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What Can New Pilots Make? Near Minimum Wage
Finally someone is pointing at the problem of pay instead of pretending like the country needs to make more pilots. There is a large supply and it's finally time the demand rises. (finance.yahoo.com) Mais...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
I'm making almost double that starting salary as a ramp rat sligning gas. SMH the aviation industry is so beyond backwards sometimes. Straight out of the military into a ramp job with very little OJT cause I pretty much done the same thing in serive and zero college under my belt. Now if that isn't backwards I don't know what is???
I can't wait till it all implodes!!! The bottom feeder regionals will fold, the majors will come to the realization that the cheapest isn't sustainable, the good regionals will charge more and costs will skyrocket. We will be paying $1500 for a round trip ticket between NY and Cleveland, $4000 for last minute. Corporate travel expenses will quadruple at best and corporate jets sales will be at an all time high!!!!!!!
It will be interesting to say the least. I'd almost be willing to bet that the FAA does away with the mandatory age 65 retirement before summer. Of course, most are ready to hang up their spurs by then anyway.
They may modify the 1500 rule first. The biggest problems will be in recruiting at the bottom of the food chain. Even if they increase pay modestly, there may not be enough pilots with 1500 hours who wouldn't take much higher paying opportunities elsewhere.
Either the 1500 rule will be modified, or there will be much less regional flying.
But if the retirement age is at issue, rather than keep increasing it, they could replace it with better, more predictive health metrics. Eventually they should figure out better health metrics and eliminate the mandatory retirement age completely.
Age is not the best predictor for good health. It's a very crude tool that everyone the same. Doing so is not as fair as it may appear. Those with great health borne of a healthy lifestyle are treated the same as those who are much more abusive of their health.
One group is much more likely to have a mid-air emergency health related incident than the other. If that's the reason for the retirement age, that energy could be directed toward better efforts. If not, there's no reason to have any mandatory retirement age.
Either the 1500 rule will be modified, or there will be much less regional flying.
But if the retirement age is at issue, rather than keep increasing it, they could replace it with better, more predictive health metrics. Eventually they should figure out better health metrics and eliminate the mandatory retirement age completely.
Age is not the best predictor for good health. It's a very crude tool that everyone the same. Doing so is not as fair as it may appear. Those with great health borne of a healthy lifestyle are treated the same as those who are much more abusive of their health.
One group is much more likely to have a mid-air emergency health related incident than the other. If that's the reason for the retirement age, that energy could be directed toward better efforts. If not, there's no reason to have any mandatory retirement age.
You may be right but if this shortage goes as it seems to be headed they may wind up having to do both. It will be a crapshoot as to which comes first because most folks start planning retirement at least 6mos prior if not sooner. It may all come home to roost about the same time. Like you, if the medical is OK and one wants to keep on working, a mandatory retirement age is foolish. I didn't hit 60 until November and they changed the rule back in the summer, but I already had retirement and our transition planned so it was really too late.
The mainlines will always have pilots. And they'll be able to attract new pilots just by putting out a 'help wanted' sign.
The regionals will be decimated. With their lower rates of pay and the new 1500 rule, they'll often have difficulties finding all the pilots they need.
That's why I'm suggesting 1500 hr rule may go first (or more likely be modified) to allow regionals to recruit all the pilots they need.
The regionals will be decimated. With their lower rates of pay and the new 1500 rule, they'll often have difficulties finding all the pilots they need.
That's why I'm suggesting 1500 hr rule may go first (or more likely be modified) to allow regionals to recruit all the pilots they need.