Furloughedagain
Senior
Don't be silly. There are literally hundreds (thousands?) of pilots chomping at the bit to do your jobs for a fraction on your pay and work-rules.
RJ 900's for PSA-- REJECTED!
- Thread starter flycrazy77
- Start date
Don't be silly. There are literally hundreds (thousands?) of pilots chomping at the bit to do your jobs for a fraction on your pay and work-rules.
Nebucanezzar
Member
- Jul 25, 2006
- 73
- 1
Ummmm...actually there is a huge looming shortage. Just ask Kit Darby. The AOPA magazine is even asking for people to volunteer to be "pilot mentors" because the number of new flight students has dropped to a 50 year low. Combine that with massive baby boomer retirements and there will be a huge deficit of qualified individuals.
I can't really say I blame kids for not wanting to be involved in aviation. Youngs adults are realizing the opportunity cost of time and money to get the necessary qualifications and then be paid less than a TSA screener who has a high school diploma. They could spend the same amount or less and train to specialize in a technical healthcare field and make more money and be home with their families every night. I'm not talking Doctor either. X-ray technician, lab tech, RN...you name it...even new hire locomotive engineers for the railroad make many many thousands more dollars per year than a newhire FO or even a senior FO at a regional. Why?
Is flying a big jet with people on board any less important than a TSA screener? To go through years of training only to be paid what amounts to about ten dollars per hour to have that enormous responsibility and be treated poorly and threatened by management. (i.e. "if you don't fly these jets for the same rate we will shut the company down and give your jobs away") To have plans with friends or plans for your days off and then scheduling calls and takes that away too.
rant over...we deserve a raise...its long overdue.
oldiebutgoody
Veteran
- Aug 23, 2002
- 2,627
- 945
Bottom line is, being a pilot is a crappy job. MOST don't make a wage that makes the sacrifice worth it anymore. And, when you figure that pilots are probably the best compensated group at the airlines, it makes you wonder why ANYONE wants anything to do with them. I don't enjoy flying as a passenger, and don't enjoy flying as a crewmember. Shifty MBA grads from ivy league schools have figured a way to make slave labor work again; they call it the airline industry! It's no different than a mobile sweat shop.
Nebucanezzar
Member
- Jul 25, 2006
- 73
- 1
Airlines are the engines of commerce. Our compensation needs to reflect the importance of the role we play in that.
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Oh, man that is funny. Dave Behnke and his guys must be rolling in the grave on that one.
Bahhhhhhhhhhhh. Bah. Bahhhhhhhhhhhh. Bah.
Let me know when we start applying the weight and speed formula again.
In case you wondered, I did vote no the few times I was allowed to. I made the trips to my congresscritters office with several others from my area, too. It just didn't change anything.
My crystal ball is broken, but consider this. Last week I received a call from a former student of mine who has emigrated from Ukraine using political asylum. His last job? A 737 captain for Ukraine International airways. He is studying for his writtens now and will be taking the US practical tests ASAP.
What do you think he will work for?
What do you think that those flying the DC9 equivalents will take your job for?
We are hosed.
I should have been a dentist.
Nebucanezzar
Member
- Jul 25, 2006
- 73
- 1
Well then we can collect unemployment and become dentists.
Who is Dave Bhenke? Never heard of him.
Who is Dave Bhenke? Never heard of him.
Nebucanezzar
Member
- Jul 25, 2006
- 73
- 1
flynomore...ALPA doesn't give out the book anymore...they probably should...As well as Herb Petzinger's "Hard Landing" the epic contest for power and profits that plunged the airlines into chaos.
Piney...you are correct and so is Kit Darby...there will be a shortage and it will reach critical mass in roughly five years.
What is next...open skies?...Immigrants commanding our jets? It will be interesting...I'm gonna sit back and enjoy the ride (if that is possible on an RJ)
Piney...you are correct and so is Kit Darby...there will be a shortage and it will reach critical mass in roughly five years.
What is next...open skies?...Immigrants commanding our jets? It will be interesting...I'm gonna sit back and enjoy the ride (if that is possible on an RJ)
Because express pilots are chasing a dangling carrot
Furloughedagain
Senior
When pilots start buying Kit Darby's snake oil, then all is lost.
Nebucanezzar
Member
- Jul 25, 2006
- 73
- 1
The reference to Kit Darby was a joke. He is a jerk.
flyin4peanuts
Member
- Aug 7, 2006
- 21
- 0
Well Bluestreak, I share the same sediment! I think the negotations are going to get ugly before they get better...but regardless; the 900s are still on their way to PSA. And that's a good thing. As I said before, we have to get so much hiring and training completed before the airplanes arrive in January. I can't believe that some kind of deal can't be struck before the airplanes arrive. I believe the training department will be forced to prepare for the 900s ASAP. That will include the hiring of new pilots and instructors. When will this occur? It should've occurred back on August 1st...so we're behind already. Keep us posted and I'll be sure to do the same
Well Bluestreak, I share the same sediment! I think the negotations are going to get ugly before they get better...but regardless; the 900s are still on their way to PSA. And that's a good thing. As I said before, we have to get so much hiring and training completed before the airplanes arrive in January. I can't believe that some kind of deal can't be struck before the airplanes arrive. I believe the training department will be forced to prepare for the 900s ASAP. That will include the hiring of new pilots and instructors. When will this occur? It should've occurred back on August 1st...so we're behind already. Keep us posted and I'll be sure to do the same
Furloughedagain
Senior
That's right folks. These are the people flying your 50-90 seat airliners.
They can pass a type ride, just don't ask them to master third-grade English.
aquagreen73s
Veteran
- Aug 22, 2005
- 1,979
- 1,877
231 retirees this year between HP and AAA, yet only 85 or so recalls? It's not hard to figure out where the other 150 or so positions are being filled: just check out any Flying magazine and look for the Mesa airlines ad. If mom and dad have $50k, then you too could be a copilot in a CRJ900 in a matter of months.
Nebucanezzar
Member
- Jul 25, 2006
- 73
- 1
Then I would ask our colleagues at mainline what they plan to do to change the landscape of our company. Give away more scope? Do you think any of us want to be where we are anymore than you did when you were logging time at a regional?
Only through collaboration with one another can we restore dignity to our profession. Selling out on scope is a double edged sword that makes career progession for newhires and recall of furloughs an ever distant prospect.
Perhaps mainline could negotiate a 70/90 seat rate that is competitive with other 70/90 seat operators and bring this flying back where it belongs.
Poking fun at the newhires (mom and dad spending 50K) and making fun of typographical grammer errors is not the best way to instill a cooperative spirit...it does very little to solve the problem.
