No a former airline pilot who hears a bunch of "grass is greener" stories and tries to provide a reality check to those who may decide to chase money rather than look at the big picture.
SPIFR Captain is probably EMS. That's is an aircraft with what, like six seats? Virtually no fixed wing pilot flying a six seat aircraft, or even something like a Piper Navajo, or Cessna Caravan gets paid what a SPIFR Pilot at an EMS service makes which is likely in the $70,000-100,000 a year range. That is what a junior regional airline captain makes flying an aircraft with 50+ seats.
A 21 yr old with 750 hours at a regional is not making anywhere near starting pay SPIFR EMS. Airlinepilotcentral.com publishes pay scales. Junior regional Al FO's make $42,000 to $50,000 a year, most likely because they sit on reserve for a long time, often over a year. And no 7 days off n a row, and sleeping at work. You will hustle your a** off with 6-8 landings a day, and all that rushing through terminals, waiting for hotel shuttles, or weather delays are unpaid. Yes airline pilots only get paid while they are actually flying.
Offshore, captains on 92's and 139's make more than regional captains, and SIC's make significantly more than regional SiC's.
Its no mystery. Reality is a junior FO for a regional sitting reserve makes about $3,000 a month take home. The airline pilot message boards will tell you this over and over. Helicopter pilots looking to make the jump to airlines don't often contemplate the reserve system. To make decent (helicopter) money you have to get a line with 75 or more hours a month. That takes seniority. Even then some trips are built, without a lot of consecutive days which if you commute means you really can't go home on your days off. It's a sacrifice/gamble because you will be giving up better pay and a better schedule for more money in the future that is by no means guarantee.
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