fade to grey, I bet you were one of those starry eyed individuals yourself before you became a pilot. Are you honestly telling us that you became a pilot so that you could have loads of responsibility and make life or death decisions? No, I would imagine you discovered that side of it during your training and subsequent experience.
I wanted to be a pilot out of a love for flying; the fact it is a very interesting job that pays well is a bonus. I didn't want the job for the kudos or glamour. I was denied the opportunity by disability. I fail to see how that makes me some sort of "space cadet" to be belittled and insulted.
I have been pondering this recently. Yes, flying an airliner is a hugely demanding job, requiring enormous financial investment, skill and time. It is a hugely responsible job, there is no doubting that. So yes, pilots should be paid more than your average Joe in his dreary 9-to-5 office job. Now, if the national average wage is around £26,000, is it not reasonable to think that pilots should be paid double or triple that? I think so. So I cannot help but think that £100K+ a year for a Captain is getting into excessive territory.
I can see £100K+ for surgeons being appropriate since their work IS life and death, but I can't see pilots being on the same sheet. Yes you need to be responsible and not make any mistakes, but so do truck drivers driving down the motorway. I'm not saying you should earn the same as a truck driver, just that paying attention and not making mistakes is a crucial part of many much lesser paid jobs.
Another thing I have been wondering recently, and you can correct me if I'm wrong, but could part of the reason why the airline industry always seems to be in dire straits be because pilots get paid excessive amounts?