Decision

[inactive]

Seems like you can better your career path locally than take $11+ per hour.

Thing is, he could probably barista at Starbucks and make more and get respectable benefits. But that's not gonna fill the passion he wants of being a pilot. And I get the passion part though I'm not a pilot.

I'm not pilot, but I travel a lot and talk to a few of them while they commute home on the purple 737s with me. SoonerATC can correct me if I'm wrong, but they pretty much work through crap and make crap until/unless they get on flying for a major carrier. Regional and other pilot gigs are just "foot in the door" until the break for the larger, unionized carrier. It's notably worse in Oklahoma where flights are are slim compared to larger metro markets that have both major and discount carriers.


To answer the question, if I were single, younger - and could live without rent (that is, maybe a mini storage and crash at a friends or whatever), I might could try the $20k per year and to work my way up the ranks. Any family around, especially if in the same household, I'd need the home gig that pays more money.

 

[SoonerATC]

I'm not pilot, but I travel a lot and talk to a few of them while they commute home on the purple 737s with me. SoonerATC can correct me if I'm wrong, but they pretty much work through crap and make crap until/unless they get on flying for a major carrier. Regional and other pilot gigs are just "foot in the door" until the break for the larger, unionized carrier. It's notably worse in Oklahoma where flights are are slim compared to larger metro markets that have both major and discount carriers.

Bingo. The regionals are unionized as well, though. Shows you how much a union is worth.

To answer the question, if I were single, younger - and could live without rent (that is, maybe a mini storage and crash at a friends or whatever), I might could try the $20k per year and to work my way up the ranks. Any family around, especially if in the same household, I'd need the home gig that pays more money.

That's my dilemma. Fortunately, it's just me and my wife right now and she's fully behind whatever I decide. She knows how much I want to be an airline pilot, but commuting for $20K a year is tough. Like Cardsfan said though, that's pretty much the only way to the cockpit of United/American/Delta unless you were a military pilot.

There's no chance for advancement with the $35K job, so 5 years down the road, I would reasonably expect to be making the same salary.

 

[surjimmy]

10 years is a long time.

 

[aviator41]

The regional job would provide more quality experience as a pilot, but the $35K job is more of an administrative position with a little flying on the side. Not quite what I spent 4 years training to do.

Okay, being a pilot changes things. I was on board with what the other guys were saying until you posted that. Being a pilot is a different career path than most folks know. (I know, look at my screen name to see why) Truth is, $20K at a regional is about right. If you don't take that job, there are 50 other pilots ready to take that spot. This is the next step in your career. It's gonna suck, but it beats screetching tires on little planes with newbs.

Truth is, this is the career path of a pilot. If you want to haul big iron, this is how you get there. Do you LOVE flying? I mean love it. You have a stupid amount of money invested in your licenses (If you're like me) - don't pass up the regional. It may never come again and you will regret not taking that job and running (or flying) with it.

 

[inactive]

The sadder thing is, these salaries are in a SHORTAGE of regional pilots...

 

[aviator41]

Nah. The shortage is a myth. There is no shortage.

 

[inactive]

Nah. The shortage is a myth. There is no shortage.

I think shortage might a misnomer but that's what they say. It's they have a shortage of employed pilots and are having to hire them. Salaries are still low but I think some are offering sign on bonuses to entice them to sign on.

But true, not really a shortage of candidates wanting to fly.

 

[SoonerATC]

Okay, being a pilot changes things. I was on board with what the other guys were saying until you posted that. Being a pilot is a different career path than most folks know. (I know, look at my screen name to see why) Truth is, $20K at a regional is about right. If you don't take that job, there are 50 other pilots ready to take that spot. This is the next step in your career. It's gonna suck, but it beats screetching tires on little planes with newbs.

Truth is, this is the career path of a pilot. If you want to haul big iron, this is how you get there. Do you LOVE flying? I mean love it. You have a stupid amount of money invested in your licenses (If you're like me) - don't pass up the regional. It may never come again and you will regret not taking that job and running (or flying) with it.

This is where I'm leaning. Taking the regional job and hoping it pays off in the end. I don't want to say "what might have been".

The sadder thing is, these salaries are in a SHORTAGE of regional pilots...

Exactly. I don't know what the various airlines' management teams are thinking. There isn't actually a shortage of pilots...just a shortage of pilots willing to work for poverty level wages. If the pay was commensurate with the responsibility/training involved, there would be thousands of pilots who would consider actually being a pilot (like Aviator41, above) who currently are qualified for the job, but just choose not to.

 

[71buickfreak]

I can understand the move if the 35k job does not involve flying. You have to have hours to advance, so I get that.

I just built a 66 vette for a guy that came out of Vietnam flying C130s straight into flying jumbos. He has a $350k fishing truck, $100k vette, more toys than you could imagine. He lost 250k in the stock market during the ebola crisis. he's made it all back.

Do what you need to do to get where you want to go. Even if the 35k job is dead end in itself, if the flight time is there, it would be a better choice, but if you have to have the flight time, take a chance on the other. make sure your wife REALLY knows what that means. that type of commute can put a strain on a relationship.

 

[aviator41]

I got my Com'l back in the early 90's and the myth of the pilot shortage was going strong back then.