How much $$$ do skydive pilots make? (If any)
Thread Starter

Joined: May 2014
Posts: 15
Likes: 12
From: UK
How much $$$ do skydive pilots make? (If any)
Meatbombers anonymous,
In a branch of the aviation industry that is rife with operators not paying their pilots and from my knowledge because of the private ops nature of skydive flying, I don't think it falls under the current award. (Anyone is more than welcome to correct me on that!)
My question is: can people within this division of aviation give examples of genuine pay/type of aircraft flown? Do you get paid per flight hour? Or per sortie?
I'm not interested in who you work for or where you work, just a numerical value of cash money and type of aircraft for comparison.
PM me if you'd prefer to be entirely anonymous.
Cheers and happy flying!
In a branch of the aviation industry that is rife with operators not paying their pilots and from my knowledge because of the private ops nature of skydive flying, I don't think it falls under the current award. (Anyone is more than welcome to correct me on that!)
My question is: can people within this division of aviation give examples of genuine pay/type of aircraft flown? Do you get paid per flight hour? Or per sortie?
I'm not interested in who you work for or where you work, just a numerical value of cash money and type of aircraft for comparison.
PM me if you'd prefer to be entirely anonymous.
Cheers and happy flying!

Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 49
Likes: 0
From: Sydney
Depends on the size of the operation. One Australia wide operation I know of pays (relative to the GA charter scene) pretty well. The numbers I have been told are a little above what a C402/PA31/C208 driver would expect with regular work.
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 95
Likes: 0
From: All over
I got lucky...
Flying for mates, 10 years ago gettin paid 10 bucks a tandem out the door flying piston bangars, business was good & we got up to 6000 out of said door a year...
Every third night a party, girls everywhere, money no probs...kinda what it would have been like to be an airline pilot back in the day I guess...
anyhow....back to reality...
Flying for mates, 10 years ago gettin paid 10 bucks a tandem out the door flying piston bangars, business was good & we got up to 6000 out of said door a year...
Every third night a party, girls everywhere, money no probs...kinda what it would have been like to be an airline pilot back in the day I guess...
anyhow....back to reality...
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 336
Likes: 0
From: Tjuntjuntjarra
It varies a lot. The Australian scene doesnt seem to be too flash. Some of the NZ operators run pretty good shows and pay decent money. The pilot at Wanaka was getting $12 per Tandem with the Cresco. Theyve had the XL for a few years now so that wasnt recently of course. He was making bloody good cash tho. They are a very busy operation.
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: Here and there....
NZ$42,500 salary per year in C208, including some airfield maintenance and odd other minor duties of no real importance or of a taxing nature. I considered myself lucky! This was about a year or so ago.

Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,818
Likes: 64
From: these mist covered mountains are a home now for me.
Couple of my buddies earn around $25 per load.
Of course they need second part time jobs to earn enough to pay their rent and other bills, or they live with their parents.
The Skydivers themselves get paid much better.
Of course they need second part time jobs to earn enough to pay their rent and other bills, or they live with their parents.
The Skydivers themselves get paid much better.




