Australian pilots can work for US regionals.
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 59
Likes: 15
From: Cairns
in saying that most turbo prop operators aren’t paying for ATP
- Silver Airways as mentioned above
- Connect Airways (WMA)
- Ravn Alaska
To name a few …. I am sure there are few others that we don’t know of as of now.
*** Question for regional guys who are already flying in US ***
Also with regionals with $50 an hour at 75 hours min pay guarantee makes you $3750 a month… take home after tax and insurance is $2600 approx.
Is this survivable salary? Are people struggling with rising cost of living as the salaries aren’t going up at regionals for now?
- Silver Airways as mentioned above
- Connect Airways (WMA)
- Ravn Alaska
To name a few …. I am sure there are few others that we don’t know of as of now.
*** Question for regional guys who are already flying in US ***
Also with regionals with $50 an hour at 75 hours min pay guarantee makes you $3750 a month… take home after tax and insurance is $2600 approx.
Is this survivable salary? Are people struggling with rising cost of living as the salaries aren’t going up at regionals for now?
Commuting is very easy here too so you could avoid the most expensive places.
Year 2-3 you're already looking at an upgrade or moving onto a LCC etc. with a large bump in hourly.
Joined: Feb 2004
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 3,689
Likes: 118
From: USA
You're probably correct about that.
But I'm a little puzzled by the requirement for FAA CPL. They say in the ad that the company provides the ATP-CTP course and the rest of the FAA ATP is taken care of during the training process. Many Aussies came to the regionals right off the boat with no FAA tickets so why wouldn't Silver do it the same way if they're seeking E3 candidates ? The process works well and has a long track record with the FAA.
"Company-paid ATP/CTP Course, iPad, Known Crew Member, and parking in-base"
You guys need to launch the Test Aussie to contact Silver and ask questions.
But I'm a little puzzled by the requirement for FAA CPL. They say in the ad that the company provides the ATP-CTP course and the rest of the FAA ATP is taken care of during the training process. Many Aussies came to the regionals right off the boat with no FAA tickets so why wouldn't Silver do it the same way if they're seeking E3 candidates ? The process works well and has a long track record with the FAA.
"Company-paid ATP/CTP Course, iPad, Known Crew Member, and parking in-base"
You guys need to launch the Test Aussie to contact Silver and ask questions.
Last edited by bafanguy; 12th May 2022 at 16:30.
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 273
Likes: 53
From: Australia
Joined: Sep 2021
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
From: The oldest state
in saying that most turbo prop operators aren’t paying for ATP
- Silver Airways as mentioned above
- Connect Airways (WMA)
- Ravn Alaska
To name a few …. I am sure there are few others that we don’t know of as of now.
*** Question for regional guys who are already flying in US ***
Also with regionals with $50 an hour at 75 hours min pay guarantee makes you $3750 a month… take home after tax and insurance is $2600 approx.
Is this survivable salary? Are people struggling with rising cost of living as the salaries aren’t going up at regionals for now?
- Silver Airways as mentioned above
- Connect Airways (WMA)
- Ravn Alaska
To name a few …. I am sure there are few others that we don’t know of as of now.
*** Question for regional guys who are already flying in US ***
Also with regionals with $50 an hour at 75 hours min pay guarantee makes you $3750 a month… take home after tax and insurance is $2600 approx.
Is this survivable salary? Are people struggling with rising cost of living as the salaries aren’t going up at regionals for now?
Most regionals have a signing bonus. Probably factor that into your budget as well.
Allow two years for captain upgrade.
You need to bring enough money with you from Australia maybe 20-30K AU to cover lean times and to set yourself up.
You will need a car eventually.
2nd year FO life gets easier, 75 hours is a min guarantee. Usually, there is the opportunity to make more money on overtime 200% or 300% rates depending on how hard you want to work.
In my first year, I usually would bid for lines that credited 90 hours. It was fatiguing though.
Joined: Apr 2022
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
From: Australia
You guys need to launch the Test Aussie to contact Silver and ask questions.[/QUOTE]
Test Aussies have already been launched… I know couple of guys with 1500 hrs who applied to Silver almost a month ago and have sent follow up emails.
No acknowledgement or response from them so far… looks like they are collecting resumes and saving them for a rainy day!
Test Aussies have already been launched… I know couple of guys with 1500 hrs who applied to Silver almost a month ago and have sent follow up emails.
No acknowledgement or response from them so far… looks like they are collecting resumes and saving them for a rainy day!
Joined: Apr 2022
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
From: Australia
First-year regional salary is always a challenge in the US even for local guys. When I started it was $38 per hour.
Most regionals have a signing bonus. Probably factor that into your budget as well.
