Wakeupcall,
The problem with wannabes (generally speaking) is that they still think that being a pilot has the glamour that it did in the 70s. A status that was highly respected, a salary (where at the time) was amazing. Passengers actually listened whenever the Captain addressed the cabin rather than yabbering on and on. And, lets not forget, a stunning hostess as a wife.
The fact that your first point was related to salary demonstrates this. When I initially wanted to be a pilot, I did not care about the salary. I had a father who was made redundant three times as a pilot, and which ultimately destroyed his marriage. In the end, at the tender age of 50, he had enough of the aviation industry because "he was being spitroasted -
ed at both ends!"
In terms of salary, unless you are the CP of a major legacy carrier (or any carrier) your pay would never reach the heights that it once did. But by no means will you have a salary on par with a taxi driver, or a lorry driver!
I just can't understand posts like this. No one sets out to be a pilot for the money. I'm sorry if other current pilots disagree but this is not a job. Its a vocation. Doctors don't become doctors for the money.
My advice is that if you want to be rich, then don't become a pilot.