How about we stick to the topic and have a review of salaries now/then? After some calculation using the RBA inflation adjustment calculator, I arrived at the following: (salary then/inflation adj.)
GA SE pilot 1984: Then $19,000/ Now $46,500.
GA PA31 pilot SAL 1989: $28,000/$50,250.
Heavy Turbo-prop FO 1992 (with O/T): $65,000/$104,000.
Wide body international FO 1997: $135,000/$194,000.
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Although I never flew SA340 the KD salaries were about (and I am happy to be corrected):
1989 FO: $38,000/$68,200
CA: $52,000/$93,300
I don't know for sure what GA salaries are like now, but I suspect that purchasing power has remained about the same for GA pilots (perhaps even gone up).