Allow two years for captain upgrade.
You need to bring enough money with you from Australia maybe 20-30K AU to cover lean times and to set yourself up.
You will need a car eventually.
2nd year FO life gets easier, 75 hours is a min guarantee. Usually, there is the opportunity to make more money on overtime 200% or 300% rates depending on how hard you want to work.
In my first year, I usually would bid for lines that credited 90 hours. It was fatiguing though.
Most regionals have a signing bonus. Probably factor that into your budget as well.
Allow two years for captain upgrade.
You need to bring enough money with you from Australia maybe 20-30K AU to cover lean times and to set yourself up.
You will need a car eventually.
2nd year FO life gets easier, 75 hours is a min guarantee. Usually, there is the opportunity to make more money on overtime 200% or 300% rates depending on how hard you want to work.
In my first year, I usually would bid for lines that credited 90 hours. It was fatiguing though.
$20k -$30k is a fair bit of money to have… don’t think a lot people might have that sort of cash lying around unless they pretty much sell their stuff here and be sure of making it through type and line training.
Also post Covid the amount of sign on bonuses have reduced significantly. I remember C5 and some others offering bonuses upto $60k spread over 2-3 years.
Last edited by Another Pilot; 13th May 2022 at 01:43.
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 231
Likes: 45
From: In the soup
A few musings for all you potential new guys.
Your sign-on bonuses are taxable. You're going to lose ~30% of it. But you don't necessarily have to pay the tax on it straight away. When I started at CommutAir, they had a $22k signing bonus, contingent on you staying 2 years. Depending on your contract, you don't have to pay tax on it until that money is actually yours, ie after 2 years. YMMV.
Commuting long term blows. Being that more than likely none of us has an attachment to any particular part of the US (extended family etc), you're going to want to live in base. What this realistically means is, anywhere within a 2 hour drive of your base. For example, there are some very cheap areas within 2 hours of Newark, like Allentown PA. When you're only doing this drive 4 times a month, it's very manageable. This applies more or less to every HCoL area that airlines tend to have bases at.
When I first came to the US, pay was $38/hr. It sucked. I have friends who bought their wife and children with them too, on just that one income. It sucked for them too, but they survived. The regionals are significantly more comfortable now that they're all $50+ now. It doesn't sound like a huge difference, but it is. After 2 years, when you're either a regional captain or LCC FO, the QoL you will have here easily beats out what's achievable at Virgin or Jetstar.
The US really is all about what you can make of it. For those of you still on the fence, the water is very warm, and it's getting warmer by the month. Good luck y'all.
Your sign-on bonuses are taxable. You're going to lose ~30% of it. But you don't necessarily have to pay the tax on it straight away. When I started at CommutAir, they had a $22k signing bonus, contingent on you staying 2 years. Depending on your contract, you don't have to pay tax on it until that money is actually yours, ie after 2 years. YMMV.
Commuting long term blows. Being that more than likely none of us has an attachment to any particular part of the US (extended family etc), you're going to want to live in base. What this realistically means is, anywhere within a 2 hour drive of your base. For example, there are some very cheap areas within 2 hours of Newark, like Allentown PA. When you're only doing this drive 4 times a month, it's very manageable. This applies more or less to every HCoL area that airlines tend to have bases at.
When I first came to the US, pay was $38/hr. It sucked. I have friends who bought their wife and children with them too, on just that one income. It sucked for them too, but they survived. The regionals are significantly more comfortable now that they're all $50+ now. It doesn't sound like a huge difference, but it is. After 2 years, when you're either a regional captain or LCC FO, the QoL you will have here easily beats out what's achievable at Virgin or Jetstar.
The US really is all about what you can make of it. For those of you still on the fence, the water is very warm, and it's getting warmer by the month. Good luck y'all.
Joined: Jan 2000
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 382
Likes: 70
From: US via Oz, Honkers & Blighty.
To add onto what Drop said above, commuting is an easy option if you live within 1.5 hours flight time AND you have at least 4 flights a day AND it’s only a one-leg commute AND it’s on an RJ (JS priority will go to the hoards of mainline guys also trying to commute). Otherwise a 1.5 hour drive is about as far as I’d live away from base. I just swapped a 1:15 drive to ORD, to a one leg commute to DEN and it sucks. But I’m locked into it for another 18 months.
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 337
Likes: 82
From: Australia
Thanks!
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 231
Likes: 45
From: In the soup
CommutAir for example pays $90/hr now for captains. So call the yearly salary $90k give or take for easy numbers. But the money isn't really where the QoL is at. It's in your ability to bid your schedule. If you want overnights somewhere, want 10 days off in a row, only want to do morning flying, stack all your flying into big days but have 18 days off... whatever it is, if your seniority allows it you can bid for it.
