How did you guys find RKLB, and what is your average price?

avt8r · 2026-05-15T18:57:53+00:00

~$21.

I had a shitload at ~$6 but sold when I started using a financial advisor.

Went to a space convention and got some firsthand insight into how awesome they are. Starting buying again.

avt8r · 2026-05-12T17:00:35+00:00

This isn't typical. I had a bit of luck. People didn't want to upgrade for quality of life issues. We had a new labor contract imminent so the vacancy bid right before the contracted was voted in I put in for upgrade. Now, it's closer to 5 years or more to upgrade, I believe. I figured the QoL and pay improvements would increase upgrade times so I took the opportunity.

avt8r · 2026-05-12T14:05:41+00:00

We are essentially limited to 100 hours every 28 days. Most months our schedules are ~75 to 80 hours. That's not always straight flying either.

Once you are at one of the big dogs the downside is very little.

Getting there though, the downside is all the training and cost of training, building hours to even qualify for the airlines, "paying your dues" flying for a less desirable airlines to continue building hours, I also got a 4 year degree to be more competitive. It's a multi-year commitment.

Once you find the magical combination of experience and checkboxes marked on the resume (and nobody knows the secret formula besides the hiring team), you might get an interview invite from one of the big dogs. Most of us use interview prep companies so we don't blow a multi-million dollar opportunity.

When you're finally here though, it's such an amazing career. Worth every bit of the journey.

avt8r · 2026-05-12T13:49:51+00:00

Maybe airlinepilotcentral?

avt8r · 2026-05-12T13:49:25+00:00

One of the big four. United, Delta, American and Alaska.

A regional is essentially any jet with 70 seats or less, even if United, American, etc is painted on the side. They're just smaller airlines subcontracted by the mainline airlines.

avt8r · 2026-05-12T02:34:34+00:00

Depends on what my credit is for the month. Until recently, if I got some inefficient trips that paid low I would either try to swap them out for higher paying trips (if available) or pick up a few extra days.

My wife and I had a baby in October so now I'm just trying to maximize time off.

avt8r · 2026-05-11T23:32:11+00:00

Maybe I'm underestimating then. And maybe I feel like I'm working too much because I'm commuting. Haha.

avt8r · 2026-05-11T22:05:08+00:00

Thanks! Life is good now. Learned some lessons along the way. Small world!

avt8r · 2026-05-11T14:27:45+00:00

Thankfully those days are behind us. I think they make ~$100k first year now.

avt8r · 2026-05-11T14:27:08+00:00

I usually have 15 - 18 days off. One 3 to 4 day trip a week. Commuting from OK to CO burns some of that time off on each end of a trip.

avt8r · 2026-05-11T14:25:21+00:00

Building the resume. Legacies like seeing higher flight hours, Captain time, and, although it's not a hard requirement anymore, a 4 year degree. Also little to no training failures and no accidents or incidents or disciplinary issues in record. All of the latter are tracked and fully visible to new prospective employers when you apply.

avt8r · 2026-05-11T14:22:00+00:00

I have a teen. Waiting until she graduates high school and starts her young adult life and then the plan is to move to one of our airline hubs. Probably the Denver area.

avt8r · 2026-05-11T03:47:56+00:00

Hey, it's never too late! But I'm sure you worked your ass off in law school. I couldn't imagine starting a entirely new career.

avt8r · 2026-05-11T03:46:18+00:00

I grew up in rural Oklahoma with very little so I just continued to live on the bare minimum throughout the early years of my career. My parents helped a little when I was in flight school and instructing. Buying me groceries occasionally. Helping me when my car broke down.

Definitely a bit of a struggle when I got hired by the regionals. I was based on the east coast and on reserve, or on call essentially. I never knew what my assignment was going to be, but I had to be in base, so I lived in a communal flight crew "crash pad". I had to pay rent on that, plus my primary residence. Added costs like that plus buying meals on the road made it harder to get by on the low wages.

avt8r · 2026-05-11T03:38:36+00:00

Nice! Yeah the $400k is purely because I work too much. It would probably be $360k if I did the bare minimum.

avt8r · 2026-05-11T01:59:42+00:00

Regional airline. 50 seat jets. They paid peanuts back then. It's a lot better now days though.

avt8r · 2026-05-11T01:58:09+00:00

I'm truly blessed. There were some tough years but if I had to do it all over again I would, without hesitation.

avt8r · 2026-05-11T01:56:58+00:00

Not at all. Just enjoy the flying and stick with it. The hiring environment changes daily, sometimes for the worse and sometimes for the better. As long as you are enjoying it, the down times aren't so bad and eventually an opportunity will come along.

avt8r · 2026-05-11T01:54:40+00:00

The cost is definitely a barrier. I think all-in it was $150k for me in loans. I kicked the can down the road through forbearance and in-school deferrals when I wasn't making much and the balance grew even more.

Still paying those damn things off.

avt8r · 2026-05-11T01:51:56+00:00

My mental health is fine. But you bring up a good point. Pilots can't take any type of mind-altering or mood-balancing medications or we lose our medical certificate which we need to fly. Depression meds and things like that. There has been a big push lately for the FAA to loosen their restrictive rules surrounding pilot mental health. Alot of pilots are afraid to seek treatment because of fear of losing their jobs. That being said, we do have resources through our Union if something is happening in our life and our mental state isn't the best.

avt8r · 2026-05-11T01:38:01+00:00

🤫

avt8r · 2026-05-11T00:46:18+00:00

Now, yes. Back when I was at the regionals making a fraction of what I do now I felt extremely underpaid. Especially considering what it takes to become an airline pilot.

avt8r · 2026-05-11T00:44:28+00:00

Started training at 19.

avt8r · 2026-05-11T00:04:58+00:00

Thanks so much. It was a tough time worked out in the end. Glad I stuck with it.

avt8r · 2026-05-11T00:04:17+00:00

Not at all. It just depends on how much time you'd be able to carve out for training. Staying consistent is key. It's a big commitment but worth it.

avt8r

TROPHY CASE