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Originally Posted by SpiraMirabilis  Are you on drugs? Are you a troll?
You seem to be implying that someone flying a A319 has an easier job than someone flying an old Metroliner. I'm not convinced that is the case.
65k is not enough to fly this airplane, not any airplane. And nobody suggested that you should keep 'slogging' away. I'd suggest you get a better job but keep in mind if everyone had your attitude there would be no better jobs.
By the way, Doug Taylor, Don, etc did not get hired by DAL, UPS, etc the day after they passed their CMEL. They WERE the little man for a long time and I don't think they have any desire to 'keep us down', but just to make sure there is a place worth coming to and striving for for us little men in the future. |
No I am not on drugs. And I am not a troll (unless there is some internet based definition of the word I am not aware of). And perhaps "easier" was the wrong word. What I meant to imply was that flying a high performance state of the art Airbus is a more comfortable gig than flying a 1960's technology Metro.
Further, I am well aware that neither of these gentlemen started out on top. But, having gotten there, they (and every other major airline pilot) have a vested interest in keeping the regional guys as downtrodden as possible. If they had their way, the largest airplane any non-major pilot would be flying would probably be flying would be a Metro or Saab or whatnot.
That's fine for the select few who make it to the majors. But the unfortunate truth is that the majority of pilots will not make it to the majors. They will spend their careers flying for regional or national airlines, or perhaps freight or corporate. I know many fine pilots who are as skilled as any pilot out there, but due to a choices, circumstances, random factors, whatever, they have spent the their careers flying for such carriers as EastWind Airlines, Express One (btw did you know that Express One paid their 727 captains even less than what this Skybus is proposing?), Casino Express, Kitty Hawk, etc.
The simple truth is the that major airline pilots don't want you working for Skybus, Virgin America or whoever, not because they care about your career progression, but their own. I recognize as well as they do that any pilot who flies heavy jets for less than the "accepted" rate threatens their job security.
If the major guys were offering an alternative, I might have a different attitude. But they are not. I don't see major airline pilot groups pushing for some some kind of guaranteed flow through for their regional partners. I don't see them holding the line in regards to pay and benefits. All I see is a group of self-interested pilots who want to keep the little guy down because it solidifes the ground on which they, the major guys, stand.
As I said earlier, I understand, and can even respect, why they do it. It's human nature for a person to protect what they have. What I can't understand in this case is why the little guy is so willingly going along with it.
The upshot of all this is that I think people should take advantage of any good opportunity to move up that comes along. And for some, Skybus may be a good opportunity. If you think it is not than you don't have to apply.