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The U.S. Airline Pilots Who Barely Make Minimum Wage
You really have to love what you do, or be exceedingly patient, to consider becoming a regional airline pilot. Aviation consultant Kit Darby says regional airline co-pilots and pilots, in the lower ranks, at least, don’t make a living wage. In fact, the mechanic at your local gas station, or even the taxi driver who drives along the streets of your town, sometimes taking trips of a longer duration than regional flights, may be pulling down more cash per hour than the bottom rungs of first… (skift.com) Más...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
Yeah, but he will tell you that "He are an aeroplane pilot" Whoopee!
[This poster has been suspended.]
A school bus driver shouldn't make less than $90,000 a year.
That's unrealistic. There are no regional aircraft that could support salaries like that for 2 pilots on every leg every day.
Now, if you said that for all big iron (large passenger jets over 100 passengers, 737 and A320 and up) captains with at least one year of jet experience, than I might agree with you. But there are lots of turboprops and small jets that just can't support the economics to justify salaries like that.
Without all those turboprops and small jets that make do many more aviation jobs possible, all those regional pilots would be pulling banners or selling cars. There just wouldn't be enough planes flying on the mainline carriers for most of them to have jobs.
Might still be a good idea from a safety perspective to have fewer planes with fewer pilots with lots more expereince.
But the regional pilots wouldn't necessarily be better off. Most wouldn't even be seeing the inside of a cockpit (other than maybe a C-152 or C-172) while paying for every hour and every gallon of fuel.
Now, if you said that for all big iron (large passenger jets over 100 passengers, 737 and A320 and up) captains with at least one year of jet experience, than I might agree with you. But there are lots of turboprops and small jets that just can't support the economics to justify salaries like that.
Without all those turboprops and small jets that make do many more aviation jobs possible, all those regional pilots would be pulling banners or selling cars. There just wouldn't be enough planes flying on the mainline carriers for most of them to have jobs.
Might still be a good idea from a safety perspective to have fewer planes with fewer pilots with lots more expereince.
But the regional pilots wouldn't necessarily be better off. Most wouldn't even be seeing the inside of a cockpit (other than maybe a C-152 or C-172) while paying for every hour and every gallon of fuel.
I don't understand why pilots nag and complain so much about their pay and salaries. This is corporate america were offer and demand rules. Any job that doesn't pay fairly you should quite. Don't get me wrong, I do know that most pilots qualify for gov stamps, but no body is putting a gun on their head to fly. Hell, some pilots I know are even willing to fly for free. So to me, they are just plain blank STUPID passioned PROFESSIONAL aviation lovers. And yes, the gen public now you are under paid. In fact, we all know AND WE DON'T CARE. Passion doesn't pay bills, nor bring food to my table. If pilots and flight attendants are willing to take it, let them have it... They are taking it with a smile...and no accidents. So, don't bring safety because is proven, just go to the NTSB. Pilots are safe, professional and STUPIDS.... just facts! Sorry!
Hello....I may be a little bit late to this 'party', and for gosh sakes, I AM for higher pay at ALL levels for pilots...even the so-called 'entry" levels. In fact, this is a BIG issue for each and every working airline pilot in the USA (I'm retired, but I still have a brain on this issue).
There are forces that have eroded pilots' pay rates over the last decade (or so)...partly due to Management's ability to supplement routes usually flown by the "MAINLINE" jets via outsourcing to the "Regionals" or (Name-the-Term) contracted companies, sometimes wholly-owned subsidiaries of the MAINLINE company!!
Now...at first blush looking at the article, I noted this:
>>>"For a pilot with 10 years’ experience at SkyWest, the weekly gross paycheck might be around $1,312."<<<
OK....I looked at the article's chart, viewed "SkyWest" (Full disclosure...I never flew for them, although they bought up a commuter airline that I USED to fly for, before I went to a Major).
Back to my point...on the chart, the "Ten-year" rate for a SkyWest pilot (I presume that is the left seat, or Captain) is $61 per hour. This makes me think that the article author is off a bit. Given a MAX per 12 months of 1,000 hours actual flight time, it works out to an average of 83 hours per month. 83 X 61 = $5063 gross pay. Divide that by 4 (for a "weekly" gross paycheck, it's $1265,
OK...we are still looking at $60,000 per year (plus overs, and per diem, etc, etc) for a Captain in a turboprop airplane.
Thing is, the Commuter airlines may (or may not) keep a guy/gal that long before he/she decides to hit the "big iron". Often, that IS a pay cut, in a short term.
Every pilot faces these decisions...and, as I noted at the beginning of my rant...Managements take advantage, whenever possible.
OK...I'm "done", for now....(stepping off of the soap-box...).
There are forces that have eroded pilots' pay rates over the last decade (or so)...partly due to Management's ability to supplement routes usually flown by the "MAINLINE" jets via outsourcing to the "Regionals" or (Name-the-Term) contracted companies, sometimes wholly-owned subsidiaries of the MAINLINE company!!
Now...at first blush looking at the article, I noted this:
>>>"For a pilot with 10 years’ experience at SkyWest, the weekly gross paycheck might be around $1,312."<<<
OK....I looked at the article's chart, viewed "SkyWest" (Full disclosure...I never flew for them, although they bought up a commuter airline that I USED to fly for, before I went to a Major).
Back to my point...on the chart, the "Ten-year" rate for a SkyWest pilot (I presume that is the left seat, or Captain) is $61 per hour. This makes me think that the article author is off a bit. Given a MAX per 12 months of 1,000 hours actual flight time, it works out to an average of 83 hours per month. 83 X 61 = $5063 gross pay. Divide that by 4 (for a "weekly" gross paycheck, it's $1265,
OK...we are still looking at $60,000 per year (plus overs, and per diem, etc, etc) for a Captain in a turboprop airplane.
Thing is, the Commuter airlines may (or may not) keep a guy/gal that long before he/she decides to hit the "big iron". Often, that IS a pay cut, in a short term.
Every pilot faces these decisions...and, as I noted at the beginning of my rant...Managements take advantage, whenever possible.
OK...I'm "done", for now....(stepping off of the soap-box...).
Feel better?