learning experience.
"I promise, I will never die."
riggerrob 613
The jobs that are reasonably paying are places like Southwest, FedEx, NetJets, and a few corporate jobs. The competition for these jobs is ridiculous right now.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Amusing that you would quote "Southwest" as one of the better-paying airlines.
It's Canadian equivalent "West Jet" is far from the best-paying airline.
Far too many young pilots get sucked into paying tens of thousands of dollars for flight training with the promise of earning $250,000 per year as senior captains on board long-range 747s and the bigger Airbuses for Air Canada.
Sadly, only 1% of pilots' seats pay that well.
The rest of them end up as glorified bus-drivers.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Amusing that you would quote "Southwest" as one of the better-paying airlines.
It's Canadian equivalent "West Jet" is far from the best-paying airline.
Far too many young pilots get sucked into paying tens of thousands of dollars for flight training with the promise of earning $250,000 per year as senior captains on board long-range 747s and the bigger Airbuses for Air Canada.
Sadly, only 1% of pilots' seats pay that well.
The rest of them end up as glorified bus-drivers.
QuoteIf these new pilots want to have a family, it would be pretty hard to make it happen with airline regional pilot pay.
I guess what I'm trying to say is the big pot of gold isn't waiting for them at the end of their regional career. I know this current climate will change, it is just going to be a long time. If I didn't get with NetJets, I was going to work full time with my family's company, still doing 1 week a month with the Guard. I was surprised at how competitive the civilian market is right now. It was a definite learning experience.
Tell me about it. ...regional pilot for 6 years now. Pot of gold where? I'm comfortable. But I ain't rich (money wise) that's for sure.
Chris Schindler
www.diverdriver.com
ATP/D-19012
FB #4125
www.diverdriver.com
ATP/D-19012
FB #4125
"I promise, I will never die."
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