Jim,
Looks like a 3 year furloughee recalled to a Group II airplane will get around $62 per hour. 76 hour guarantee is $4712 per month or $56544 per year.
Take taxes out of that and there's a takehome of around $42,000.
If it was $80,000/yr I think it would be a much easier decision for most of us to make. I won't speak for everyone but, for me, $42,000 is a pretty significant paycut. Since over the last 5 years we've had to relocate to find post-USAir employment, I'd have to add the cost of commuting into that equation as well (at least until we could relocate again). So i'd have to factor in crashpad and transportation from that $42,000.
So why consider it at all? Because even though the top-end pay is significantly lower than it was in 1999, it's still more than I could earn with my present employer over the course of a career. So, as with most gambles, I have to decide if (when the call comes) the risk is worth the reward.
By the way, I dont know if the numbers are accurate or not, but airlinepilotpay.com shows $46 per hour as E190 3rd year pay. So accept a recall to that airplane with a 76 hour guarantee and you're looking at around $33,000 per year after taxes.
Normally I wouldn't jump in - but I thought that your $60,000/yr figure was a little bit high for those of us hired after 1999.
Regards,
FurloughedAgain