A of A, $2400 a fortnight would be bloody great - if I were earning it. However by definition, casual work means that I might do 38 hours one week, and only 8 hours the next. The point is: It's only when you find yourself out of the aviation loop that you realise how much it means to be in it. Hell, even if I were bringing home the dollars you suggest, it's still less than a LCC pilot salary (no matter what you say) - and it's ****ty work. This is why I have absolutely no tolerance whatsoever for anyone who insists on dragging down the hard-working professional pilots who are just trying to do their job to the best of their ability - irrespective of what they get paid. And they don't get paid too bad at all from where I stand.

A man is flying in a hot air balloon and realizes he is lost.
He spots a man down below and lowers the ballooom to speak with him.

The balloonist gets close enough to speak with the man on the ground and shouts to him...."Excuse me,but maybe you can help me.I promised my friend I would meet him half an hour ago,but I dont know where I am"

The man on the ground responds,No worries;you are in a hot air balloon hovering about 10 metres above this field.You are located at 26' 04.4 latitude and 80' 09.2 west longitude and drifting south."

"you must be an airline pilot" says the balloonist

"I am,how did you know?" replies the man on the ground

"Well" says the balloonist "everything you have told me is technically correct,but I have no idea what to make of the information you gave me.I am still lost ,so you have done absolutely nothing to help me!"

The man on the ground says "you must be airline managment"

"I am" replies the balloonist,"how did you know"

"Well"; says the man on the ground,"you do not know where you are or where you are going.You have made a promise you cannot keep,and you expect me to solve your problems for you.The fact is that you are in the exact same position you were in before we met,but somehow it is my fault

Mrs Qantas....we are worth every cent we have to scrounge for!!!!