Fruity, old bean...
I do hear what you're saying (even when you write 'good' instead of 'god', and 'ganda' instead of 'gander' - but I'll not be too critical
), but I have to disagree.
If it came down to a dollar-for-dollar comparison between an ATR job and an A320 job, then I'd still choose the A320. "For why" I hear you ask? Lots of reasons - more comfortable place to spend 8 hours a day, a smoother, quieter place to spend those 8 hours, climbs out of the turbulence you kiwi's seem to have to live with day-to-day, and twice as many 'good sorts' to spend the day joking with (cabin crew for those who didn't twig).
But it's not a dollar-for-dollar comparison; for starters, by your own figures, it's 8.3% more to the jet jockey if neither flies a single hour. Then you mention 85 hours. If that A320 F/O works those 85 hours that you mention, then he'll/she'll be far and away better off than the ATR pilot. And from memory, NZ-based pilots will get paid an hourly allowance too. Add it all up and it's not too shabby. It's certainly not fantastic, but nor is it pauper's money!
One last point that I think is relevant in this day and age; the speed/weight/pax formula died a rightful death many years ago. Just because something is bigger and faster than another type, doesn't mean that we are entitled to earn that much again as the smaller/slower/less pax type. Sure, we all expect a bit more (and we all tend to get a bit more) for flying heavier metal, but reasonableness must prevail and has prevailed. Let's be fairdinkum here (for kiwi's, that's 'fair suck of the sav'), a QF B744 Captain does not earn 7 times the pay of a Dash8 (-300) Captain, or 11 times a SF340 Captain, or even twice a B767 Captain!
And when I made the comment about being in the wrong part of the world, it was on the basis of remuneration, not from a lifestyle/natural assets perspective. I think NZ is a truly gorgeous place.
Shame it's wasted on the kiwi's then. Ay?
