Icarus53,
"Bottom line though, even in the midst of the "pilot shortage" when I was routinely being asked to extend and work on days off, I still wasn't working all that hard in the bigger scheme of things."
So I would like to ask you this, did you ever have no reserve days, over 155 duty hours per roster and exceed 900 hours flying time doing just Canberra-Sydney return in the q400?
For someone who loved aviation to hating it in less than a 6 month period, I would say to you that you obviously haven't worked a hard day in your life, inside or outside of aviation. It is dissapointing to see that you hold such opinions. It is people like you who would work for nothing and destroy our 'profession' so you can talk your 'bulls**t'. Some of us are here because we love our job, but we deserve to be rewarded for it as well.
All i can say to you is look back to how it was in the 70's. Whilst I am youngish as well, I cannot believe this ignorance. Recently I was told by numerous FO's that they didn't want a command due to the responsibility and the fact that the money is not good enough. So whilst you say that these hours are not too much, I can assure you I have worked in the past in other industry's over 14 hours a day 6 days a week. Whilst that was a lot of work, this is different from physical work, or no brainer work like so many other people have. If you want that, go and leave Qantas Link and work harder somewhere else. And remember, unless you are pulling 4's across the board at sim, hit the books, do some work in your own time and your 'hours' will pick up, trust me!
