Bzzt

I agree with you about having to love the industry, if I had known that was the case prior to getting in I obviously would have made other choices. I disagree though about the easy path comment. This is easily the easiest job I've ever had, the downside is just the lack of career progression to a job you can actually make a "career". I know it's easy for all the guys at the majors to come in this forum and tell regional pilots how easy it is to get hired at a major, we'll all be there someday, whatever you want to say. It's not easy, it's never been easy, it never will be easy. You have to have exceptional qualifications (which everyone can attain), exceptional connections (which are difficult to attain), or just plain dumb luck.

I've been very fortunate in life, I am still very fortunate in the fact that I am young enough to change careers before I waste half my career chasing a major job that may or may not ever materialize. I will say though that leaving before I achieved my goal of reaching a major is a bit disheartening, but we can't win all our battles in life.

I guess what I'm trying to say in a round about way is that this is a good career under the right circumstances, it just wasn't for me.

RV5M

What are you going to do? Despite the the cultural rhetoric against quitting, cutting your losses can be a very intelligent decision.

Packrat

I usually come here to point out that NOT EVERYONE can or will get that Major Airline job. And if you think just 'putting in your time' will get you there, you're sadly mistaken. Do the math. Compare the number of ATPs in the U.S. with the number of Major Airline jobs.

Add in the fact that those job numbers are not increasing (if not actually declining) and face reality.

CBreezy

Exactly. Delta Airlines isn't adding widebodies for growth or anything. Also, everyone knows that every single ATP wants a major airline job. They don't have them per insurance requirements or anything. Also, none of them will be retiring in the next 10 years.

Paid2fly

How is $135/hr not well into six figures? How is that "far beyond reality"?

Name User

Go re-read your post again, and pay particular attention to the part I bolded.

AWAC pay rates were not $135 several decades ago like you stated, that is, like I said beyond reality. It wasn't until the 2001 contract that their rates got a large boost (they had the strike posters made, and were walking out when a deal was done in 2001 after Comair struck).

That $135/hr rate was never seen. It was a graduated step from 2001 to 2006 IIRC and the rate never got above $115 or so IIRC before the 2003 concessions happened.

Even so, those 146 rates were only seen for a short while (2001-2005ish) because the 146 was retired when UAL went thru bankruptcy and Mesa & SkyWest were awarded the flying.

The Chow

Just an FYI, when Eagle pilots rejected their last TA, ALPA National was putting pressure on our MEC to accept the deal. You see, National liked the fact that the deal was for 10 years so they wouldn't have to invest anything into Eagle for the duration. National also signed off on PSA undercutting Eagle. There are many more examples I could list but I've never been a huge fan of ALPA. I wished we had our own in house union, hired professional negotiators, and paid for any ALPA services we would need from time to time.

TIFWIW

The Chow

Std Deviation

I was think about leaving aviation and going to the NHL. What are the odds of a 44 yr old former college intramural hockey player that hasn't skated since college getting the gig?

tom11011

You have a strong chance of driving the zamboni.

TeddyKGB

LOL. Airline pilot career & working as little as possible is about a big of an oxymoron as you can come up with.