What's The Nw Ceo Smoking?
- Thread starter PHL
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Not at all, the Busdrvr moniker is somewhat tongue in cheek. I no longer drive buses (A320). I just find it downright comical that GA folks like you guys get a few hours in a 172 and think you've got it figured out. As a former AOPA member who has flown in excess of 5000 hours (approx 500 in combat) in jets from 12,000 pounds to over half a million, I have a lot more respect for the profession than you "informed" individuals seem to have. With a masters in business, I have likely left aviation for good (I make much more than any Biz jet pilot, except John Travolta..., and I get to see my kids). It would just be to your benefit to come to an airline board armed with a little more information. You have employees at these airlines with far more education (and apparently more sense...) than you who are taking incredible hits to their families standards of living because some pompas a$$e$ want them to subsidize their weekend VFR jaunts around the pattern. No thanks. For once, Mr Anderson is dead on the money.
Of course. I knew that, and actually found the analogy to be somewhat comical in that light. But the analogy holds quite a bit of water, if you think about it.Busdrvr said:
Careful about your assumptions about me. You're off the mark in nearly every respect by including me in that sentence.
With any luck, I'll be joining you in a few months. Not that I'm working in aviation; rather, I'm finishing my masters degree.
I certainly didn't mean to imply that he isn't. Since the FAA is not supposed to be a for-profit business, the fees should match the relative costs to the system of each party.
Where I got offended was in your implication that someone who chooses to be an air chauffeur is somehow less worthy of respect than someone who chooses to be an air busdriver (which may or may not coincide with being an Airbus driver
).- Thread Starter
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He's not on the money. Far from it. And, you can crow about all the business degress you have. Many of us who join these forums have advanced degrees as well, but we don't need to wave the elitist attitude in front of those we disagree with.Busdrvr said:
For you to jump to the conclusion that the airline employee standard of living reduction is due to a 'pompous a$$' flying around the pattern is sloppy and irresponsible. Do you read pilot training mags or hang out at a GA airport and watch who's doing the flying/training? These are people from all walks of life, of all ages, taking the plunge to learn to fly. A life long dream for some, a first step in a lifetime of joy for others. Then you make this blanket statement that these people are pompous and ruining the livlihood of airline employees. Nice.
Fact is, as a percentage of hourly operating costs, the fuel excise tax and miscellaneous airport fees play a substantial part of a GA pilot's costs. More than the proportionate cost of a passenger sitting in seat 20A on an Airbus.
If it costs me $50/hour in fuel + another $3 in engine wear & tear to fly my Saratoga 160 miles, it's safe to say about $10 of that is fuel tax. Then I pay $5 to land and another $15 to park(sometimes much more) at the FBO ramp. So, my total operating costs on this paticular trip are $73. But, $30 of that goes towards taxes and airport fees. Do that math - that's ALMOST 50% going back into the system. Does the airline passenger on a $99 ticket pay 50% in taxes?
So, tell me how and where the private pilot should start paying more 'fees'. We give the feds a the fuel tax. We give the FBO/airport their fees. If we have to start paying a user fee to use ATC, then of course so should the airlines. But I'm sure Dick would argue against that.
