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If you're competent enough to be a pilot you're competent enough to make money other ways so it's not destitution. The issue is losing the level of income they

If you're competent enough to be a pilot you're competent enough to make money other ways so it's not destitution. The issue is losing the level of income they make (more than any safety net could pay) and a loss of purpose since most commercial pilots are pilots to the core. Not to mention status and social standing.

NovemberWhiskey 3y ago
Also: at least in the U.S., being an airline pilot is one of those career decisions that only really starts to pay off financially/lifestyle-wise later in your career. The pay and conditions of (say) mainline 777 captain vs. regional ERJ first-officer are very, very different and almost everything is seniority-based.
xnyan 3y ago
> If you're competent enough to be a pilot you're competent enough to make money other ways I believe an experienced commercial pilot makes around 200K? If I’m 50 have no professional skills except being a commercial airline pilot, what kind of work do I qualify for that has comparable pay? > The issue is losing the level of income they make (more than any safety net could pay) Why can’t this be solved by a tool like insurance? It only needs to cover something like like 80% of the career earnings of people who would be removed for mental health reasons up to the mandatory retirement age of 67, minus early retirement benefits if any. Unless they are a huge number of pilots that would be removed for mental reasons, it seems affordable to me.
- ohdannyboy 3y ago
  I acknowledged they probably couldn't get the same pay in my post... A social safety net has the same problem. My point was they could retool and have above average skills to lean complex machinery, handle stress, make decisions, ect. I don't think risk of destitution is three major issue. I agree insurance is probably the best way, but even that doesn't help with the purpose and social status part, which I think are the largest factors. Plus if the insurance covers career advancement losses the incentives become really adverse, if it doesn't there's still massive economic losses. I think any solution would also need a way to get back in. No need to lose everything because you had a bad time once.
  - xnyan 3y ago
    >Plus if the insurance covers career advancement losses the incentives become really adverse. Fair concern, I think we can screen for people faking it for money. Also, in these situations the payout is usually somewhat less than you would earn working. I get that the end of a career you worked your life for is really hard, but unfortunately it's not an uncommon experience and being a pilot is not a right. A payout for a significant portion of your future earnings is far more than most get in that situation.

NovemberWhiskey 3y ago

Also: at least in the U.S., being an airline pilot is one of those career decisions that only really starts to pay off financially/lifestyle-wise later in your career. The pay and conditions of (say) mainline 777 captain vs. regional ERJ first-officer are very, very different and almost everything is seniority-based.

xnyan 3y ago

> If you're competent enough to be a pilot you're competent enough to make money other ways I believe an experienced commercial pilot makes around 200K? If I’m 50 have no professional skills except being a commercial airline pilot, what kind of work do I qualify for that has comparable pay? > The issue is losing the level of income they make (more than any safety net could pay) Why can’t this be solved by a tool like insurance? It only needs to cover something like like 80% of the career earnings of people who would be removed for mental health reasons up to the mandatory retirement age of 67, minus early retirement benefits if any. Unless they are a huge number of pilots that would be removed for mental reasons, it seems affordable to me.

ohdannyboy 3y ago
I acknowledged they probably couldn't get the same pay in my post... A social safety net has the same problem. My point was they could retool and have above average skills to lean complex machinery, handle stress, make decisions, ect. I don't think risk of destitution is three major issue. I agree insurance is probably the best way, but even that doesn't help with the purpose and social status part, which I think are the largest factors. Plus if the insurance covers career advancement losses the incentives become really adverse, if it doesn't there's still massive economic losses. I think any solution would also need a way to get back in. No need to lose everything because you had a bad time once.
- xnyan 3y ago
  >Plus if the insurance covers career advancement losses the incentives become really adverse. Fair concern, I think we can screen for people faking it for money. Also, in these situations the payout is usually somewhat less than you would earn working. I get that the end of a career you worked your life for is really hard, but unfortunately it's not an uncommon experience and being a pilot is not a right. A payout for a significant portion of your future earnings is far more than most get in that situation.