1st year pay?
09-30-2011, 06:24 AM
#51
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2007
Position: Forever commuting
Posts: 161
09-30-2011, 06:26 AM
#52
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Oct 2006
Posts: 650
So if I made $10 per hour and now I make $15 per hour, my 40hrs X $15 ($600) per week is alot? Hmmmm...... Something doesn't add up here. Do you still get an allowance or something? 
$45K per year working your butt off for 5-8 years when you just paid 180K for college is not a lot. Maybe to someone that had their training paid for by grants or the military.
$45K per year working your butt off for 5-8 years when you just paid 180K for college is not a lot. Maybe to someone that had their training paid for by grants or the military.
$180K for college? Did you go to med school with a pilot program? Harvard is $36K a year for tuition 2011/12. $180K for a pilots license is pretty crazy. As for the $45K a year, there are people that would gladly take that pay in the regular world. $15/hr for a normal job of 2080 hours a year is $31K a year. There are plenty of people in america making $31K a year (unfortunately a lot of teachers come to mind) and happy to have a job.
I know that the pay in this industry sucks and everyone hates it. If an individual hates it so much though, QUIT and find another career. The current pay is common knowledge and people still come into this field then complain the entire time. At least you aren't an E-1 making $17892/yr getting shot at for a living. Seems to be the American way to complain about your salary rather than doing something about it. My wife is a prime example. She is a teacher with a Masters Degree making crap. She complains about it just about every day and my response is, "take your education and do something other than teach" to which she replies "but I love teaching". You don't get to have your cake and eat it to. If you love your job so much that you accept the low pay, don't complain about the pay. If you want to be paid more, go into a field with higher salaries.
This post is not in any way directed at afterburn or anyone else in particular. It is just a general statement.
Last edited by Duksrule; 09-30-2011 at 06:41 AM.
09-30-2011, 07:01 AM
#53
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2006
Position: Student Pilot
Posts: 2,277
This is great REAL life information for those interested in entering this profession.
I think if you are single with no other financial obligations outside normal monthly living expenses then the entry level pay is doable. If you have a wife and no kids and the wife FULLY understands the commitment and FULLY supports your career desires then it is less so, but still possible. If your wife does not FULLY respect the sacrifices then you may be in a difficult position. Not to mention if kids are involved. If there are children and your wife does not work, there is no way you can make ends meet. Even living in base. Your wife would responsibly be willing to work and be a single parent four or five days a week. That very well may work for some, but not for many others.
What I have learned from others is that the airline business has ruined many healthy marriages while pilots chase those shinny new jets. I have also learned that it doesn't take long for the excitement of the job to wear off and the politics with the airlines culture to dominate how much you enjoy your work
I have been told by more than a few is that if you can get through the initial challenges of being a new hire, and some airlines being an FO, and you are with an airline that you enjoy the culture, you will love your job and have a very rewarding flying career.
Oh, and live in base, live in base, live in base. I hear that over and over again. On that note, living in base means you can drive to work. Whatever distance that is you are comfortable being. I figure for me that is 2 to 3 hours. Maybe.
Good luck to everyone.
I think if you are single with no other financial obligations outside normal monthly living expenses then the entry level pay is doable. If you have a wife and no kids and the wife FULLY understands the commitment and FULLY supports your career desires then it is less so, but still possible. If your wife does not FULLY respect the sacrifices then you may be in a difficult position. Not to mention if kids are involved. If there are children and your wife does not work, there is no way you can make ends meet. Even living in base. Your wife would responsibly be willing to work and be a single parent four or five days a week. That very well may work for some, but not for many others.
What I have learned from others is that the airline business has ruined many healthy marriages while pilots chase those shinny new jets. I have also learned that it doesn't take long for the excitement of the job to wear off and the politics with the airlines culture to dominate how much you enjoy your work
I have been told by more than a few is that if you can get through the initial challenges of being a new hire, and some airlines being an FO, and you are with an airline that you enjoy the culture, you will love your job and have a very rewarding flying career.
Oh, and live in base, live in base, live in base. I hear that over and over again. On that note, living in base means you can drive to work. Whatever distance that is you are comfortable being. I figure for me that is 2 to 3 hours. Maybe.
Good luck to everyone.
My plan, and that's what it is at this point, is to live in base if granted my medical and I go the regional route.
I don't have luxury of being in my 20's, nor my 30's for that matter. I'm 49, so heading to a regional, being single, w/a girlfriend whose willing to relocate, and who is quite capable of finding gainful and meaningful employment in her field, is priceless.
Also, I am the father of one, and yes, I pay child support however, it's quite a bit less than what most pay.
atp
09-30-2011, 08:38 AM
#54
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Aug 2008
Posts: 545
$180K for college? Did you go to med school with a pilot program? Harvard is $36K a year for tuition 2011/12. $180K for a pilots license is pretty crazy. As for the $45K a year, there are people that would gladly take that pay in the regular world. $15/hr for a normal job of 2080 hours a year is $31K a year. There are plenty of people in america making $31K a year (unfortunately a lot of teachers come to mind) and happy to have a job.
I know that the pay in this industry sucks and everyone hates it. If an individual hates it so much though, QUIT and find another career. The current pay is common knowledge and people still come into this field then complain the entire time. At least you aren't an E-1 making $17892/yr getting shot at for a living. Seems to be the American way to complain about your salary rather than doing something about it. My wife is a prime example. She is a teacher with a Masters Degree making crap. She complains about it just about every day and my response is, "take your education and do something other than teach" to which she replies "but I love teaching". You don't get to have your cake and eat it to. If you love your job so much that you accept the low pay, don't complain about the pay. If you want to be paid more, go into a field with higher salaries.
This post is not in any way directed at afterburn or anyone else in particular. It is just a general statement.
I know that the pay in this industry sucks and everyone hates it. If an individual hates it so much though, QUIT and find another career. The current pay is common knowledge and people still come into this field then complain the entire time. At least you aren't an E-1 making $17892/yr getting shot at for a living. Seems to be the American way to complain about your salary rather than doing something about it. My wife is a prime example. She is a teacher with a Masters Degree making crap. She complains about it just about every day and my response is, "take your education and do something other than teach" to which she replies "but I love teaching". You don't get to have your cake and eat it to. If you love your job so much that you accept the low pay, don't complain about the pay. If you want to be paid more, go into a field with higher salaries.
This post is not in any way directed at afterburn or anyone else in particular. It is just a general statement.
For pilots, I know for a fact that somebody who attends ERAU will have $100k of debt to their name. This to earn below poverty wages after graduation as a flight instructor and regional FO.
The whole, "if you don't like it leave" mentality needs to die. The only options in this industry is not "bend over and like it" or "leave". It's because of that kind of logic that we are in the situation we are in.
There needs to be change. That change will not come from the general public, but from pilots bringing up issues and waving a flag. If we don't look out for ourselves nobody will.
The flying public doesn't care about how much we make. It doesn't matter how many PBS specials are done on low salaries, in the end all they care about is putting on their sweat pants and flip flops and paying the lowest possible price for a roundtrip ticket to Vegas.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
captain_drew
Flight Schools and Training
38
12-05-2012 08:29 AM
