EDIT*******A friend emailed me about the aforementioned topic discussion. I figured I'd share it with you. For reference he's a 3000 plus hour CFI retired military heli pilot and he is currently making the transition to airpline pilot. That being said, THESE ARE NOT MY WORDS, I'm a non-rated crewmember in the ass-end of a Chinook. I'd love to be a pilot one day. Don't take this personally and remember its an opinion.

Next to rock stars, actors and professional athletes, pro and semi-pro pilots are about the whiniest bunch of turds you will ever encounter. The guys who penned this opinion piece is highly biased and is spouting the same bullshit that was true for all of his career and just before. While he does have some very valid points, I think his $.02 is over-simplified and generalized on a foundation of the past. It is true that the 18K-24K gross salaries for entry-level FOs is absurd, considering what most have to fork over for the required training, however, that shitty pay and shitty schedule is short-lived. If you are drowning in debt, facing hardship and trying to raise a family, this profession is cost-prohibitive and insane. After 3-5 yrs, though...you are managing quite well and cruising.

The Boeing Report is one of the most accurate and respected market reports. They've been right on point over the past 20 years with their assessments and when they talk, folks listen. If you look at annual traffic growth for pax and cargo, as well as the new-plane orders for Airbus and Boeing, it's safe to say that the demand curve is angled way up. Recent FARs that restrict new pilots from getting into the right seat until they have met the new reqs for part 121 ops is helping to fulfill the prophecy even quicker. Medical requirements are also getting more strict. High BMI pilots will now have to submit to a sleep apnea test and will be grounded until they correct their condition and trim up a bit.

Do regional airlines give out bonuses to new FOs? Historically, it's been a lolli pop, at most. Now, several offer signing bonuses and staged bonuses (once you finish your training and make it to the line, pass your IOE rides, 6 months, 12 months, etc) to fill the seats. Now, these bonus are not going to make a fella rich, but it's roughly an extra paycheck for every step. And yes, many are cancelling service and parking a/c. For how long? The demand is just going up. Planes are almost always stacked to the rafters. Hell, even Island Air, flying ATRs and Dash 8-200s, are offering bonuses. The majors are not feeling it so much right now; they will cherry-pick from the regionals, freight dawgs and part 135 haulers. Freight dawgs will rush to Regionals, Regional Captains and senior FOs will work up into the majors at a quicker rate, and experienced military guys can still have their pick of the litter.

I remember all the high $ flight academies of the 90s that went Tango Uniform when the recession hit hard. Production of pointy-hat, 300hr FOs-waiting-to-hires came to a halt. Hell, just look at all the tools with college degrees and bills up to here that can't find a job. Flight schools are even worse. Excluding aviation Universities, it hasn't paid to get a degree, then pursue flight training. Not unless you have a money tree or cook meth with Mr. White and Pinkman on the side. Where are these kids going to get 1500 hours / ATP when 300TT breaks the bank? Extra years of painful CFI duties and flying freight. Most say to hell with that, I'll do something else and get paid at something that offers a modicum of security.

In short, almost every professional pilot you encounter will spout the typical blog chatter logic about "this is the same rumor that's been going on since man first hit Vr..." because the professional pilot is whiney by nature and because the industry has been in the crapper since the 1978 deregulation act. However, if you look at all the data today, there is plenty of evidence to support the fact that now is a good time to consider working in the commercial aviation industry - as a pilot, mechanic, or otherwise. Here is a typical, recent report on what is happening. There will be more and more of these articles coming out as time goes on:

http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-02-11/yes-theres-a-pilot-shortage-salaries-start-at-21-000

Here's a little something from Boeing: http://www.boeing.com/boeing/commercial/cmo/pilot_technician_outlook.page

I'm not an expert, but I've been reading about this stuff for several years and I have friends in the Commercial Part 135 and Part 91 biz. I also have cynical pilot friends in part 121. Based on all this, I think the market and timing has never been better for a guy with freshly-minted ATP credentials. For a day 1 flight school student, paying out of pocket, it's a nightmare. We'll see! Time will tell. I'm about to drop a resume and we will see how my path works out and if there's a ladder to climb for new guys.