Regulate the regionals?
09-10-2014, 08:14 AM
#21
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Joined APC: Sep 2013
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Posts: 5,910
All the talk of low pay at the regionals and the constant whipsaw that takes place leads me to think that the solution would be for the Federal Government to regulate the regional airlines. That way, the Government could set a livable minimum wage for First Officers and dictate the division of regional feed to the majors. This would allow a good standard of living for regional pilots and end the whipsaw, as the Government would decide what regional flies for what major and what routes the regional flies.
And to take it a step further, the Government should subsidize low interest loans and provide grants for gifted accredited aviation university students, to enable them to get the 1500hrs as economically as possible. The Government should also forgive existing flight school and aviation university loans for regional pilots to give them a head start and not be burdened with debt.
The above would go a long way to making the regional a place where pilots can actually have a decent career.
And to take it a step further, the Government should subsidize low interest loans and provide grants for gifted accredited aviation university students, to enable them to get the 1500hrs as economically as possible. The Government should also forgive existing flight school and aviation university loans for regional pilots to give them a head start and not be burdened with debt.
The above would go a long way to making the regional a place where pilots can actually have a decent career.
Punk back atcha.
09-10-2014, 08:17 AM
#22
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Joined APC: Feb 2013
Position: Captain
Posts: 173
Regional airline pilots have the power to change this, but there are too many selfish/scared ones to force the airlines to pay a reasonable/fair wage. Why do you think the gov't should fix this when the regional guys won't even do it when they are the ones who benefit directly and have the power to change it? After the majors deal with a pilot group with a little determination they know they can fall back on the selfish ones who are willing to bend over and sell out. Sorry, but it's the truth.
09-10-2014, 08:20 AM
#23
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Joined APC: Oct 2005
Posts: 622
The only government regulation that would make any sense whatsoever, would be a hard cap on lifer pay. There's no reason a lifer should make north of 80k while an FO makes 20k. CA pay should top out around 50 with FO pay around 40. That is a much more fair distribution of the shrinking pie.
09-10-2014, 08:34 AM
#25
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Thread Starter
Joined APC: Aug 2014
Posts: 160
Some in the NASC already think this way.
09-10-2014, 08:48 AM
#26
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Joined APC: Dec 2005
Posts: 8,920
As for the debt forgiveness, most regional pilots who are saddled with huge student loans had no choice but to sign for the loan. It was their only way of reaching their dream of becoming an airline pilot. Are you willing to crush so many pilot's dreams? They are currently living with the burden of making a student loan payment that takes up the majority of their pay. They need help and it's insensitive to ignore their plight as they are constantly living in fear of defaulting on their loans and having that negative stigma haunt them when they try for a position with the major airlines.
Who said you had to take 100k in loans in order to start at a 20k regional job? Did you do your homework beforehand? You could just as well have gotten a part time job (or a full time job) and paid-as-you-go. Private, Instrument, Commercial-Single, and CFI could all have been obtained this way. There are ways to start a regional pilot career. Not everyone starts off with a 100k debt with a loan. And since you took a loan, you are responsible for paying it off. You must have known what regional airlines paid before you started? Why do you expect tax payers to bail you out for your decisions?
No choice but to sign up for a loan huh?
09-10-2014, 09:08 AM
#29
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Joined APC: Jul 2012
Posts: 432
Shirley you can't be serious?
Who said you had to take 100k in loans in order to start at a 20k regional job? Did you do your homework beforehand? You could just as well have gotten a part time job (or a full time job) and paid-as-you-go. Private, Instrument, Commercial-Single, and CFI could all have been obtained this way. There are ways to start a regional pilot career. Not everyone starts off with a 100k debt with a loan. And since you took a loan, you are responsible for paying it off. You must have known what regional airlines paid before you started? Why do you expect tax payers to bail you out for your decisions?
Who said you had to take 100k in loans in order to start at a 20k regional job? Did you do your homework beforehand? You could just as well have gotten a part time job (or a full time job) and paid-as-you-go. Private, Instrument, Commercial-Single, and CFI could all have been obtained this way. There are ways to start a regional pilot career. Not everyone starts off with a 100k debt with a loan. And since you took a loan, you are responsible for paying it off. You must have known what regional airlines paid before you started? Why do you expect tax payers to bail you out for your decisions?
09-10-2014, 09:10 AM
#30
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2013
Position: Captain
Posts: 173
The only government regulation that would make any sense whatsoever, would be a hard cap on lifer pay. There's no reason a lifer should make north of 80k while an FO makes 20k. CA pay should top out around 50 with FO pay around 40. That is a much more fair distribution of the shrinking pie.
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