The FO's at. My job would kill for 14/hr. They start out at 11.50. Doesn't matter if they have 200hrs or 2000 hrs.

An airline career here in the US is not what it was.....not even close. The challenges I faced are almost laughable when you look at industry wide loss of wages and benefits. If your young, talented, and without anchors, then you need to look at the global market....there is little logic in sticking around the "homeland". Demand for pilots along the Pacific rim and Middle east is increasing....hope you like curry. Suck it up, do your homework (second language wouldn't hurt either) and you will get there....oh yea, and there will be lean times...you haven't had your last bowl of Top Ramon just yet... the petty "he's getting $3.00 more an hour than me" attitude has to be shelved....nobody likes a winer....least of all the QQ guy at work... that 50-something second tier Chief Pilot with a yearly subscribtion of Rogaine and Cialius and a field general at home pushing him out the door every morning. One thing you have on your side it time...there is nothing more valuable, don't squander itbut be relentless in your persistence. I will wish you "good make" instead of "good luck" because I'm a firm believer that luck has little to do with the outcome. GOOD MAKE!

That's why I take X-rays now. I was one of those types, Beech D-18 though. Now I make more than twice my best pay as a pilot and I have full benefits and a retirement plan. The school also only cost $1,000.00. I get to fly for fun now.

This is one of the most concise threads on the present pilot situation I've read in a long time. Great info, guys!

Thinking outside the box is a necessity! I got my first turbine job by backtracking the trail of a corporate new-hire and getting hired by his previous employer. Getting out and meeting folks is invaluable. When I instructed in the 80's, I took Thursdays off (flight school's slowest day) and went cold-calling corp flt depts and charter operators. Try to find any bizjet sales guys you can, they sometimes make recommendations for flightcrews for new owners.

Sadly, I agree the domestic airline pay-and-bennies ship has sailed long ago, and international is the way to go now. The damage done to this country by Wall Street and the myopic pursuit of 'shareholder return' is almost immeasurable, and the airline's steady decline since the 80's is but one small chapter.

Couple last thoughts on right place at the right time. I know of a couple local instructors, the first had a student who bought a high-performance twin and, less than a year later, same owner bought an Eclipse VLJ and has the CFI flying it with him. The second by chance met an aircraft salesman, salesman took a liking to him and that CFI has a slot for a large corporate jet being delivered next year.

Ed