=>-----Original Message----- =>From: The Airline List [mailto:AIRLINE@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of =>Bahadir Acuner =>Also remember that a regular 9-5 job is about 2,000 =>hrs /year. So when you are calculating pilot salaries =>the pay you have to consider is hourly pay/2. =>Last but not least a buddy of mine started in Great =>Lakes last week. He is getting 15/hr. Assuming he is =>going to get 1000 hrs in a year (which he won't) he =>will get paid less than minimum wage for the job. NO, NO, NO! If he gets paid $15 an hour, he is not making minimum wage. He is making twice the minimum wage for what is a part time job. If I work at Taco Bell and make $10 an hour and work 500 hours a year, I am still making above the minimum wage. According to your logic, I would be making less than minimum wage because you would divide my pay by 4 (2000 hours for "9 to 5" divided by 500). Was your friend forced to fly for Great Lakes at gun point? This is still a mostly free country. If a pilot doesn't want to be paid so-called low wages then he shouldn't be a pilot. Another thing: the per diem is usually found money for, if I recall correctly, it is not taxable. David R http://home.comcast.net/~damiross/books.html www.sequoians.com www.chanticleers.org -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 265.8.8 - Release Date: 2/14/2005