Looking for advice re Advertizing Pilot Positions

[phileyn]

Hi there,

I am looking for some advice regarding contract pilots.

I am working in an agency recruiting technical aviation staff and several of our clients have asked us to provide pilot recruitment as an additional service.
We are hesitant to explore this option due to a lack of experience in this area.

While sourcing candidates is relatively straightforward, it is the set up or structure of the contract is more challenging.

If anyone could provide advice on this I would very much appreciate it.

Particularly if I could receive some guidance on the following topics:

Benefits
Shifts ( are they broken into hrs or blocks?)
How many hours are in a block?

What is the average salary per block?

Is accommodation provided for overnights?

I look forward to your help.

Cheers :)

[Piltdown Man]

Is someone going to pay to advertise for pilots? Surely, all you need to do is put a post on pprune and you'll get swamped with replies.

As for contracts, if you want the right people rather than bums on seats, you'll have to be paying a rate than enables a captain to earn a minimum of £90k (more for other parts of Europe) and F/O's 1/2 to 2/3rds of that, depending on experience. If a short term contract, you'll have to pay in excess for £120k. How you split pay between hours, blocks, standby's and so on depends on the operation. You'll also pay for type rating, recurrent checks and training, uniform, car parking, any positioning from base and when away from base, all overnight accommodation (in a four star hotel). You'll also provide a company phone. In return for that you should be able to cherry-pick your candidates. As for hours, use CAP 371 as to the absolute maximum.

[Northbeach]

Both Parc and Risworth Aviation advertise here on PPRuNe. These organizations place flight crews (as well as other aviation professionals). Also the Korean national carrier advertises heavily on PPRuNe. Look over their offerings to get an idea.

There is the terms & conditions forum here on PPRuNe for you to view. That should give you some idea of pay as well as the other incentives.

Pilots are a little different than truck drivers or somebody you hire to drywall your garage or walk your dog {no disrespect intended towards any individual so employed}; consider training, complexity of the task at hand and the liability involved for starters. I don't know if you are trying to staff a 4 engine intercontinental jet, some business jet, a turboprop twin or some single piston engine as the answers will vary.

Our pilots are provided with:

Benefits
Company paid defined benefit retirement pension. And a 401K retirement (company contributes to) plan. Company subsidized medical, vision, and dental plan for self & family. Vacation pay, Per Diem, sick leave. Paid training. And there are others as well.....life insurance, disability,..........complimentary travel, discounts.........paid education (additional University level training)......ok I'll stop.

Shifts ( are they broken into hrs or blocks?)
How many hours are in a block?
These are regulated by the government (most but not all cases). Legal limits on required rest and how much flight time your company can schedule your pilot in 24 hours, 7 and 30 days, month and yearly. You do not have the option of just working the pilot at your whim 24 hours a day.

What is the average salary per block?
What does a professional athlete make per season..........well it depends. Senior A380/747 Captain; hundreds of thousands of Dollars or the equal amount in Euros - pick your currency. Junior flight instructor at some small club.........a small pittance (but looking forward to a brighter day). Again some time spend here on PPRuNe looking over the pay & benefits being offered by those also searching for qualified crews will yield benefits.

Is accommodation provided for overnights?
Yes: 4 star or better hotel rooms, individual occupancy. Don't forget the transportation to and from the hotel or villa.

Remember if you pay peanuts, you are going to get monkeys. In case you are wondering, I am not looking for work flying. You probably couldn't afford to write a big enough check to pry me out of the flying job I have (then again perhaps you could....not that you would.....or that I'd accept.....maybe).


Pilots don't get paid what they think they are "worth". We get paid what we negotiate and can enforce-nothing more.

[flufdriver]

"Pilots don't get paid what they think they are "worth". We get paid what we negotiate and can enforce-nothing more."

And we are such poor negotiators!

[Northbeach]

Well I appreciate the kind words, but the sentence is not original with me it is something I picked up along the way. I don't know who the original author is so I am unable to credit them.