Becoming wide body captain isn’t an easy road to get to overseas, though it’s quicker than coming to Canada.

I know one former Cathy FO who came back to Canada to fly a 1900 after living paycheque to paycheque in HK, and is now at the bottom rung of Air Canada.

It's a same old same situation. Actually, as an old guy who started working in the beginning of the 80's, in a recession mind you, seems like I had an easier time. In a few months, had a composite job instructing and flying light twin charters at a whopping 350 hours of flying time.
As much as everyone is screaming pilot shortage, maybe there really isn't. Seems to me that everyone wants astronaut time to get a job.
Worse still, good old big red hired 300 hour wonders back in the mid 70's. These people became widebody captains.

Those would be the guys/gals that never learned proper x-wind technique and make excruciatingly ugly x-wind landings that make for dramatic video on Youtube!

confusedalot wrote: ↑Tue Jan 08, 2019 8:31 pm It's a same old same situation. Actually, as an old guy who started working in the beginning of the 80's, in a recession mind you, seems like I had an easier time. In a few months, had a composite job instructing and flying light twin charters at a whopping 350 hours of flying time.
As much as everyone is screaming pilot shortage, maybe there really isn't. Seems to me that everyone wants astronaut time to get a job.
Worse still, good old big red hired 300 hour wonders back in the mid 70's. These people became widebody captains.

Indeed. I went through MFC early 70’s and AC did hire DC-8 SOs with a new CPL and class 1 instrument rating,some who were sons of AC pilots. But hey, whatever. Never bothered me personally.

I’m another one of those low”er-ish” timers who accepted a low salary fo job in order to fly and get my hours up. Here’s to working hard and having the patience to climb the ladder and one day finally make decent income!! Everything worthwhile in life requires a sacrifice.

C-GGGQ wrote: ↑Fri Oct 12, 2018 6:47 am
Man some of us are holding that avg down Not a shot an any of the guys at the majors, just us low timers scraping by. Finger pointed squarely at myself as well.

Gotta love these headlines. What's next? "Liberals are doing a great job"?

One of the biggest disappointments in life, is realizing that our news "reporters" and stories are no longer about neutral fact reporting, but selling ads. Anything to get that "click". Sensationalist bullsh*t. Being a journalist nowadays is like being a used car salesman. Get the story, sell the ads. It doesn't matter how factually inaccurate it is, as long as it's read by the masses. "Disinformation" is the word of the century.

Old fella wrote: ↑Wed Jan 09, 2019 8:54 pm

confusedalot wrote: ↑Tue Jan 08, 2019 8:31 pm It's a same old same situation. Actually, as an old guy who started working in the beginning of the 80's, in a recession mind you, seems like I had an easier time. In a few months, had a composite job instructing and flying light twin charters at a whopping 350 hours of flying time.
As much as everyone is screaming pilot shortage, maybe there really isn't. Seems to me that everyone wants astronaut time to get a job.
Worse still, good old big red hired 300 hour wonders back in the mid 70's. These people became widebody captains.

Indeed. I went through MFC early 70’s and AC did hire DC-8 SOs with a new CPL and class 1 instrument rating,some who were sons of AC pilots. But hey, whatever. Never bothered me personally.

Just to be clear, I have no problems with circumstances of the past, hey, all the better if the pathway is nicer. Wonder if that era is going to come back. My AC buddies, (viewed as "old" now LOL), tell me the official line is 2000 hours minimum but in reality some are getting on with less than that.

Cheers,

I recently presented at a career day at BCITs aviation program. 100 students attended. Of the 100 only 5 were pilots the rest were mechanics. One of the 5 pilots was a PPL who chose to do maintenance instead.

This is a problem strictly created by working conditions as a low-mid time pilot. Who wants to pay 100k to make under 40k for the first 5 years and then under 60k for the next 5 years. In a hotel 15+ days a month. Don't forget the GARBAGE you deal with at the very low end.


This shortage is real. It's severe. Just wait.

Theres a reason Jazz management is running around to any college that will talk to them and trying to start a 'pathways' program and encourage the grads to come right to Jazz. Sadly, enrolment at most of the colleges for the pilot programs has dropped significantly. Someone else said it best. 100k and 2-4 years to sit in the right seat and make 38k. Then right as you upgrade, whisked off to AC and your wage cut again.

Ever wonder why they no longer publish the number of ATPL's and CPL's issued every year? Lobbying by a couple of 'groups' to hide the dwindling numbers.

I wouldn’t encourage anyone to get into this career nowadays. Airline managements have it down to a science as to keep wages as low as possible for as long as possible as mentioned in above posts. Graduate. Come to Jazz or Encore. Make nothing for a few years. Get an upgrade and a taste of better pay, go to AC/WJ and take another pay cut (quick upgrades won’t last forever) Go back on reserve and/or work every weekend and holiday for a few more years. Not to mention schedules. Staying in hotels for half the month. Forced to commute or drive 2 hours because the only pilot domiciles are in the 4 most expensive cities on the country.
Getting up at 3am to check in, finishing at 3am or doing the dreaded stand ups/red eyes? Who wouldn’t want that!

As a regional airline first officer I was recently offered a junior engineering job in YYZ for a tech startup. The pay is 3x what I make at J*** with a better schedule. I am trying really hard to find the motivation to stay a pilot as I have over 2000 hours and 4 years invested into the industry but all I see is another 5 years of low pay to hopefully get to an AC skipper spot which isn't even guaranteed to happen. Being a pilot requires smart, motivated and hardworking individuals. Problem is these people have better options. I don't see the shortage getting better anytime soon.

120+ grand a year! I'd take that and buy my own little Piper Cub or something to enjoy on my weekends off!

confusedalot wrote: ↑Wed Mar 20, 2019 10:03 am
Just to be clear, I have no problems with circumstances of the past, hey, all the better if the pathway is nicer. Wonder if that era is going to come back. My AC buddies, (viewed as "old" now LOL), tell me the official line is 2000 hours minimum but in reality some are getting on with less than that.

Cheers,

I'm quite confident no one is getting hired at AC with less than 2000 hrs. Like you mentioned earlier, it still seems like companies are asking for "astronaut time". Companies like AC still have the pick of the litter; the trouble they're having is adequately crewing their regional feeders.

goingnowherefast wrote: ↑Thu Mar 21, 2019 3:21 pm 120+ grand a year! I'd take that and buy my own little Piper Cub or something to enjoy on my weekends off!

I met an aeronautical engineer with experience that was paid 90K. (Yes of course, he must be an idiot)

120K to start? I say don't walk, run, and don't look back!

Not too many people make that kind of money.