How Much Do ag pilots make

[Bossman71]

How much do they make what is the pay scale and struture. from their first year and times to the max

contract pay/ employed pay
what is better
what do the different u.s. regions pay

[AT502B]

Generally ag-pilots get paid 20-25% of what the airplane grosses. Most of the time it averages out to be $100-$200/hr, depending on airplane size and numerous other factors. The hardest part about this business is getting a start, mainly because the insurance companies won't cover newbies and operators cannot afford to turn you loose in a $500,000 airplane with no insurance.

Obviously the areas with longer growing seasons the Miss. delta, TX, CA offer the best chances at making more money. $100,000/yr and higher, pilot pay is not out of the ordinary in these areas.

[Bossman71]

to go to an ag school then buy a 301 c188 ect. and offer yourself and airplane to a local operator. to gain hours

[AT502B]

Yeah that would work if you could find somewhere they might need additional help.

[Bossman71]

This forum is for anyone with knowledge :ugh:

Does anyone know how much ag pilots make in Michigan or the Midwest?


Also how much do they get for drug control in Columbia

[AT502B]

There is no set payscale for ag-pilots in the midwest (other than the % of gross)- it varies from year to year. This isn't like working for United. Been in the ag business for a long time and never made the same salary twice.Spraying drugs in Colombia pays very well. It's not a place for a beginner starting out though.

[Bossman71]

just trying to get an idea columbis is viaible option/path after 4-5 years just geting a feel for the range of pay i have 200hrs and am going to ag flight int. for ag school (they say the have a deal with ins.
companies to be insured when the training program is completed) in the fall hope to have 500-600hours by next spring need to figure out the finances im 22 and wanted to spray since I as long as i can remember never wanted to fly a bus.
any more insight would be greatly appreciated.

[SNS3Guppy]

Pay varies very widely, as the amount of work you may find can be entirely unpredictable, and can change very unexpectedly. I've seen seasons that barely made fifteen thousand, and others that did very well. Today with larger turbines taking over and fewer and fewer jobs, more work being taken by ground rigs and chemigation and more experience overall required to get a job, don't count on making much if anything, and plan on having a tough haul to find a job.

Most operators want to see a thousand hours of ag time before talking to you. Jobs in AgTrucks and smaller airplanes are outthere, but most jobs rightfully equire substantial experience.

Government contracted spraying in Colombia works two weeks on two off, and pays about ninety thousand to start. Training can take four to six months and pays about thirty grand yearly, on an hourly basis, with no gaurantees. About fifteen hundred hours of ag are minimum, but generally more like six thousand is competitive. Speak spanish, and have solid instrument skills and multi engine time. Hiring presently isn't into the singles; it's into the OV-10, and a fraction of those who apply, get accepted.

[Bossman71]

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