Superpilot92

To each their own but for anyone who can see past their nose, its a no brainer to make the move when/if the opportunity presents itself.imho

STILL GROUNDED

I am truly sorry one of our people said that, this is not the general opinion of things at RAH and certainly not Air Wisconsin. I believe a lot of new young guys who don't know what has been given up or why have a tendency to over compensate for ignorance by saying thing s like this.

Truth be told: If I dead head once a month I'd be surprised so getting paid 3/4 of the hour to sleep in exchange for not getting internally whip sawed when the company tried to start the Republic Certificate ala Go Jet style and the pilot group fought it off, I can live with that one.

As for maintenance cancellations, it has happened to me once in the past 2 year, ONCE! I've been lucky I know. But I personally can't get too excited about that one.

I don't get junior manned because they can't per our crappy contract and I have never seen a pilot sitting hot reserve. For Rigs, I average 6 hours a day and all of my days are 2/1 even with a crappy sit. A weather/maintenance cancellation screws you but its rare.

With regards to beating Express Jet or AirWisconsin this is not going to do anything but put us on top of the fence to be the first to be picked off. In no time flat our code shares will have mesa/go jet/name a regional under bidding our contracts and now we are the ones taking concessionary wages just to keep our jobs. It honorable to fight to be number one but some times ego and laurels can make you an easy target. Most I talk too hear like to fly a little further under the radar. My apologies for my ignorant co-worker.

I just did my taxes and I am looking at $34k with 50% of the year being first year pay. This was for 1004 hours of pay credit but I only flew 850-875 max. And frankly if its my check and I can spend it, its income, per diem included!

STILL GROUNDED

Hear is what I see at RAH. 45 year old captain making $100 an hour getting 16 days a month off and picking his schedule. With the only chance of unemployment being that company has completely shut its doors. Or... Go to Delta/West starting at the bottom, sitting reserve risking furlough, a regional taking the A320 you are flying someday because the company talked the top half of the seniority group into it with something that would benefit them or you in 20 years.

One guy had a good analogy, put an add in the paper to work 3 days a week and get paid $120K a year, how many resume's would you expect. RAH has had explosive growth over the last 7 years, there are many hear feeling the golden handcuffs. It's not the best paying but to many it pays enough. Sometimes enough and a great quality of life is all it takes to be a regional lifer.


this add sponsored by the stop picking on regional pilots council for better living.

Rascal

With that atititude, why don`t you guys ask for 50% paycut and that way you can get even more job security? Is everyone in RAH happy to recite managments propagada speech? Here is a simple question: Why is it OK for American pilots to get paid less than the majority of the world? Even the Chinese make more. I can honestly say that, except for pilots, I have never met a group of professionals that would advocate less pay for themselves... Maybe pilos are getting what they deserve.

STILL GROUNDED

I am not saying we don't want more and we don't want to better our position, I was only saying that being on top isn't always the best place to be. You immediately jump to the conclusion that I am happy with the state of affairs, you need to read more of my work because I am clearly not. The issue is that problem cannot be fixed from the bottom up, there is little control at our level and frankly I am not putting myself out of a job to make things better for you.

johnso29

What a lot of the RAH guys seem to not understand is that if you get the best contract you help RAISE the bar for the rest of the industry. It doesn't put a target on your back. Sure XJET took a concessionary contract, but they still make MORE then a lot of other guys flying the same airplane. That's AFTER taking concessions. So please, don't fear shooting for the stars because it will put a bulleyes on your back. We must continue to work together, regardless of whether we are of the same union or not. We must be pilots in unity.

CANAM

So please, don't fear shooting for the stars because it will put a bulleyes on your back[/quote]

I agree with this statement 100%. However, as much as I agree, it's largely not realistic. In an industy where we're nothing more than subcontractors, price is everything. The lower the price, the more security.

Superpilot92

Note: this isnt picking on its just a difference of opinion.

That same 45 year old has potentially 20 years left in this career. If they think their regional will be around for 20 more years with continued golden handcuffs then by all means stay. But truth is most people have had foggles on over the last 7 years because after 911 the regionals had a spurt but that peak has come and gone. Most mainline guys have seen the effects of scope relief and most groups are beginning to see the importance of stopping it. Look at DAL, CAL, AA and the 190s at Usair all are working towards fixing or stopping scope relief. On top of that look at the 50 seaters, most mainline carriers want less of them and most will agree their time is limited. As they are reduced you will see a net loss of aircraft reducing growth or shrinking at the regionals.

Also most guys at the regionals arent 45 years old and have even longer careers left ahead of them. They can risk being a lifer and maybe it works out but its just as likely it wont and then they are looking at starting over later on when they are older. It all depends on how you want to play your cards. Nothing says a mainline carrier will be around forever either but lets face it, the regionals are on the teets of the majors and if they go out the regionals are going with them. Yeah its tough to make the call to start over but if you're thinking long term its a no brainer. For me, i'm looking at 32-37 years left in this industry so moving on made sense. Taking the pay cut and starting over isnt fun but now on year 2 pay i'm already making more than i was when i left my previous CA position. Again each persons hand is different but if you take the avg regional captains age, then it should be a no brainer to move on.

Also a key point is that once the full effects of age 65 kick in you are going to see MASSIVE movement at the Marline level. Getting on now means being at the front of that. At DAL we are looking at 300-500 retirements a year coming up and that will go on for nearly 20 years. So based solely on attrition and not growth your talking about some serious potential. Risk vs Reward is different for everyone but to each their own. Thats just my 2 pennies worth so tifwiw

Superpilot92

Then why not take a pay cut? Wouldnt that give you more security? Where does it stop?

BoilerUP

Ask a 58 year old Air Wisconsin captain who has 28+ years longevity with the company, who thought he'd retire flying the 146 in and out of ASE for $120+/hr under a concessionary contract, who is now living on or commuting to the east coast to fly a CRJ2 for substantially less money and 3-4 hotels per month, what his satisfaction level with the progress of his career has been.

Then ask a senior Comair captain the exact same thing...or a former WestAir/ACA/Independence captain.

I understand the situation today is different, but to think that story couldn't be repeated at RJET in the future would be extremely naive.