aviatormjc

Not another RAH 190 thread...this is getting old and tiring.

Anyone who thinks they will be mainline pilots...think again. Look at our current situation. All the majors have pilots on furlough and even if you managed to squeak your way in, plan on being a FO for the rest of your career. Your only hope is to get a good schedule as a reserve in a base you want.

If RAH management wants 190s why should the pilots there fight against bettering their situation and refusing the 190s? That is just plain dumb. I have friends that left XXX regional for XXX major this last hiring stint and they are out of jobs now. They were CAs at the regional making $70k+, went to mainline and back to FO pay $30k+ and now they have nothing.

American? don't count on it
Delta? maybe...
United? forget it!
Continental? no health for 6 months...$30/hr...no way
US Air? Ha! Better off where your at.

Times are changing and we haven't seen the worst yet.

Rascal

I thought that the reason the regional pilots accepted minimum wage for flying a sophisticated machine was the fact that it was a stepping stone... Why would anyone get into this mess if in the endthe best case scenario will be making 70k a year?
I must admitt that management in the USA did a terrefic job by reducing this prestigious occupation into a proverbial bus driver. If pilots settle for less why would any sane businessman would think otherwise?

ToiletDuck

I asked a simple question, got a simple answer, then replied with a simple thought about why they'd have to get retrained. More exits would mean they'd technically have to get retrained for different briefing and possible evac procedures. I don't really know of anything else different with the aircraft since it seems rather identical. There was nothing sarcastic about it at all. Must you think everyone is so cynical? I try to keep the sarcasm to a minimum and it's usually accompanied with a or or Just FYI.

aviatormjc

Even $50K a year is a great start as a regional CA. We have CAs making 6 figures on a 145. How much $ do you need? Wouldn't you appreciate job security, great schedule more than an extra $50k? If you are already at your regional or 135 operator, why take the risk of going mainline is all I'm saying.

If RAH wants to advance itself and 190s is their direction, why should the pilots their fight that? They have a descent contract and are working toward a better one.

I can get a job as a Hawker CA at the airport by me and starts at $65k with no guaranteed job security, no flight benefits, no scheduled 12-15 days off/month and no annual pay schedule meaning no guarantee I will make anything over 65K.

It will be a long time before applying to a major will be a wise choice and not a gamble. The only thing that really sticks out negatively about regionals is the first year FO pay. I did and survived but now am making $45k as a 2nd yr FO.

BIrwin

Regarding job security, keep in mind there will always be a low bidder for mainline contracts. Ask the folks at Atlantic Coast & Air Wisconsin...

My prediction is that the next place majors will seek to cut costs is their regional affiliates, as contracts come up for renewal.

Rascal

Why settle for less? Why do you want to make less than most college gradutes while your jobs requires more training? Why not aspire to making 300K a year like pilots used to make? European pilots make multiples of 50K flying the same planes that Americans fly. Management makes millions why not get some chunk of that?
Your logic seems very flawed to me. If you willing to setlle for 50K, then why not 25K? You replaced a guy that you used get paid 100K and maybe you will get replaced by someone that will setlle for half your pay. Where does it end?

Rascal

By the way no cancelltion pay or 75% for deadhead does not qualify as anything decent to me. You want to improve the contract and yet you are willing to work for less? Which one is it?

Bond

No offense, but people like you are the reason J.O., Hulas, Bedford, Lorenzo, get away with the stuff they get away with. A 190 is a mainline aircraft, if a regional was fly them under their own flag, I would expect them to do it for mainline wages or not at all.

aviatormjc

Cut costs...that's fine and dandy but if they cut the regional contracts there's no one to serve the small communities to feed the mainline flights and having 737s fly into small communities doesn't cut costs but will increase spending.

Second, if they use the lowest bidder regional (Mesa), performance will drop and passengers will become frustrated and angry and either drive farther to access a hub or fly Southwest who serves more local communities with their aircraft.

I don't agree with majors releasing scope, but it was done and we all have to make the best of it. I would have loved to work for American, US Air or Delta, but that's just not an option for me anymore. Too much risk for too little reward. I am stuck at my regional for a while and have to keep standards from dropping and try to raise the bar when it allows.

300K? What mainline pilot makes that anymore? Like the first 300 pilots at American maybe. Won't happen. Pilots making 300K is overinflated to me. $100K is a great salary and I live in NY, a very expensive place. CEOs should make less and take the extra $ and put it into the airline...not their pockets.

aviatormjc

Also keep in mind, I'm on the EMB145, if 100K isn't enough $ for that a/c, what is? The EMB190 top pay should be more of course and at RAH it is. Anything greater that 75% dh pay, really? Not really a priority. Cancellation pay...definitely!!! I totally agree and they are working on it.