I flew with an Orlando based Frontier captain back in February. Something he likes to do is bid for entire weeks off at a time, then sits in Philly and waits for overtime to drop. He claimed he grossed $400k last year. His story, so naturally I can't verify it, but it's not outside the realm of possibility. He's also single, obviously this may not work for everyone.
My point is, if you want to work more and clean up, you can. You want to cram all your flying into as few days as possible and have 18 off, you can. It's entirely dependent on your seniority though, and what I've described are obviously towards the top end of QoL.
Lastly, I believe the current opportunities aren't the ceiling for E3s. As an example, CommutAir is sponsoring it's Aussie captains on green cards. There are T&C's, which I'm not privy too, but they are allowing the Aussies to now opt into the Aviate flow for United. More or less wait until you get your GC then flow to UA. I also wouldn't be surprised to see the likes of Southwest starting their own program. Since the likes of Spirit, Frontier and Atlas have legitimized E3s, I don't think other carriers picking it up is that far of a stretch.
Joined: Jan 2022
Posts: 794
Likes: 177
From: tossbagville
I know couple of guys with 1500 hrs who applied to Silver almost a month ago and have sent follow up emails.
Joined: Apr 2022
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
From: Australia
You are absolutely right…. Their rational is since very few will apply for this gig their application would have less competition compared to regionals.
As an example when Avelo (not a regional) opened their E3… they received 900+ applications from Aussi’s and only 24 got offered a spot… all with type and time on CASA.
Big question is has anyone actually done any interviews with Breeze apart from Video questions recoding one… like online HR/Tech interview that likes of C5, PSA are conducting?
Joined: Jan 2000
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 382
Likes: 70
From: US via Oz, Honkers & Blighty.
As someone who spent just under 6 years at VA, my worst day here is still a million times better than my best day at VA. Better flying, not getting screamed at in the sim (yes it actually happened and I mean spit flying, vein throbbing, screamed at), better pay, better QOL, better work conditions. I could go on but you get the picture. I miss my Bali overnights but Paris, Milan and Rome make up for it. Best move I made, was leaving VA and moving back to the US. I do miss a lot of the people I worked with though but the yanks are a good bunch and some even understand and appreciate sarcasm.
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 8
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From: Bottom of the barrel
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 66
Likes: 4
From: Tracking to intercept
Pilots at the low cost carriers (Spirit, Frontier, Avelo, etc) on A320s and B737s make a lot more.
For example an FO at Frontier makes approx between $115,000 USD to $174,000 USD (12 years with the airline), but can expect to upgrade at year 3 or 4 with Captain pay starting at $221,000 USD to $262,000 USD (12 years with the airline). So looking at a maximum earning potential close to $400,000 AUD and the airline also will contribute 15% into your 401k per year on top.
Last edited by Captain.Crunch; 14th May 2022 at 03:00.
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 558
Likes: 12
From: Oz
Also unlike many Aussie carriers, there’s a bunch of soft time (trip rigs, dropping schedule and picking up trips at 200% etc) that one can do to make significantly more money.
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 558
Likes: 12
From: Oz
To add onto what Drop said above, commuting is an easy option if you live within 1.5 hours flight time AND you have at least 4 flights a day AND it’s only a one-leg commute AND it’s on an RJ (JS priority will go to the hoards of mainline guys also trying to commute). Otherwise a 1.5 hour drive is about as far as I’d live away from base. I just swapped a 1:15 drive to ORD, to a one leg commute to DEN and it sucks. But I’m locked into it for another 18 months.
Joined: Feb 2004
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 3,689
Likes: 118
From: USA
Certainly agree with that. If that's what Silver is doing, it won't take long for the truth to come out and no Aussies will bother with them.
On the other hand, taking the "shotgun" approach and applying to every possible place can't hurt. All you have to do is tolerate the tedium of yet another application form.
Joined: Jan 2022
Posts: 794
Likes: 177
From: tossbagville
bafan, the strikerate is literally so good at the other regionals that you don't need to scattergun. What's really refreshing about the US interview and hiring is there's a heavy emphasis on the 'no d!ckhead' policy. What gets mentioned quite a lot from the interviewer 'I make a judgement based on whether I can do a 4 day trip with you and have a good time while getting the job done'
Apart from the fact Australia is an aviation backwater with an increasingly ridiculous ruleset and pilots accepting lower pay while the rest of the world recognises a looming shortage.
Apart from the fact Australia is an aviation backwater with an increasingly ridiculous ruleset and pilots accepting lower pay while the rest of the world recognises a looming shortage.