Angus, I think you are getting close to one angle of discontent. So I guess, true.
If a pilot is on full time then he often looks at the peak time as a time when he is maybe a tad under top dollar but the quiter times when he is collecting a retainer for doing pretty much sfa as a evening out time!
Who can quote the Ag one, say 3ooo hrs + pilot retainer is it about $550 or $600 or so?? And also I get the feeling that a lot of operators are paying $1000 per week or so to keep good reliable guys on standby. Is that true? It's not openly talked about at all so this forum could air those things without any backlash against any perticular pilot.
Come on speak up guys. I mean I do know pilots that have been payed that sort of retainer years ago so I'm assuming that it's still common practice now??
Am I right or wrong?
Next is the $149 per day thing against the weekly retainer for the short timers who are asked in to help for a month or so. Is that adequate ?? Expenses to and fro the job??
$550 per week / 7 = $78 per day?? I havn't worked on the award now for many many years so I will need a hand with the correct figures people. But I don't think I'm that far off.
So how much do you guys think that lawn mower man I know on the coast is pulling in a day?
There is a guy pulls up next to my place every now and then and washes my neighbours yapping bloody poodle. I chated him one day, what do you think he pulls in a day?
Ok OK OK I concede. If you want to wash doggies for a living then go and wash doggies for a living. We want to fly that true. But lets bring a little relevance into things.
So are these award rates on or near the money. Especially for seasonal guys??
To all you Aussie Aggies out there I can't think of a better way or place than this anonymous forum to air this one!!
C188