I'm sorry, but 10k a year to fly a 747 does not beat 100k flying a metro. What you youngsters just entering the first three years as paid commercial pilots don't realize is that the pilot life will quickly revolve around building that dream lifestyle. I hate to say it but it usually means making lots of cash with minimal days working and being with your family and friends, but still doing what you love to do: fly! THAT DOESNT MEAN JUMPING TO THE AIRLINES ASAP.Maynard wrote:NO THEY WOULDN'T!! People just don't get it. You could offer every FO 15 days off and 80k starting salary. Guess what, they will still go back to Southern Ontario to fly a shiny Q400 because its a step to the 787 at AC. Its all about the end goal. Flying a 747 for 10,000$ a year will still beat flying a metro for 100,000$ a year. I asked it in the last thread, show me a 704 operator who has better WAWCON than Bearskin. Crickets. Please, show me, put me in my place.goingnowherefast wrote:Was there ever a "give you my word"? Bonds seem to be a mutual understanding that people likely won't be staying the duration with a specified financial agreement. Like buying out of a cell phone contract, if you will. If they actually wanted FO retention, the WAWCON would be better.Illya Kuryakin wrote:
It's gone beyond "I give you my word.." and you know t. It's the industry. Plain and simple. The days of enslvement in a Metro are coming to a much needed end. Trying to tie pilots to a bond when they can go fly a Q is just not going to work anymore. It's now (and it always has been) the cost of doing business.
Illya
I'm six years in flying in the 703/704 (no bond) world and I would not change one thing. I make 60k plus per diems so like 70k and am home 340 ish days a year and only work half a month every month. I pay low rent and saving tons of cash and chill in the North. Not everyone's dream is to fly for AC and get paid like 35-40k to start and pay ridiculous amounts of rent in a place in YYZ, YYC or YVR for a place you barely get to enjoy because you are always commuting or working away from home. Not to mention that crash pads and time away from the wife and kids etc can build stress overall. That sounds way too stressful and not a life as a pilot I would imagine.
I do think that the Bearskin FO pay is horrible, so if you and your future lifestyle doesn't fit your possible income as a Bearskin FO then stay away and do not apply because after taxes, you bring in maybe like 900$ a paycheck...wtf ? If you do your research, build connections etc and look for 604, 703-704 niche operators, you will find that there are career places that pay decent with a good wage unlike the airlines.
Take a step back and evaluate what you want in life-its short, so choose wisely.