I wish I could trade a few thousand hours of my jet time for some tailwheel time. I've flown a lot of GA but have never flown taildraggers. My friend is about to finish a kit cub and I can't wait to fly that thing.

Originally Posted by citrus

I wish I could trade a few thousand hours of my jet time for some tailwheel time. I've flown a lot of GA but have never flown taildraggers. My friend is about to finish a kit cub and I can't wait to fly that thing.

Swing back by Memphis sometime! The flight school I teach at has a Stearman and a Super Decathlon for rent. The owner of the planes has to be in there to keep insurance happy, but he used to fly on the Aeroshell T-6 team, so it's not like he's holding you back...

Originally Posted by Flyfalcons

Remember when flying was fun? Say hi to my new camping machine!

1947 Stinson 108-1 Voyager flight from North Carolina to Washington State HD - YouTube

Sweet! Who and where did you buy that from, Ryan? I don't recall any Stinsons in the Greensboro area. It looks like you departed from Atlantic Aero as well. The only thing that could have made that video cooler is if you had departed from Air Harbor (W88), as that's where I used to fly.

I hope you enjoy flying your new toy. I have gotten a bad itch to start flying again, and I really hope to buy my family's Cessna 170B back before too much longer.

Originally Posted by jack01

Swing back by Memphis sometime! The flight school I teach at has a Stearman and a Super Decathlon for rent. The owner of the planes has to be in there to keep insurance happy, but he used to fly on the Aeroshell T-6 team, so it's not like he's holding you back...

Hey Jack, good to see the flying is coming along. What airport are you working at?

Chris

The flight school was at Dewitt Spain, but it got flooded back during the spring. The airport is reopened, but the FBO is still being renovated. We're flying out of Olive Branch now. What was supposed to be a couple of weeks has turned into several months...

Ryan, the plane was kept at Liberty-Causey and Siler City airports. The day I bought the plane, I flew it up to Greensboro for the night so I could visit CSpaced. So far it's been a fantastic little plane.

Originally Posted by reyn3545

Seriously... are new hires at the regionals making $20K? I fly regionals quite a bit (passenger)... I'd hate to think that a shift supervisor at McDonalds makes more than my pilot.

Pretty sad. I looked into a FO position with a regional in my area...until I found out it paid $16/hour. At 75 hours per month, thats under 16k/year. I don't know how they do it. The saddest thing about this, is that there are 100 new pilots lined up to take each of these positions...and the carriers know that. I don't fly for a living any longer, just for fun.

You have to do it while you are young and all you care about is enough money for an apartment with five friends and cash in your pocket to buy cocktails for the ladies. I was 23 when I got my first airline job. I just heard that the future pilot retirement to new commercial pilot applications is around 2 to 1. If this big pilot shortage hits, I don't know what the regionals are going to do. Right now the regionals probably have the most experience they have ever had. Stagnation in the industry means that the captains have been there for a while and have many hours in their airplane. In the future we could see captains with the bare minimum time for an ATP (pilot certificate needed to fly captain) and a co-pilot with no experience at all. Having said that, every regional airline also has pilots with 20+ years experience that could probably fly circles around me.

Originally Posted by Flyfalcons

Ryan, the plane was kept at Liberty-Causey and Siler City airports. The day I bought the plane, I flew it up to Greensboro for the night so I could visit CSpaced. So far it's been a fantastic little plane.

I got the job to ferry a -3 from Ft Myers to Springfield IL. I didn't tell the owner that I would have paid him to do it ! I really liked the Franklin and the soft landing gear.

7yr FO made 34K last year flying the line. Personal reasons keep me from the left seat, age keeps me from wanting to head to the majors, life keeps me from wanting to stay in the industry.
The problem we have had is the longer the guys stay in the regionals the harder to leave for the majors. Most figure it takes 3-4 yrs to get back to the same pay scale and then if they figure in lost retirement matches it is longer than that.
I think a lot of these guys will have a tough decision if the hiring begins next year, they lived through the pain of min pay once and now alot of them have families on top of it.
Now you have American Airlines looking at the Bankruptcy program of lowering costs, shifting pay scales and as those before them possibly shedding retirement programs. It is going to be interesting how things play out in the next 5-10 yrs.

I don't know of any major that will pay you less than 34k your first year (are you flying low credit hours?). Your schedule might take a little hit but, that will recover. Sounds like schedule is top priority which I understand but if not, you have nothing to lose.

That one looks really nice, Tony! A lot of fun and class for less than an average used 172.

Originally Posted by citrus

I don't know of any major that will pay you less than 34k your first year (are you flying low credit hours?). Your schedule might take a little hit but, that will recover. Sounds like schedule is top priority which I understand but if not, you have nothing to lose.

Schedule is the big deal for 2 more years, then it will open up. I have health issues that are starting to affect my medical also so I have to take a new career seriously now at my age. I am not the norm, I should be on 7 yr Capt pay which would be quite a bit diffrent. Then I would have another delima in making the move.

For those younger then me they have families and taking a hit from the left seat to the right of a major will hurt them in the short haul.

Originally Posted by citrus

I don't know of any major that will pay you less than 34k your first year (are you flying low credit hours?). Your schedule might take a little hit but, that will recover. Sounds like schedule is top priority which I understand but if not, you have nothing to lose.

First year starting pay at UPS is 30K/yr.
Jeff

What I like is the public doesn't even know what the guys in the front are really getting paid....They assume both are making over 100 grand a year...