Regional GA Pay

[Dunnza]

Well... what do you drive and the take home pay?

I pay the pilots a reasonable pay, above conditions and on their experiance yet they dont grumble... [at least I dont think they do]

I was conducting an interview with a pilot from x company and was absolutely shocked at the rate of pay he was getting! Is this common across all GA companies, or is there a few that pay decent?

[OCTA]

I know of people flying king airs in NQLD on less than $60k. We pay that for our Day VFR operation. Come on guys you are your own worse enemy.

[D-J]

I know of people flying king airs in NQLD on less than $60k. We pay that for our Day VFR operation. Come on guys you are your own worse enemy.

Christ I won't even mention what I'm on you'll shoot me :( but hey living in fiji is interesting... not to mention hand starting a 550 every other start... :ouch:

[Zoomy]

I'll second that, not telling what I'm on you will start crying with me.:mad:

[the air up there]

Don't we all think we should be on more.

Without telling exactly what im on, im better off than alot of guys flying bigger aircraft than me. Especially when fringe benefits are added.

[Howard Hughes]

know of people flying king airs in NQLD on less than $60k.
Which is still above the award, even the new one...:rolleyes:

You're right, we are our own worst enemy!

Luckily I get a fair bit more for a similar position, I consider myself reasonably well paid.:ok:

[Mr. Hat]

If you think you are well paid you might want to have a bit of a look at what tradies are taking home. Have a look at increases for teachers/police. Just have a go at comparing their salaries 10-15 years ago to yours.

[Water Wings]

NZ is even worse.

I don't get paid much as it is so have another job non flying job in an attempt to improve my financial standing.

Recently attended a course for my flying job. Had to take a days unpaid leave from my second job. Claimed a days pay for the course but the owner has now refused to approve payment of it. Currently waiting for the Union Lawyer to get back to me.:ugh:

[Dunnza]

Seriously I dont get it... My margin is usually 20 - 25% ish on charters, less for contracts ontop of my own DOC's...

If other companies charge alot less than me for pilots, they must be pocketing the change somewhere!

[The_Pharoah]

not necessarily. Unless properly managed, you'd be surprised where companies 'leak' money especially unnecessary o/head costs. When you consider that a lot of private charter companies are run by ex pilots or pure businessmen, they may not have the financial acumen or experience required to ensure their company/business is operating efficiently or to even know what an efficient company operates like financially.

I'm just starting up my own accounting consulting business on the side (for when I get fully into training) and I've dealt a lot with small businesses who don't even know what a proper cashflow is or how to do a forecast, much less reorganize their company structure.

This is where I keep reiterating to business people...concentrate on what you do best eg. fly, doctor, repair, etc - leave the business stuff to accountants. Paying $1000 to an experienced accountant may seem like much but may save you heaps in the long run...and hopefully make you realise that you have a lot more $$$ than you think (and can stop squeezing every last cent from poor pilots!).

Remember, everybody needs an accountant! :ok:

[777WakeTurbz]

When i was operating PA31 on IFR charter ops i was on pretty much the same as what a Rex FO would be on... Cant say if it was good or bad, but it was ok by me since my first instructing job i was taking home only $401 each week... :suspect:

[Wanderin_dave]

$80K to fly a Tiger Moth part time....... :ok:........though $70k of that comes from one of the big 4 banks for the work i do weekdays. :(

I will be flying a Cherokee over summer for a laugh. Getting paid the equivalent of $38K before tax. Company pays for all training. Accomodation, bills paid for. So what are you taking then? The equivalent of $45K?

Is this too little? I think it's fair in the scheme of things.

You are right, if i'd sunk as much time and energy into a trade i'd be on much MUCH better money. But it's not about that, if it was i'd be on a lot more at the bank and not taking the flying gig at all.

[717tech]

Is there anywhere I can get a pay scale or something that has the min pay for the type of A/C I fly? or am I wasting my time? Havent really been able to find anything remotely close.
Cheers

[Horatio Leafblower]

What type DO you fly?

For GA Types: Pilots' General Aviation Award (http://www.afap.org.au/html/s02_article/article_view.asp?id=103&nav_cat_id=130&nav_top_id=74)

For Airline types (or big GA types if you prefer :ugh: ): Regional Airlines Pilots Award (http://www.afap.org.au/html/s02_article/article_view.asp?id=105&nav_cat_id=132&nav_top_id=74)

The pay scales are at the back end of each document. Prepare to be underwhelmed. :{

[sally shaw]

Its so hard to find an FO (Min hours depends on previous type rating) and CPT (Min hours 2500) location Dublin but can be relocated for 1 or 3 weeks europe...

