Poor pay?

[huntnhound]

Why is it the helicopter industry in the UK insists on paying such low wages to Police helicopter pilots? Are the employers still relying on time served ex-millitary pilots who come to their new careers with some pension? I cannot believe that some Police observers(with some overtime) are paid more than the pilot. Surely they are the worst paid in the air industry? Maybe the pilots should make a more determined effort through their union? Its not difficult to see why so many move on from this type of work.

HnH

[verticalhold]

Its not just the old bill. a lot of the charter operators are paying way under the odds for experienced IFR pilots. The situation is slowly starting to change. At the moment I see 3-5 CVs a week from low time cpl holders with huge hopes but not enough useful experience and know of very few experienced pilots out there. ( By experience I mean 3500+ hours, IR and some useful types on license because those are the requirements we have where I work) Back in the 1990's there was a huge drain of young experienced north sea pilots to the airlines and a small number to corporate, police,ems etc. To stop that the north sea operators raised salaries hugely from where they were. JAR/EASA came along and in changing licensing requirements the cost of training a pilot went through the roof. There is still a slow trickle of pilots from the military but the supply of civilian trained pilots with relevant experience has almost dried up. Why work single pilot IFR for a pittance when you can work two crew north sea on a good package? I've done both jobs and still believe the north sea was the easier option (Dons tin hat and waits for incoming)

A look around the corporate/charter market at the moment shows the same faces who have been in the job for years, all becoming older and more knackered each year, the police market is probably much the same. Unfortunately pilots are often their own worst enemies. I know police pilots who left the military and were prepared to work for a small salary because they had a pension and were at the time just grateful for a job. I also know pilots who fly 747s for major airlines on huge packages who do a bit of freelance on their days off to keep their rotary licenses current, and charge a bloody sight less than the regular freelance guys because in the words of one "Its just a bit of fun and I don't really need the money." Ok then you selfish t:mad: what about the regular freelances who aren't getting the job because you are under charging, or the inexperienced guys who would kill for the day on a 206 you are having, also is the operator passing your discount onto the customer? If the situation was reversed you can bet your life that the 747 drivers would be wailing straight to BALPA about how unfair it is.

I am not sure about requirements in the police world, but on the charter side the customers are learning fast. After the Harding crash and the Bournmouth crash of 2004 they want twin engine, they want an IFR rated pilot and they want experience. That experience pool is dwindling fast. This year has been one of the busiest in the onshore market ever, another few quid an hour on the rate will help pay more to pilots, Also higher salaries will encourage the guys going the hard way (i.e paying for it themselves) and hopefully make it easier to obtain loans for the hours building and qualifications they need. some banks will loan cash on a letter of intent from a prospective employer.

Perhaps we need our own section in BALPA to fight our case. On shore IFR ops are to my mind the hardest but most satisfying side of helicopter aviation.
One of my customers recently found out what my basic salary is. He was horrified. I didn't have the heart to tell him it had recently gone up 8 grand! The guys who fly his nice shiny jet get almost twice as much flying two crew into nice shiny airports. He then jumps in the back of the heli and I take him home, often at night, often in s:mad: weather, with just myself to monitor me. He had always believed that I must be the highly paid one! Obviously he never noticed the shagged out car and holes in my shoes!

[N Arslow]

Disheartening that a plumber can get £250/day and more work than he knows what to do with - and his sidekick £150/day.
Pass me that spanner...

[Bertie Thruster]

The government thinks we get paid more than we actually do:
Annual Income
Helicopter pilots who captain passenger-carrying craft may earn between £45,000 and £60,000 a year.


(From the Learn Direct website)

[212man]

Well, the lower figure may be a bit high, but the upper figure is considerably lower than current N. Sea rates. In fact, it is below the Captain scale starting figures!