Packrat

I guess you never heard of the B scale. The whole concept is that you accept a lower pay scale as a "condition of employment." Back in the early '90s we accepted the B-scale (Thank you, APA!) as a condition of employment to gain access to that coveted Major Airline job.

It is amazing to me how many people have conveniently forgotten the fact that we went to work at half of the pay rate of those who held the same position but had gotten hired a year or two earlier.

That was the sacrifice that was required to grab the golden ring.

Great idea, but there are plenty of pilots who will suffer in the short term in order to grab that golden ring.

Avroman

Then those people should not be flying the passengers of a major airline at any company, including the regionals.

Aksleddriver

Rickair, stated it best, add to that a few more complexities of the regional world that all add up to a stacked house no win (in the short term /mid term for pilots) is the fact that the system knows that it will always have an ample supply of pilots ready to play the game, and it's not just the airlines, anyone out there that actually thinks that the unions actually care about the pilots at the regional level need to quit drinking that cool aide they play the regional game as a test ground for the majors just like the majors do, nothing wrong with either as long as you realize that's what they are doing, a great model to look at would be minor league base ball, the only way pay will ever change is supply and demand, when young people realize that they are far better off getting that engineering degree then becoming a pilot. If your a new FO us the system just like it uses you, do your time and move on, the regionals are a great stepping stone not just for the majors but also 135 (yes 135) and cooperate world, both of which you will make more $ my story, I have to play the regional game to get enough turbine time to be insurable for a company that I can fly seasonal with. Once I get that the regional world has served its purpose for me, so trust me guys, if your smart enough to fly in the regional world your smart enough to get a job in the real world probably making four times the income

Rnav

Spot on, but there in lies the problem. Everyone goes to a regional thinking they are going to get their time and move on. People trying to get enough time to move on. The airlines know it and the pilots know it. The majors pay the feeders bills, so as long as the majors are stacked with resumes and pilots it doesn't matter what happens at the regional level. The regionals are literally like pilot mills...

Aksleddriver

Yep rnav, and here's another little secret that I've noticed nobody ever mentions here, most airline pilots are lazy let's face it in the scope of what can be considered hard work being an airline pilot can hardly classify as that, that's part of the appeal, especially when it comes to why anyone wants to fly at the major level, let's face it being an airline pilot is the best part time job in the world, my prior life I worked hard, real hard, but the fruits of my labor was I was able to retire at 49 (non union, non government) I did it on my own, with that hard work I can now afford the regional game as a stepping stone, but if I was one of the many young guys or girls that made the mistake of getting $100 to $150 k in debt no way I'd suffer through the process, my advice is if you have that kind of debt, go get a real job, work real hard and pay it off, I can't believe how many times I've read here that someone has that debt and is sticking it out because that's what there education was in ! Screw that that makes no since ! But again the system knows that mentally and physically pilots arnt going to walk away, they will complain all day, but they will show up to wrk at what ever pay, because it beats a real 9 to 5 job at Home Depot ! Ok let the flogging begine on my comment lol

Packrat

Exactly correct. Even at the rate the majors are hiring now and in the near future, the fact of the matter is NOT EVERYONE will land a job at a Major airline. Do the math. Compare the number of ATPs in the U.S. and the number of Major Airline jobs.

You'd better have an alternative plan if the dream doesn't pan out.

You hit the nail on the head, Brother!

Or as I've been told, "You Part 121 pilots are used to everything being done for you." I had to admit, he was right.

Paid2fly

A seasonal flying job that you can make over $400,000??????

trip

Pressure congress and continue raising awareness of the fact that your not flying on the airline your ticket states even though the paint job is the same and most of the planes even say ___ major airline on the registration.
If enough pressure is brought then maybe the flying will be brought in or cut the regionals loose and let them compete for the markets.


Whats disgusting is this should have never happened yet has been allowed to continue with the blessing of mainline pilot groups.

Very small chance anything will change as long as planes move.

pitch mode

As far as mainline taking regional flying back....

I don't think mainliners are chomping at the bit to fly into CMX,MKG,FWA,YUM,BRO,ORF, et. al.

Where will applicants get their 121 PIC Turbine then?

Mainline would have to train new-hires due to retirement AND new-hires to take on regional flying. (And the additional logistics: ground handlers, MX, Dispatch, HR, et. al.).

Flying these regional destinations in a Boeing regional aircraft at mainline would be nice, but I concede the poop hand will fill first.

Rnav

Only pilots know the difference between an ERJ175 and a mainline aircraft. Joe public can't tell the difference. Nor do they care. They just care about $$$.

The only reason the government enacted the 1500 rule was because metal was bent. Did it raise pay? NOPE. Fatigue and training became the focus, not how low pilots were paid. Sadly pilots are paid in "sunsets" from "the best office view" and not real dollars. Until pilots realize a liveable wage trumps any job you love because its fun there will never be a pilot shortage.