The Arab world is rioting again. Well, as they're always pissed off about something, I guess this isn't really breaking news.
Now things seem to be boiling over in Egypt, a "strategic American ally". Really? How so? They hate us. Except on the day our $1.5B foreign aid check arrives in the mail. Then we're big buds. But then the check clears and they go back to hating our guts again.
Even more ridiculous is the $3.5B we give to Pakistan every year. Are there varying degrees of how much you can hate America? If so, the Pakistanis would be at the top of that bar chart. Except on the day our foreign aid check arrives in the mail. Then we're big buds.
We also give $3.1B a year to Israel, but at least they share with us some of the world-class R&D they're doing. Considering how much we shovel their way you'd think Pakistan and Egypt would share, too, since they're world leaders in....ummm....ahhhh.....somebody help me out here. (Rock chucking doesn't count.)
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Early this morning a UPS Airbus A300 cargo jet crashed on its approach into Birmingham, Alabama, killing the two crew members. Tragic. :(
This somehow brings to mind something I've wondered about for a long time: Why do commercial pilots make so much money? * (Smooth segue, huh? Yes, my mind works in strange ways.)
Don't get me wrong, I don't want some slovenly bus driver up there hauling me and my family all over the sky. It's a tough job, with terrible pay and long hours for newbies, but they eventually cash in big a few years later, while there are (or at least there used to be) hundreds of very competent high-hour pilots leaving the military every year who are turned away by the airlines. (Many are now being soaked up by new foreign air carriers, but this is a fairly recent phenomenon.)
What happened to supply and demand? I always thought a shortage of a particular job skill = higher pay for those who had it, while an overabundance moderated wages. Apparently not so for commercial pilots.
Pilots I've asked about this say the public can't imagine the huge responsibility they have to care for the 200...300...400 or more passengers strapped to their back. OK, fair enough. But why then does a senior FedEx pilot make MORE than a senior Delta, American, or United Captain? All they have strapped to their back are letters and packages.
*I wish someone would pay me for thinking of weird stuff like this. I'd be rich!*
*I wish someone would pay me for thinking of weird stuff like this. I'd be rich!*
Oh well. Just another of life's mysteries. Have a great day everyone. :)
S
* Why does a Boeing 747 have that big bulge on top of the fuselage at the front of the plane? So the pilot can sit on his wallet. :)
Commercial pilots make a lot of money? I thought their average salary was less than a manager at a Taco Bell.
ReplyDeleteNo, you're thinking of a homebulder. ;)
DeleteBased on supply and demand for thinking up weird stuff, don't give up your day job.
ReplyDeleteYou have managed to piss off several thousand commercial pilots and probably now have a fatwa slapped on your head, all in one little post.
I have always been under the impression that pilots were not in over supply. Still I am not sure they are that overpaid...do they make much over 200K? I will have to Google, you have my curiosity up.
Ain't skeered, Joe. I've been married before....I know all about fatwa's.
DeleteBack from Google
ReplyDeletehttp://blogs.wsj.com/middleseat/2009/06/16/pilot-pay-want-to-know-how-much-your-captain-earns/
Seems pilots are not really overpaid. Starting at as low as $21,000, high end for experienced maybe $300,000. Company profitability dictates salary to some extent...seems UPS and fed ex are profitable and pay pilots the most.
As I said, newbies have it pretty tough...long, bad hours with low pay. But I've also personally known Captains making $300K, working 8 days a month, all while Air Force pilots with thousands of hours on C-141's or KC-135's can't get on with an airline. It just seems to me this should temper wages somewhat. I think there's probably more "good 'ol boy's club" to it than "supply and demand."
DeleteOh yeah, you are spot on about the Arab world, and I don't think throwing money at them is changing anything for the better, we should probably think a bit harder about where we throw money in this country as well, but then a vote is a vote.
ReplyDeleteOn a slightly different note, I've always wondered why men in the Arab world aren't professional baseball pitchers. I mean, if you can throw rocks really well some of them should make great major league pitchers.
ReplyDeleteGood point Steve. My guess...the really good rock throwers don't make it past spring training where the dictators return their rock throwing with live AK-47 fire.
DeleteThey're all about soccer (football) in the MIddle East but we should definitely be sending some baseball scouts over there.
DeleteI'm not sure about how well-paid pilots are these days. About five years ago, when the Calgon flight crashed in Buffalo, killing everyone on board, horror stories came to light about how overworked and underpaid pilots on many smaller discount airlines are. Some lived in slum-like apartments and worked part-time at McDonalds to make enough money to live on.
ReplyDeleteThat's all true, Betina. As I said, newbie pilots, trying to build up their hours so they can fly for one of the major carriers, work long hours for little pay. They're often exhausted, and that leads to mistakes. But if they can get past that, they will eventually have a gravy train. It's still good pay, but the heyday of commercial pilots is probably over.
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