email sent.
Dear Justin Wastnage,
Iam writing to you in regards to the article you have written in the age on the 8/3/08.After reading that uninformed and almost completely unfactual article, I was somewhat frustrated.As a journalist, one should gather correct information to atleast be in fair knowledge of the topic.right?
What you have written was totally off-course, for example stating that it is strange that there is a shortage of applicants for Pilot jobs and that it is known to be one of the most respected and glamorous careers on the planet.Have you ever cocidered the amount of time,effort,money and sacrifice one has to make to get to an airline job, IF EVER they are blessed enough to fly jets.Freshly qualified Pilots spend anything from $55-$90k to get their qualifications to then have to move north and look for anything and I mean anything or anyone that will let them fly a plane for peanuts.People have to leave their families or take them up north which sometimes doesn't work out too well, if you get the drift..
The General Aviation Pilot award wage is significantly lower then the average national wage.A newly qualified Pilot can expect anything from having to pay money TO the emplyer to get an amount of bout $30k.Working like a horse and keeping their heads down, and then having to pull out another $3-$20k to move up in the company to fly a larger aircraft for peanuts once again.The road to success is gruelsome and long, not many last and many fail to keep the motivation as the sacrifices and losses are far too great compared to the little glamour a jet job like Qantas has to offer.Once a Aviator reaches the stage to be considered for airline entry then they have gruelsome selection tests to go through and if worthy enough to be accepted then they have to pull another $20k+ out of their already dry wallets to pay for thei aircraft endorsement(25k for Virgin blue).to state that a Pilot can earn up to 350,000 is a total joke.A REX airlines First Officer starts at 40k and earns up to 50k and the captain makes anything from 62-85k approx.
The email is longer and has a fwe more points but I couldnt find a copy of the full version.