Frankly $160k for 2 years of training and then 5 or more years to build the hours to get an airline job is selling your 'mate' Short... He's with more!
I dont really want to get into a slanging match about engineers v's pilots, but, how long do you think it takes from the start of an apprenticeship till being fully licenced on your particular aircraft type? more than a couple of years let me tell you. However thats not the point, what I am saying is people here are saying they are poorly paid when if fact $160k for a newly minted second dicky isnt what
I would call poor.
