Quote:
Originally Posted by pilot602  The airline(s) run on training YOU paid for. Both at the private level and the airline level as they take the cost of training out of your first year pay.
They run on YOUR certificates.
They run on YOUR medical.
They sell YOUR skill set (and certificate/medical combo) to the public.
It's YOUR skill set that allows an aircraft to be moved from point A to point B. Every other job at the airline (including the CEO) is there to facilitate YOU moving that aircraft.
That being said the other job functions are important vital pieces to the puzzle and should be paid accordingly but that doesn't change the fact they are supporting roles.
With all this in mind, a plumber, contractor, lawyer, doctor all hold their certificates and licenses up as something valuable and charge accordingly for other's use of them (via services rendered).
Yet in aviation we've been beaten down to the point where we sell OUR certificates and medicals to the absolute lowest bidder and no one has the balls to tell these guys to go stick it and charge accordingly.
Just something to think about on your next four-day. |
I am by no means saying FO's should NOT get paid more. However, the careers you mentioned need to be broken down a little into what really happenes.
As a plumber, you must actually start out as a laborer, or if you know someone directly as an apprentice (Defintion; One bound by legal agreement to work for another for a specific amount of time in return for instruction in a trade, art, or business.) Up to
4 years of class, and OJT as an apprentice
As an apprentice you dont make very much money, but as you learn you eventually become a journeyman. Once you make journeyman then you begin making a "living"
This is the same working as a contractor or actually contruction worker is the more appropriate word, as a contractor is just a title anyone could call themselves.
Lawyer...Well first you get a 4yr degree, then prepare for the lsat, if that goes well well 3 more years in law school. Then you get the opportunity to take the bar (which could be compared to the ATP) before you get to actually practice law and your into this for
7 years now.
A doctor...this one is a tough one. Lets see
12 years give or take for school, once you graduate you begin your post grad internship for a year (here is a write up I have on internship..Interns have a reputation of being hazed and mentally harassed by senior residents, veteran nurses, and attending physicians as part of their "trial by fire" training. This often may involve verbal and emotional abuse, sleep deprivation, overwork and excessive scut work and other forms of intimidation in the name of "medical training". There may also be unethical economic reasons for the overwork of interns and junior interns), then you do your residency which is another 3-7 years, and then possibly a fellowship.
I have a good friend going through her internship right now, and another friend who's wife is a pediatric GP who has her own practice. I can tell you after her bills are paid, a major ca is making more then her!!! with a fraction of the the cost and time to aquire the training.
As someone else pointed out 90 days and $50 grand gets you a job in the right seat. Ave. the time in training for those listed above your looking at 10 years in training. where will you be with 10 years seniority?
Again, I think its absolutley crazy for a burger flipper to be able to make almost as much as an FO flying a multi million dollar airplane with up to 90 people in back, but its just as crazy to put a 300 hour, no experience person in the right seat.