Originally Posted by
morno
Pay is directly proportional to the supply of pilots willing to do the job. In Australia, there is still enough supply to warrant the level of pay on offer for such jobs. In the US, they don’t have enough, so that’s why they are paying significantly more. But you don’t need me to tell you that.
Ohh and no Australian exceptionalism here, if anything I’m picking up some RJ exceptionalism because they can read a checklist on how to de-ice. The number of pilots from Europe that I’ve flown with that laugh when I ask how hard it was to do all the de-icing etc., and explain that once you’ve done it a few times it’s a non-event, tells me that it really is a non-event.
I completely agree with you about the pay being due to the shortage. But the shortage has allowed Australian pilots to see that you don't need 500 PIC in a chieftain to finally move up to something like a kingair, when those same pilots destined for that instead fly RJs. I'm also not having a shot at the aeromed guys doing high acuity. They arguably have the most challenging, and most necessary flying jobs in the country, and rightfully demand a higher level of experience.
But, the ad above was not for the RFDS. It is for a run of the mill GA driver, and that's what I'm getting at. The insurance requirements are ridiculous when that exact same pilot could go to the US and be cut loose in the left seat of 50/70 seat jet at more or less the same level of experience.
I will maintain though that RJ flying is probably the most challenging flying I have done, and I've done GA, aeromed and RPT in Aus. You dismiss winter ops as simply reading a checklist, which I admit most times it is. However, I've seen 4 winters here now, and every single one I've seen something that could have gone bad. Things like type 4 fluid failing before the holdover time, deicing completed incorrectly and a jet sent out with 1 foot of snow still on its wings, brake action reports of 5 but hitting ice on an untreated runway, runway over-runs, snow being plowed over localizer antenna etc. Landing on a contaminated runway at night in blowing snow is easily one of the most intense things I've done here.
A lot of the challenges of flying in the US are hard to grasp for those who haven't seen it. That's kind of the deal with most of life's experiences. Thankfully though, my RJ days are behind me.
For those at home wondering what all the fuss is about, come on over. The pay is getting better, the commands are quick, and the Americans do their own brand of aviation rather well.
A quick edit - I wasn't having a shot at you about exceptionalism morno, but I was taking aim squarely at that kingair ad. I could have worded it better.