Air Taxi work
 

I'm aware of ppjn and the IPA, but is there a way I can find any info on the rates of pay for air taxi drivers, something like PA31 or BE200
Also, what are the min times these operators ask for?. I have 820tt inc 640 multi-turbime.

Ta.

I was working for a PA-31 operator until June of this year and my salary was £10000 pa plus £100 per day flight pay. It wasn't a great salary but during busy times such as the skiing season when flying at least 3 times a week, after paying the bills there was still enough in the pot to visit the local whore house!

To act as single crew when I applied for the air taxi job, you needed a TT 700 hours with at least 70hours P1 on ME piston with I think 70 hours IF as well. Good luck with your quest with finding work as I can assure you it is probably some of the best flying you'll ever do.

I flew air taxi in 1999/00 and started on £24000 and ended up on £33000. That however was way above the norm for this kind of flying. I do not think you can get an 'average' which will show you what to expect with an air taxi outfit; it really comes down to how much the individual company is willing to pay, and how much you are willing to push for!

You have an advantage in your TT, use it wisely I would suggest. Air taxi outfits are going to find it increasingly difficult to find suitably qualified individuals over the next few years with that JAR restiction.............................

Good luck

PP

JAR ops
 

I have yet to do my ATPL's and CPL so can someone tell me what the 'JAR ops requirement' is?(I am guessing something to do with single IFR??)
Thanks

JAR requirement.
 

Greystoke999, believe the JAR requirement for air taxi/charter work accounts for single pilot ops only and is a minimum of 700hrs TT, 500P1 (Can be SEP) and some operators will require in the region of 100P1 MEP for insurance pruposes.

The question on the minds of all those leaving FTOs is where the hell am I going to get 700hours and 100P1 MEP? Which leaves the air taxi companies in a sour position because even now the market is running thin of pilots with that kind of experience who aren't doing better things.

Pay? Is that the thing I get every month for my trouble?

The flyings great, but the pay stinks, and there arnt any perks.

Incidently, If anyone knows any air taxi operators who pay a decent wage(in and around twenty would be a start) then pm me.

Ps at the mo cabin crew on a local regional airline get more than I do, as does the refueler, the fireman, the security, and the dispachers.

I know Homer, I know mate…..We all get screwed at the bottom but hey I’ll bet you get more then I get instructing mate (although I’m sure not much more). I’m getting tired of not flying the A/C myself. There’s only so many times in a day I can stand doing stalls, steep turns and T&G’s.

Some of the charter/air taxi companies also have flying schools for CPL/IR etc. It is possible that an instructor who has built up the 700hrs TT "may" be chosen to do some charter work too. If a twin needs positioning, they would be able to do that, building up multi time too.

Flying PA31s (piston), I was getting £20000 rising to 22 after 6 months then 25 after a year. Didn't stay more than 9 months though.

Air Taxi Operators
 

I was wondering if anyone had any idea of how many air taxi operators are on the lookout for pilots? I hear they often find it awkward to recruit pilots. At present I'm flying in the US and nearly have the required 700hrs. 550hrs of that time is multi and I just have to convert the JAA CPL/IR. My ATPL theory is in the bag so a conversion would be fast. On the downside, I've not flown much in UK airspace but I do have a fair bit of IFR time.

I have the urge to return home but I'm not sure if I'm better holding on till 1000hrs and looking for turboprop work. Any replies appreciated.

Would say it depends on what you want to do. You are in a pretty nice position with a lot of multi and IFR time, most air taxi companies will be keen on you, and there are always jobs going as people move on to...turboprops. Which you are also ideally suited to. Don't see any point in waiting for 1000 hrs, get the 700 then get back!

Agree - start applying now!

Log onto www.ppjn.com or join the IPA www.ipapilot.com . They will give you a list of all the air taxi operators in the UK. These companies rarely advertise so you just have to get phoning and writing letters.

I can't recommend air taxi highly enough. I did it for a few years, then got a job with a regional airline on turboprops and now have a job with BA. It's hard flying single pilot air taxi but you learn very quickly. Not only does the experience of constantly having to manage problems on old aircraft prove invaluable but you don't half appreciate how lucky you are when you look back on the experience whilst eating your hot meal in a warm cockpit at 39000'!

Some airlines frown on this type of experience as you can very easily develop bad habits. Just be disciplined when you fly single pilot and don't let your standards drop no matter how tempted you are to ignore VOR's and NDB's in favour of GPS.

Hard work but great fun!

Ravenair at Liverpool might be what you're after......

Air Taxi Hours
 

Minimum hours for air taxi work as its single pilot are as follows

700 Hours total Time
400 hours pilot in command, including
100 Hours IFR with 40 to have been on a multiengine aircraft
A valid IR

So how do people get this type of experience?? I notice that a company at Southend are looking for people. Will they get anyone??

What do you think?? :ugh:

Well its all achievable, but its the twin time that's tricky because it needs to be command twin time, so the IR training hours don't count. I have heard of people logging twin time on positioning sectors with air taxi companies to build up the 40 multi IFR P1 hours.

Otherwise I think some people consider going to USA to pay for it. I don't think it compares well to buying an FI rating though.