[bubble.head]

My friend in a call centre who requires no previous university training gets paid more then a fo get in Rex and qlink. Funny eh? Not...!

[tio540]

This is an interesting topic. I will help you out. GA pilots fly 1970's aeroplanes, with 1970's pay, but pay for tradesman at 2009 prices. For example a power point costs $300 to replace, with an electrician, but a GA pilot receives $170 for a 12 hour day.

Then you complain that there are insufficient pilots, but cannot afford to pay more. Go and buy some power points, after 1900 hours, and see how you go.:)

[Dunnza]

Put it in a hindsight...

The B58 pilots are earning just a tad over 50k a year. I've got a private charter every day to someones private strip... so its a MON - FRI job 8 - 6 with sometimes overtime on the weekend.

The C208 pilots are over $60k ish, once again MON - FRI job, evening for freighters etc.

Other operators that pay their pilots little or pigs fodder make me :yuk::yuk::yuk::yuk:

[Dunnza]

Yes, but its proped up with allowances etc

[myshoutcaptain]

Your Van drivers make more than I did as a +5700 turboprop FO!:rolleyes: When I flew Vans I would think not more than $35K.

[Dunnza]

Back in what days?

[AutopilotEngage]

Hey thanks Dunnza,

Really insightful!

[j3pipercub]

Very Insightful indeed Dunnza, you are a gi-normous, sidchrome...

[the air up there]

j3, i think you guys hurt his feelings.:(:E

[KRUSTY 34]

Just been purusing the 2008 S/E EBA for Kingair drivers.

$61,078 ist year after training + $5K per year if you are based at Mascot or Bankstown. A Toll priority van driver makes approx $70K P/A, without any formal training, and the only other requirement is to have a drivers licence! WTF!!!

I know there have been comparisons made before, and lots of comments re: the inequaties of the situation, but I thought some progress had been made on the wages & conditions of these highly dedicated and skilled professionals.

Seems we still have a long way to go.:sad:

[boardpig]

I've seen many posts like this over the years on Proone and the beat never seems to change. I eventually gave up a career in flying as I couldn't justify the T and C's, but it occured to me that the power to change this surely lies with you guys and not the employer?
If no-one accepted the pay and conditions, employers would be forced to come to the party to keep their business viable?
Of course, this is indeed the problem. There will always be someone at your back willing to stick the knife in, fly more hours for less money, ignorant to the fact that they are simply making the path worse for those that come behind them and worse for their mates already in the industry.
Until this situaiton does not exist, I think we'll be seeing more topics like this, for years to come.

[neville_nobody]

If no-one accepted the pay and conditions, employers would be forced to come to the party to keep their business viable?

Well that was the theory, however Rex showed when at this situation that they were happy to just keep on cutting routes back and cancelling flights than try and retain pilots with higher salaries.

The WA operators were forced by mining companies to pay higher salaries so without that influence I don't know if Skippers et al would be offering any more money either.

Aviation has always been a law unto itself, basically driven by pilots who are desperate to fly aeroplanes. This is very much a Western World phenomena which I assume is a cultural one. Asian countries don't have the same problems to the extent where if the airlines want local pilots they have to advertise and pay for the entire cost of training.

[Metro man]

Shame how little things have changed over the years. Ten years ago a Metro captain earned less than a cleaner who was one of his passengers going out to a mine site.

Ansett loaders made more money than the captains (non Ansett employees) of the turbo props doing the freight runs.

The refueller was comfortably better off than we were. A decent forklift driver with a few years of experience wouldn't have accepted our pay.

Too many pilots using GA to fill their log books and move on to that well paid airline job, where the terms and conditions are now in a race to the bottom as well.

Here in Asia there is very little GA hence no pool of desperate licenced pilots to choose from. Operators have to rely on expats, a few from the military or training their own as few locals can afford the cost.

[wateroff]

The Metro wages havent changed :}:}:}:yuk:

[JUZ777]

60k flying a 402, it's pretty sweet..:ok:

[KRUSTY 34]

Must admit it's an improvement on years gone past, but it's still the average Aussie wage dude. And many average Aussies didn't have to go through what you did to get it!

If your flying the 402 for the hours then fine. Try building a decent life on that kind of dough. Especially in a capital city. :{

[aileron_69]

I think what people need to realise, is that its a good idea to think outside the square. In order to make some real money, instead of doing what everybody else is doing, you need to be doing some kind of specialist flying. Unless you are a captain on a big jet, you generally wont make decent money flying people about, cos anyone can do it. People say "I want to be a pilot" and most immediately think "airlines." There is a whole world of possibilities out there outside the world of ferrying people about, and they pay isnt so bad.